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* EEV new business profit up 18 pct at 327 mln stg
* EEV operating profit up 26 pct at 462.7 mln stg
* FY div up 50 pct at 15.96 pence
By Chris Vellacott
LONDON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - British investment manager StJames's Place plans to mark its new-found independencesince majority owner Lloyds Banking Group sold out lastyear with an acquisition in Asia.
Chief Executive David Bellamy said the company was at anadvanced stage in buying Henley Group, an advisory business witharound 400 million pounds ($665 million) under management and4,000 expatriate clients in Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai.
"It's near completion though there are different regulatorsto take through the process," he said, without disclosing thefinancial terms of the transaction.
Bellamy said the move marked a tentative first step in apossible long-term expansion overseas and other regions withlarge British expatriate communities such as the Middle Eastcould be targeted in future if the Asian venture was successful.
"This is the start of something. We are deliberately takinga step, but gently, gently. There might be some unforeseenhurdles which might slow us down. On the other hand, if it goesreally well, who knows?" he said.
St James's Place, which sells investments to a well-heeledBritish clientele and outsources the running of a range ofmutual funds to hand-picked external managers, was until lastyear 60 percent-owned by Lloyds.
The lender sold its stake throughout 2013, placing the lastof its holding in December.
Tuesday's announcement came as the company published astrong set of annual earnings, a 50 percent increase in its 2013dividend and flagged a likely further 30-40 percent hike in2014.
Underlying cash was up more than two thirds and new businessprofit was up nearly a fifth at 327 million pounds, the companysaid.
"An excellent set of final results for 2013, with each ofthe key embedded value metrics close to or ahead of ourforecasts," said Shore Capital Stockbrokers in a note.
St James's Place shares were up nearly 4 percent in earlytrading.
