The company, which rents out equipment to the construction and industrial sectors, kept its interim dividend at 7.15 pence per share.

The FTSE 100 company's shares, that have risen about 34% so far this year, were up 5% in early trade.

Ashtead's specialty businesses, which provides power and pump solutions and protection tools to first responders, hospitals and testing sites, saw revenue in the first-half jump 18% due to the active storm season in the United States, its biggest market.

The company said underlying profit for the second quarter ended Oct. 31 fell to 330 million pounds ($440.06 million) from 370 million pounds a year earlier.

Ashtead, which also operates in Canada and Britain under the Sunbelt Rentals brand, said the sudden fall in activity levels in March and April led to a 21% decline in first-half profit.

"Looking forward, the strength of our business model and balance sheet positions the Group well in markets that are likely to remain uncertain," Chief Executive Officer Brendan Horgan said.

The company said in September it expected full-year group rental revenue to be down mid to high single digits when compared with last year on a constant currency basis.

(Reporting by Jasmine I S and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni & Ramakrishnan M.)