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PROMOTING a safe working environment has brought healthy returns to Ausenco (AAX) in the first half of calendar 2012.
The ASX-listed engineering and project management company today posted a low injury-frequency rate of 2.84 per million hours worked. Net profit after tax (NPAT) was up 164 per cent to $20.3 million while revenue rose 23.7 per cent to $318.2 million.
No injuries were reported in January and CEO Zimi Meka (pictured) credits AAX’s new safety program.
“Our Golden Rules of Safety focus on preserving life, changing behaviours and controlling potentially-fatal hazards through a common set of globally applied safety rules,” he says.
“I commend all of our personnel for their commitment and dedication to ensuring a safe working environment, and one that encourages the sharing of lessons learnt to further improve our strong safety culture.”
Personnel numbers have increased by more than 11 per cent to 3410 since December 31, 2011.
Meanwhile, Wotif.com (WTF) expects the high dollar to bring healthy returns to its international flights business.
The online travel and accommodation group recorded a 14 per cent jump in full-year NPAT to $58 million, exceeding profit guidance provided in May of between $55.5 and $57.5 million.
“Against that backdrop, we think it is reasonable to assume that our international flights business will continue to be a beneficiary of the cycle and accommodation bookings for business on Wotif.com will remain robust,” says CEO Robbie Cooke.
Rising consumer demand for recreation also shielded Super Retail Group (SUL) from the retail slowdown. The company posted a 50 per cent increase in net profit after tax to $83.5 million during FY12.
“We believe that this focus on our customers’ passions and leisure time has supported the strong performance of the group despite the more widespread slowdown in retail spending,” says CEO Peter Birtles.
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