Recruitment firm Hays to pay special dividend following rise in full-year profit

Recruitment firm Hays is to pay a special dividend following a rise in full-year profit.

It reported a 17 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £238.5m in the 12 months to June 30, boosted by a strong performance in its international unit.

Hays recorded double-digit fee growth in all of its territories except the UK and Ireland, where they rose by just 2 per cent.

Profit boost: Hays, whose boss is Alistair Cox, recorded double-digit fee growth in all of its territories except the UK 

Total net fees were up 12 per cent on a like-for-like basis, to a record £1.07 billion.

Hays will pay a special dividend totalling £72.9m, or 5p a share, and also raise its core dividend by 18 per cent to 3.81p.

Its British operations were hit by weak public sector hiring.

Boss Alistair Cox said: ‘2018 was a landmark year for the group. We successfully completed our ambitious 2013 plan, passed £1bn in net fees for the first time and 22 countries delivered all-time records.’