NZME maintains final dividend after smaller-than-expected dip in 2017 earnings

NZME maintains final dividend after smaller-than-expected dip in 2017 earnings
Paul McBeth
By Paul McBeth Feb. 22 (BusinessDesk) - NZME maintained its final dividend payment against expectations of a cut after posting a 2 percent drop in annual earnings as the newspaper publisher and radio station owner slowed the decline in its print advertising and kept a lid on costs.  Trading earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell to $66.2 million in calendar 2017 from $67.2 million a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. That was a better result than the forecast for earnings of $65.7 mill...