London Stock Exchange Group’s annual net profits have surged, as the group was boosted by rising revenues and a string of acquisitions, despite the uncertain economic backdrop.

Earnings after taxation rocketed to £522 million (€651 million) in the group’s financial year to the end of March, compared with £151.6 million last time around, the LSE said in a results statement.

Total revenues climbed 10 per cent to £679.89 million, added the group, which operates the London Stock Exchange and Italy’s Borsa Italiana. It also hiked the annual shareholder dividend by six per cent to 28.3 pence per share.

“This has been a very significant year for our business. The successful execution of our strategy has produced tangible operational and financial benefits and we have delivered growth, diversification and performance,” said LSE chairman Chris Gibson-Smith in the earnings release.

“Looking ahead, we are excited by the opportunities for the business. In particular our full ownership of FTSE and our shareholder approved transaction with LCH.Clearnet will continue to transform our organisation. We are well placed and remain firmly focused in our pursuit of driving long-term shareholder value.”

The LSE has been aggressive in trying to woo foreign companies from all over the world to list in London, an effort matched by its strategy to enlarge its business through acquisitions.

Over the past two and a half years, it has acquired Turquoise, an erstwhile competitor in European share trading, as well as Sri Lankan technology provider MillenniumIT.

The group failed last year in its attempt to purchase Canada’s TMX Group Inc, operator of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

However, in March, the LSE announced a deal to buy a majority stake of up to 60 per cent in leading independent clearing house group LCH.Clearnet.

In addition, last December, the LSE bought the remaining 50 per cent stake in FTSE International Ltd that it did not already own from publisher Pearson.