By Jaime Llinares Taboada

Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. on Thursday reported a significantly improved profit for the first half of the fiscal year, and increased its production outlook for the full year.

The Johannesburg-listed mining company logged a net profit of 25.42 billion rand ($1.75 billion) in the six months ended Dec. 31, up from ZAR3.47 billion a year earlier. This reflected stronger production and prices for precious metals, it said.

Headline earnings came in at ZAR14.44 billion, in line with the company's guidance of ZAR14.10 billion-ZAR14.78 billion.

Implats declared an interim dividend of ZAR10.00 a share for the period, up from ZAR1.25 a year earlier.

In addition, the company raised refined production guidance for the whole year ending in June to 3.20 million-3.46 million ounces from the previous 2.80 million-3.40 million.

Unit costs are adjusted to ZAR14,600-ZAR15,100 an ounce from ZAR14,500-ZAR15,500, it said.

Write to Jaime Llinares Taboada at jaime.llinares@wsj.com; @JaimeLlinaresT

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

02-25-21 0131ET