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Challenger moves to reassure shareholders

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By Tim Stewart
  •  
3 minute read

Annuities provider Challenger has moved to placate anxious shareholders with a profit update after the company’s share price dropped by almost 12 per cent last week.

Challenger’s share price fell from $7.82 on Wednesday morning to $6.99 on Thursday at the close of trade – a drop of almost 12 per cent.

Challenger issued a statement to the ASX on Friday morning confirming the company is in compliance with its ASX-mandated continuous disclosure requirements.

In addition, the company released its unaudited results for the half year ending 31 December 2015 ahead of their official release on 16 February.

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Challenger said it expects to report a normalised profit after tax in the range of “$180 million to $185 million” – up from the first half 2014-15 result of $155 million.

First half statutory profit after tax is expected to be in the range of $225 million to $235 million, which is a significant improvement on last year’s $130 million.

Challenger is also set to benefit “positive investment experience and profit on the sale of Kapstream [Capital]”.

The company’s share price jumped sharply on the release of the statement on Friday morning, finishing the day up 5 per cent at $7.43.

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