Picture: THE TIMES
Picture: THE TIMES

MONDI plc’s basic earnings per share (EPS) were up 27% to €1.24 in the year to December 31 2015 from €0.974 in the year-earlier period, the company said on Thursday.

A total dividend of €0.52 per share was declared, up 24%, from €0.42.

Looking ahead, the packaging and paper company said the outlook for the business remained positive.

The company said prices in the European uncoated fine paper markets were firmer, while prices in some of the company’s packaging paper grades were softer.

Lower energy and related input costs, the generally positive influence of weaker emerging-market currencies and the incremental contribution from recently completed major capital projects were expected to benefit the group’s performance in the near term, it said.