US and Australasia boosts Aristocrat

A stronger-than-expected performance, notably in the US and Australasia, has driven up the profits at Aristocrat Leisure.

Upgrading its half-year earnings to the end of March, the company said that the statutory net profit after tax was A$346m (€221m) and normalised net profit after tax as A$412m (€263m), representing a growth of 12 per cent compared with the same period of 2020.

EBITDA was A$750m (€479m) a growth of six per cent, reported managing director Trevor Croker (pictured), who said: “These results reflect the fact that we have the right strategy and made the right choices to sustain our investment in outstanding people and product, customers, talent and culture throughout the pandemic.”

He added: ““We expect economic conditions across key markets over the full year to remain uncertain, as a result of on-going Covid-driven volatility. We are closely monitoring key markets.”