UPDATE: Spark annual profit climbs 13% as sales tick up, chairman Verbiest signals exit

Thu, 17 Aug 2017

(Adds detail throughout) By Paul McBeth Aug. 18 (BusinessDesk) - Spark New Zealand boosted annual profit 13 percent as the country's biggest telecommunications company eked out small sales growth and continued its focus on stripping out costs, and signalled a changing of the guard with chairman Mark Verbiest planning to stand down in November. Net profit climbed to $418 million, or 22.8 cents per share, in the 12 months ended June 30, from $370 million, or 20.2 cents a year earlier, the Auckland-based company said in a statement. Earn...

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