The profit increase is reflected in a 15% dividend increase to shareholders of 3.9c, payable in early-December.
Cash flows for the half to September were up from $72.9 million to $91.6 million with underlying profit, which had no one-off costs, up from $36.1 million to the record $41.4 million.
Craigs Investment partners broker Chris Timms said it was a "strong result" for Ryman, with both its profit and dividend boosts ahead of forecasts, mainly due to an increase in aged-care fees of people in the units.
Shares in Ryman were up almost 4% at $2.67 after the announcement.
Forsyth Barr broker Suzanne Kinnaird said the result again demonstrated the consistently strong demand for Ryman's product and how significant care fees have become to overall profitability.
"Ryman remains with a strong balance sheet and it can continue to internally fund its development programme," Ms Kinnaird said.
Vacancies at the end of first half stood at 30 units, or just over one unit per village, which highlighted the "very strong" customer demand.
Ryman chairman Dr David Kerr said the company had generated "exceptionally strong operating cash flows", which allowed it to invest heavily in new hospital and dementia-care facilities. It lifted its build rate last year which was paying dividends, he said yesterday.
"This is an outstanding result, especially when you consider the additional challenges faced this year by the Christchurch team."
Ryman owns 24 villages around the country, offering both retirement living and rest-home care for more than 5700 residents.
Ryman, which opened the $18 million 122-room Yvette Williams village in Dunedin, had in the past six months opened a further 170 beds in New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Auckland.
Dr Kerr said as the company was trading well and experiencing strong levels of pre-sales at new villages, Ryman expected to achieve its growth target of underlying profit increasing 15% for the full year.
