Results round-up

Sky has announced James Murdoch will return as chairman of the FTSE 100 broadcaster, as the company announced strong revenue growth for the first half of the year.

It will be his third time leading the company , after serving as chief executive from 2003 to 2007, and then chairman from 2007 to 2012.

He then stepped down to distance the broadcaster from the News of the World phone-hacking scandal.

Murdoch replaces Nicholas Ferguson CBE, who will leave after serving the company for 12 years on the board and the last four as chairman.

Martin Gilbert has been appointed deputy chairman, while Andrew Sukawaty becomes a senior independent director.

The company also said in its interim results on Friday that statutory revenue for the six months to 31 December jumped 5% to £5.72bn from £5.44bn.

That was driven by signing up 337,000 new customers in the second quarter - the company’s highest UK and Ireland growth in 10 years – and sold 1.1m extra paid-for products.

Operating profit for the period rose 12% to £747m, and the company declared a dividend of 12.6p per share.

Sky’s group chief executive Jeremy Darroch said the results show the business’ strategy to broaden the business and expand into new markets and customer segments is working.

“All of our markets are now clearly benefiting from our leadership in content and innovation and being part of the broader Sky,” he said.

“The launch of Sky Q will redefine our top-end TV experience and extend our market-leading portfolio of products to serve the needs of every customer.”

Rank Group's bets were paying off in the first half of its financial year, with all of the company's sectors showing growth in the six months to 31 December 2015.

The FTSE 250 company said its group revenues were up 5% on a like-for-like basis to £370.1m, with operating profit before exceptional items up 11% to £46.1m - which excluded the impact of Remote Gaming Duty.

Rank's board described its digital revneue growth as strong, up 14%, while Grosvenor Casinos revenue was up 7%.

The Mecca retail bingo business was in growth, with like-for-like revenue up 2%.

"I am very pleased to announce a good set of results with like-for-like revenue growth across all brands and channels", said chief executive Henry Birch.

"Even with the impact of Remote Gaming Duty, we have delivered growth in both adjusted EPS, up 4%, and dividend, up 13%", he added.

Rank was also pressing forward with its expansion and transformation plans, with its digital platform migration on track to go like by the end of the current quarter, and two new format bingo clubs to be opened this summer.

It had agreed contracts with new suppliers for both a digital poker and sports book offer, and had refurbished its Luton casino to accommodate the newly-awarded licence under the 2005 Act.

"2016 will see us deliver significant new platforms, new functionality and new products - including a new digital platform, a new casino management system , new poker and sports betting products and a new retail bingo format - all of which will drive improvements across our company", said Birch.

"It is extremely encouraging that ahead of these changes, we are continuing to grow all parts of our business. In particular, it is very please to have grown Mecca's retail bingo business on a like-for-like basis, both at the top and bottom line, giving us renewed confidence in its future", he concluded.

Rank's board described its dividend growth as "strong", announcing an interim dividend of 1.8p - an increase of 13%.

The company's earnings per share were up 4% on the previous corresponding period, to 7.4p.