By Mike Cherney


SYDNEY--Australia-based gaming company Aristocrat Leisure said net profit rose in the fiscal first half, driven by record performance in its slot-machine business.

The company also flagged a strategic review of its casual and mid-core digital gaming assets, including Big Fish Games--excluding social casino assets--and Plarium Global.

In the six months through March, Aristocrat said one measure of normalized net profit, or NPATA, rose by 16% to 764 million Australian dollars (US$511 million). On a statutory basis, net profit was A$711 million, a rise of nearly 9%. Revenue rose about 6% to nearly A$3.3 billion.

The company announced an interim dividend of 36 Australian cents per share, compared to 30 cents in the prior year.

Aristocrat also said it would increase its on-market share buyback program by A$350 million.


Write to Mike Cherney at mike.cherney@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

05-15-24 1903ET