AIM-listed Dart Group, parent of Jet2, saw its pre-tax, pre-exceptional profit improve by 5.8% year-on-year to £14.7m in the 12 months to end-March 2006.
Turnover grew by 19.3% to £319.6m, while operating expenses were up 18.8% at £312.1m, which resulted in a full year operating profit of £7.5m (+41.5%). Earnings per share were up 3.4% at 28.9p.
Net debt as at 31 March 2006 stood at £5.5m, compared with net cash of £2.4m a year earlier, following the acquisition of three Boeing 757-200 and one Boeing 737-300 aircraft.
Jet2, which flies to 26 destinations from six bases in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, using a fleet of 22 B737s and three B757s, carried 2.25m passengers during the year.
Dart’s other business is temperature-controlled distribution company Fowler Welch-Coolchain. The group does not split out the results of its two businesses.