Results Highlights

• Robust organic turnover growth* of 3.7% (2008: 9.5%)
• Group turnover* up 7.4% to £ 7,008.6 million (2008: £6,524.7m)
• PBITA* up 10.0% to £ 500.3 million (2008: £454.8m)
• Margin* increased to 7.1% (2008: 7.0%) through strong cost control and improved business mix
• Strong cash flow generation up 27% to £449.9 million, 90% of PBITA (2008: 85%)
• Adjusted earnings per share increased by 22% to 20.2p (2008:16.6p) and by 12% at constant exchange rates
• Recommended final dividend up 13.0% to 4.16 pence per share DKK 0.3408 (2008: 3.68p/DKK 0.3052)
• Recommended total dividend up 11.7% to 7.18 pence per share DKK 0.6007 (2008: 6.43p/DKK 0.5624)
• Invested £153.2million in a number of acquisitions to increase our capability in the government, financial institution, port and nuclear power outsourcing sectors

*at constant (2009) exchange rates

Nick Buckles, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

“The group achieved an excellent performance in 2009, with businesses performing well across all markets, service lines and customer segments. The global economic downturn was a major challenge for the business community as a whole in 2009, with rapid declines in GDP and inflation rates across the world. That G4S was able to report a further improved performance for the year demonstrates both the breadth and international diversity of our business mix. It also demonstrates our increasing ability to deliver innovative, outsourced solutions to our customers, helping them drive efficiency and reduce costs in their businesses.

Although low inflation has limited the ability to increase prices which has affected organic revenue growth, sales volumes have held up well. This, combined with continued focus on cost control, and debtor and cash control, has helped to increase margins and substantially exceed our cash conversion target.

We expect organic growth in 2010 to be broadly similar to 2009 whilst continuing to maintain our discipline on margins and cash generation.

We are confident that our strategic plan, which is enhancing our ability to meet increasingly sophisticated customer needs by adding new capabilities and technologies to our offer, has put the group in a strong position to maintain our longer term growth momentum as we pursue attractive global opportunities in our key target sectors.”

Read the full G4S 2009 Preliminary Results announcement (PDF 208.9 KB) in PDF

Presentation of Results

Download the Preliminary Results Presentation (PDF 1581.6 KB) as PDF.