LONDON, Sept 5 (Reuters) - British transport group Go-Ahead posted an 8 percent fall in full-year profit, hit by arise in rail franchise payments to the UK government.
The bus and rail operator on Thursday reported a pretaxprofit of 86.2 million pounds ($134.72 million) for the year tothe end of June, on revenue 6 percent higher at 2.57 billionpounds.
The company, which operates the Southern, Southeastern andLondon Midland rail franchises, said profit at its rail unitfell 15.7 million pounds during the year as franchise paymentsto the British government rose by 85.9 million pounds.
Go-Ahead was expected to report an average pretax profit of83.2 million pounds for the year, according to a Thomson Reuterspoll of 14 analysts.
Go-Ahead said its bus division posted a record operatingprofit of 78.2 million pounds in the year, up 11.4 percent, andthat the bus business was on course to deliver an operatingprofit of 100 million pounds by 2016.
The company, which has been short-listed for Thameslink andCrossrail franchises, maintained full year dividend at 81 penceand said its new financial year had started well.
