Evening Standard3 Dec 2018 14:24
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Shock as Stobart Group Ltd. (STOB) slashes dividend by two thirds. Investors in logistics firm Stobart were left wincing on Monday after the board unexpectedly slashed the dividend by two thirds. The Southend Airport owner, fresh from a High Court battle with former chief executive Andrew Tinkler, delivered the bad news after a review of its balance sheet which began in October. The shares were down 14p, or 7%, at 183.6p as the company said “prudent financial discipline” meant it would pay a 1.5p divi in the final quarter, down from 4.5p in previous quarters. Stobart, which has been linked to a bid for struggling regional airline Flybe Group (FLYB), has been funding the dividend via the disposal of property assets as well as cutting its stake in the Eddie Stobart haulage business.