The earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) was 145% higher than the $6.3 million reported in the previous corresponding period.
Sales rose 17% to $95.9 million and the reported profit rose to $8.2 million from the $503,000 reported in the pcp.
A fully-imputed dividend of 10c per share will take the total dividends paid in the year to 14c per share.
Chairman Neil Craig said the results were at the top end of the guidance and demonstrated Comvita reaping the rewards of a growth strategy built on product innovation, an enhanced supply chain, control of channels to market and investment in research and development.
"This is a very pleasing result given that for four months, the board and management also had to deal with the distraction of an unwelcome takeover offer by Cerebos Pacific."
The increase in dividend payout from the historical 40% of reported profit to 50% was a reflection of the board's confidence in future earnings.
At the same time, Comvita would continue to spend on capital projects that improved security of supply of all raw materials and increased profitability further, Mr Craig said.
Chief executive Brett Hewlett said all markets performed well with the most notable positive sales trends in the largest markets of Australia (up 13%), New Zealand (up 13%) and Asia (up 31%).
Growth in some markets, such as the United Kingdom and Europe faced the challenges of continuing economic uncertainty.
"Demand for medical honey-based products continues to grow. Globally, Medihoney sales are currently growing at an annual rate of approximately 40%."
During the year, Comvita further progressed land and apiary development programmes to increase supplies of manuka honey, he said.
Higher earnings for DNZ
DNZ Property Fund has lifted annual earnings 27% and signalled a bigger return to shareholders in the coming year.
Distributable profit, property investors' favoured way of measuring earnings since unrealised changes in property values are excluded, rose to $27.8 million, or 11.22c per share, in the year to March 31. That compares with the previous period's earnings of $21.9 million, or 9.6c per share, the company said in a statement.
Reported profit, including portfolio revaluations, was $20.8 million, compared to a net loss of $35.7 million in a year when the company took a hit on its portfolio value and paid $31.8 million to bring its management contract in-house.
Directors declared a final quarter dividend of 2.2c, taking the full-year payment to 8.5c per share, and expected to payout 9c per share in 2013, following a change in distribution policy.
The value of the property investor's portfolio rose to $658.3 million as at March 31 from $638 million a year earlier, and its bank borrowings increased to $267.3 million from $252.9 million, giving it a loan-to-value ratio of 40.6%.
Pharmacybrands profit
Pharmacybrands, the retail pharmacy and medical centre company, reported a 93% jump in full-year profit, reflecting the boost to sales from the acquisition of the Radius Pharmacy and Radius Medical businesses.
Reported profit rose to $9.9 million, or 8.72c a share, in the 12 months ended March 31, from $5.16 million, or 5.17c a year earlier, the company said in a statement. Sales soared to $105.5 million from $19 million.
Pharmacybrands acquired Radius Pharmacy in April last year, adding to its Unichem, Amcal, Life Pharmacy and Care Chemist brands and lifting retail outlets to 305, of which it has an ownership interest in 68 as well as two 50:50 joint ventures.
It acquired Radius Medical in June and its medical group now has five centres.
The company will pay a dividend of 3.5c a share and will offer a dividend reinvestment plan.
The board wants to retain enough cash "to maintain the flexibility to pursue potential acquisitions and other opportunities to expand in what remains a relatively small NZX company," the company said in a statement.
OfficeMax profit up
OfficeMax New Zealand, the local unit of the global office supply company, lifted profit by 6.6% last year, even as sales fell.
The company has still to decide whether to sell its Croxley Stationery unit.
Reported profit was $14 million in the 2011 calendar year, up from $13.1 million a year earlier, according to OfficeMax Holdings' financial statements, lodged with the Companies Office.
Profit was boosted by lower costs of tax and interest, while sales fell to $382.5 million from $389.8 million a year earlier.
OfficeMax said no decision had been made on the future of the Croxley business and it continued to operate as a going concern.
