Aviva sales and ‘operating profits is up’ amid an increase in insurance premiums – London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Over the past six months the insurance giant Aviva has announced higher sales and operating profits have risen due to “excellent trading.”

In the first half of this year Aviva reported an operating profit of £875 million, up by 14% which was ahead of analyst expectations.

Insurance premiums rose by 15% to £6 billion with an 18% increase in the UK and Ireland.

Group chief executive Amanda Blanc said: “Sales are up, operating profit is up, the dividend is up.

“Our plan to deliver more for customers and shareholders is working really well.

“We have achieved another six months of excellent trading.

“We have generated growth right across Aviva, thanks to our leading positions in attractive markets such as workplace pensions and general insurance in the UK and Canada.”

Jefferies analyst James Pearse said: “Aviva continues to demonstrate strong delivery versus its targets, beating consensus expectations across all its headline metrics.

“In our view, Aviva remains the only UK insurer that can reliably deliver long-term special capital returns, accretive M&A (mergers and acquisitions), attractive ordinary dividend growth, and consistent earnings-per-share growth.”