Aristocrat Leisure full-year profit jumps 53%

The news: Poker machine giant Aristocrat Leisure has posted a jump in full-year profit, driven by strong growth in its North America gaming division.

The numbers: It reported net profit of $1.45 billion for the year to 30 September, up 53% from a year ago. Group revenue climbed 13% to $6.3 billion, while earnings were up 14% to $2.1 billion. The company will pay a final dividend of 34 cents per share, up from 26 cents a year earlier.

The context: The result was largely driven by the sale of traditional poker machines in the US, with the division profit up 21% to $1.6 billion. That offset challenging market conditions in Australia and New Zealand as well as volatility in mobile gaming division Pixel United, which reported a decline of 3.6% and an increase of 0.3% in profits respectively. Chief executive Trevor Croker said the growth reflected the diversification of assets and said the group will continue to navigate challenges with a focus on portfolio performance.