Jurys Doyle posts 7.5% first-half profit rise

Jurys Doyle Hotel Group posted a 7.8 per cent rise in first half pretax profit today.

The group said it expected to deliver further growth this year despite a disappointing performance at its four-star Dublin hotels

Jurys said pretax profit for the six months to the end of June rose to almost €23.7 million.

That came on the back of an 11.8 per cent rise in turnover to €150.9 million and resulted in a 5 per cent increase in the company's interim dividend to €8.82 per share.

The group has been at the centre of intense bid speculation that has boosted its shares more than 40 per cent since an initial approach in May.