Crown H1 Net Profit Down 34%

Crown

reported a 34% drop in its first-half net profit. Crown's net profit for the six months fell to 180.8 million Australian dollars (US$186 million), from A$274.4 million, in the year-ago period. Its underlying profit climbed 15% to A$243.5 million, versus analysts' estimates of A$238.5 million. Crown announced its plans to pay an interim dividend of 18 Australian cents per share.