UPDATE: Heartland shares jump to record as asset growth drives first-half earnings

UPDATE: Heartland shares jump to record as asset growth drives first-half earnings
(Updates with share price gain, investor comment) Jan. 28 (BusinessDesk) - Heartland New Zealand shares jumped to a record after the bank formed from the merger of Marac Finance and the Southern Cross and Canterbury building societies said first-half profit would rise as much as 44 percent, reflecting growth in assets. Profit in the six months ended Dec. 31 was in a range of $23 million to $24 million, Christchurch-based Heartland said in a statement. That's up from $16.7 million a year earlier. The company raised its full-year forecast t...