Listed asset manager Polar Capital today released an unaudited set of results for the six months ending 30 September and they show the firm’s core operating profits have increased by 65 percent to £36.3 million on a year-on-year basis.

Assets under management also grew by £2.5 billion during the reporting period ending at £23.4 billion.

Investors in the firm should be happy with the dividend being raised to 14p per share compared to 9p in January 2021.

Shareholder funds have also increased to £146.8 million compared to £114.4 million the previous year.

Gavin Rochussen, chief executive officer, said in statement to the market: “This time last year, Polar Capital established a new Head of Sustainability role and put in place separate Sustainability and Diversity committees to increase focus on these areas, in investment and for the Group. Six of Polar Capital’s funds have been classified as Article 8 under the European Union’s SFDR regulations and there is a pipeline of funds aiming to reclassify as Article 8. The recently launched Smart Energy and Smart Mobility funds are classified as Article 9 funds.

“There is much greater concern about the impact of climate change, and this will result in growing demand for greener technologies and the investment landscape will be shaped by the conversations and outcomes from COP26 held in Glasgow.

“The launch of the Polar Capital Smart Energy and Smart Mobility Funds in September 2021 were well received with early flows and demonstrable appetite from potential investors in these funds.

“Our diverse and differentiated range of sector, thematic and regional fund strategies and our performance led culture where 74%, 93% and 99% of our AuM is in the top two quartiles against peers over three years, five years and since inception respectively together with significant remaining capacity provides confidence that momentum will continue.”