Anhui profit increases

Toll-road operator Anhui Expressway reported a 18.84 per cent increase in net profit for the year to December 31. The H share's net profit rose to 269.97 million yuan (about HK$252.96 million) last year, against 227.18 million yuan the year before. Anhui Expressway's earnings per share rose to 19.17 fen last year, against 16.13 fen in 2000. The Hefei-based company will issue a final dividend of three fen in May, compared with a final dividend of two fen in 2000, for a total dividend of six fen per share last year.