KARACHI, Aug 26: Bank of Punjab (BoP), Pak Suzuki Motor Company and Glaxo Smith Kline announced financial figures for the half year ended June 30, 2005, on Friday. Bank of Punjab (BoP) posted after tax profit at Rs1,531 million for the half year ended June 30, 2005, translating into an earning per share of Rs8.47. The Board which met on Friday also announced bonus shares at 30 per cent.

Both the results and payout stood higher than analysts’ expectations. Most analysts were forecasting earning per share to range between Rs7.25 and Rs7.43. The board was expected to declare bonus issue in the range of 10 to 20 per cent. The results did not, however, receive an enthusiastic investors’ response at the stock market, with the price of the share in BoP closing at Rs91.85 which was 50 paisa lower than the opening price of Rs92.35. The share touched highest and lowest at Rs94.10 and Rs89.80 with trading volume at 36.5 million shares.

Pak Suzuki Motor Company announced after tax profit at Rs750 million on sales valued at Rs18.9 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2005, which reflected increase from after tax profit at Rs706 million on sales valued at Rs11.6 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. The company did not announce a payout.

The third result for the day was from Glaxo Smith Kline, which posted profit after tax amounting to Rs790 million, translating into eps of Rs9.04. Sales for the half year stood at Rs4,785 million.

The earnings compared with profit after tax of Rs712 million or eps at Rs8.15 in the same period of 2004. Sales for the previous comparable period amounted to Rs4,510 million. The company announced interim bonus issue at 25 per cent. The board announced that an extra-ordinary meeting would be held on October 20 to authorize the issuance of bonus shares recommended by the board.