00052.HK announced its results for the year ended March 31, 2022. During the period, the group realized an income of HK $2.8819 billion, an increase of 8.9% over the same period last year; a gross profit of HK $222.6 million, down 32.1%; and a profit attributable to equity shareholders of HK $42.64 million, down 72.2% from the same period last year. Basic earnings per share were HK32.91 cents and a final dividend of HK40.0 cents per share was declared, resulting in a total dividend of HK65.0 cents per share for the year and a dividend ratio of approximately 19.7%.
Despite the sound performance of the Group in the first three quarters, the fifth wave of the 2019 coronavirus outbreak in the last quarter posed unprecedented challenges to the catering industry in Hong Kong. In addition, the government subsidy received by the Group fell from HK $272.5 million last year (including HK $183.2 million under the employee Employment Protection Scheme) to HK $58.9 million in that year.
The Group maintained a sound financial position, holding bank deposits, cash and cash equivalents of HK $557.1 million as at 31 March 2022. The Group had no bank loans and zero debt ratio as at 31 March 2022.