CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
A message from David Gonski AC
Enclosed with this Shareholder Update is the advice of your 2015 Interim Dividend
payment of 86 cents per share fully franked, 4% higher than the first half of 2014.
This reflects a good, well balanced financial performance during the first half ofthe 2015 financial year which saw statutory profit up 3% to $3.5 billion while cash
profit1 rose 5% to $3.7 billion.
Our financial performance and capital strategy isallowing us to maintain the dividend payout ratio
for the financial year towards the upper end of theBoard’s target of 65 to 70% of Cash Profit.
This will see ANZ shareholders receive a total of$2.4 billion in dividends for the first half of whichalmost 75% will be paid to Australian based retailand institutional investors.
Turning to our performance in more detail, I am
pleased to report that we saw a range of strong
outcomes in our major franchises in Australia, in
New Zealand and in Asia which highlights the valueof ANZ’s super regional strategy.
In our domestic markets of Australia and New
Zealand we again delivered strong growth andreturns. In Australia we are investing heavily tosupport our customers’ future needs particularly
through digital solutions and by increasing ourpresence in New South Wales. In New Zealand
we are continuing to see the benefits of oursimplification program with a stronger brand andgrowth in market share.
Global Wealth continued to achieve positive results
and is delivering industry-leading innovation forour customers.
International and Institutional Banking also
performed well including strong growth in regional
trade and investment corridors, for example
between Australia and Hong Kong and Australiaand Singapore. The global economic environment ishowever more challenging for institutional banking.

We are responding to this more constrained
environment by taking action to improve returns
while we continue to benefit from the growth
opportunities in Asia.
Across the Group credit conditions remained benign.
The total provision charge decreased 3% to $510
million in calculating cash profit1, reflecting ANZ’slong-term focus on asset quality and prudent credit
standards.
While there is still much to do at ANZ, ourperformance is a reminder of what a successfulbank can achieve when it is focussed on supporting
the ambitions of individuals, of businesses, ofemployees, of shareholders and indeed of thecommunity as a whole.
Because of the important role we are trusted toplay, Australia’s banks have to maintain a long-term
focus. With our history now stretching back some
180 years, I am pleased to say that ANZ is a bankthat has a very clear sense of its future in Australia,
in New Zealand and in Asia Pacific.
In this half we continued to contribute to thesuccess of our customers and to building stronger
communities, and on behalf of our shareholders I’dlike to thank our talented and professional staff for
their contribution.

DAVID GONSKI ACCHAIRMAN

2015 HALF YEAR HIGHLIGHTS
4%$3,676 million

86 cents

1H14

1H14

CASH PROFIT$3,515 million

4%133.6 cents

DIVIDEND PER SHARE

CASH EARNINGS PER ORDINARY SHARE

83 cents

1H14

128.7 cents

1. Statutory profit has been adjusted to exclude non-core items to arrive at cash profit, which is provided to assist readers to understand theresults for the ongoing activities of the Group.

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