RMBH increases normalised earnings by +23%,

Separately listed RMB Holdings Limited’s sole interest is its 34% investment in banking giant FirstRand, which owns FNB (retail / commercial banking), RMB (investment banking) and WesBank (instalment finance).

For the year ended 30 June 2012, RMBH reported normalised earnings per share from continuing operations of 295.5 cents per share - a 23% increase over the prior year. Ordinary dividends for the year were increased by 24% to 125.5 cents per share.

The RMBH results tracks that of FirstRand, which produced excellent results against a challenging background with strong operational performances being delivered by FNB and WesBank.

In an environment where economic activity continues to be under pressure, the greater group expects to produce good organic growth, driven largely by strategies of the FirstRand franchises.