Associated British Ports Holdings (ABP) plc expects its underlying operating profits from UK ports and transport activities to be up 3% for the year ending December 31, 2004.
The company’s trading update also says ABP is set to increase its turnover by at least 4% compared with the previous year.
ABP says it has benefited from volume growth across its key trades during 2004, but suffered a one-off £44.9m charge following the government’s rejection of its application to develop the Dibden terminal deep-sea container port at Southampton.
The company has completed £90.4m of its £130m share repurchase programme, which will be extended to £205m.
The preliminary results will be released on February 16.
