KUALA LUMPUR (March 5): UEM Edgenta Bhd expects to grow revenue and profit in financial year ending Dec 31, 2019 (FY19), as the facilities-management specialist anticipates growth at all of its business segments. The segments comprise healthcare, infrastructure and real estate sectors.

UEM Edgenta chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Merican said at a media briefing here today that the company expects to grow FY19 revenue and profit, despite rising competition in the healthcare asset management segment.

“Last year, we had a year (during which) we grew profitability, as profit outstripped the growth in topline. In 2019, we think we can grow both. Strongest growth engine we suspect will be healthcare, followed by infrastructure and we expect all businesses to grow,” Azmir said.

For FY18, UEM Edgenta recently reported full-year net profit from continuing operations rose 19% to RM148.24 million from RM124.61 million a year earlier, while revenue grew 3% to RM2.18 billion from RM2.12 billion.

For FY18, the group declared total dividends of 14 sen a share, which include an eight sen per share dividend for 4QFY18. The 14 sen dividend is equivalent to a payout ratio of 78.5% on UEM Edgenta's FY18 results, in line with the company’s enhanced dividend policy of at least 50% and up to 80% payout, the group said in a statement in conjunction with its FY18 results announcement.

At the media briefing today, Azmir said UEM Edgenta expects to maintain its FY18 dividend payout in FY19.