Financial performance

Group financial summary for the year ended 31 December 2009.

Financial summary

	2009 £m	2008 £m	2007 £m
Customers ('000)	2,268	2,157	1,966
Average receivables (£m)	990.3	882.3	756.4
Profit before tax and exceptional items (£m)	130.1	128.8	115.2
Pre-exceptional EPS (pence)	71.4	70.9	63.5
Dividend per share (pence)	63.5	63.5	63.5
Net assets (£m)	268.4	277.9	295.9
Gearing1 (times)	3.3	3.2	2.7
Equity to receivables1 (%)	18.9%	19.1%	21.7%

1. Stated after deducting the pension asset (net of deferred tax) and the fair value of derivatives (net of deferred tax)

Profit before tax

	2009 £m	2008 £m	2007 £m
Home credit	128.9	128.8	123.5
Real Personal Finance	(7.7)	(2.7)	–
Consumer Credit Division	121.2	126.1	123.5
Vanquis Bank	14.1	8.0	(0.9)
Yes Car Credit	0.2	(2.9)	(2.9)
Central costs	(7.0)	(5.5)	(6.5)
Central interest	1.6	3.1	2.0
Total central	(5.4)	(2.4)	(4.5)
Group profit before tax	130.1	128.8	115.2