OREANDA-NEWS. August 08, 2011. Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited (“CKI” or the “Group”) delivered an excellentperformance during the first half of 2011, reported the press-centre of Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings.

Unaudited profit attributable to shareholders was HKD 3,983 million, nearly doubling that of the same period last year. This significant growth is mainly attributed to the contribution from UK Power Networks, an electricity distribution business which was acquired by a consortium led by CKI in October 2010, with CKI and its associate, Power Assets Holdings Limited (“Power Assets”) each holding a 40 per cent stake. This business has substantially increased the Group’s income base. The combination of UK Power Networks’ direct profit contribution to CKI, together with an indirect profit contribution through Power Assets has generated about HKD 2 billion during the period under review.

The Board of Directors of CKI (the “Board”) has declared an interim dividend for 2011 of HKD 0.365 per share (2010: HKD 0.33), representing an increase of 11 per cent over the same period last year. This continues the Group’s trend of annual dividend growth for the past fifteen years since listing. The interim dividend will be paid on Friday, 9th September, 2011 to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members of the Company on Thursday, 8th September, 2011.

BUSINESS REVIEW
Power Assets
Power Assets generated HKD 1,564 million in profit contribution, a 48 per cent increase over the same period last year.

The international businesses recorded growth of 133 per cent, which included full six-month contributions from Seabank Power and UK Power Networks, which were acquired in 2010. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong business remained comparable to the same period last year, only generating a 0.3 per cent increase.

The proportion of profit contribution derived from international businesses has increased from 36 per cent in 2010 to 56 per cent in 2011. The contribution from the Hong Kong business now comprises less than half of Power Assets’ total income. The shift reflects Power Assets’ ongoing strategic focus of expanding its portfolio outside of Hong Kong.

Mainland China Infrastructure
The Group’s portfolio in Mainland China generated profit contribution of HKD 215 million, a 2 per cent increase over the same period last year. The toll road projects recorded a double-digit increase in toll revenue.