Heartland New Zealand’s Marac Finance unit, which was one of three lenders which merged to create Heartland, has refunded more than half a million dollars over unpaid loan repayment insurance rebates in a settlement with the antitrust regulator. The Heartland subsidiary refunded $567,000 to 1,000 customers who repaid auto-loans early between 2006 and 2010 but weren’t refunded the rebate on …

Heartland New Zealand, which gained bank registration in December, posted a 9.2 percent gain in first-half profit on increased earnings from retail, business and rural lending and a reduction in costs. Profit rose to $10.7 million in the six months ended Dec. 31, from $9.8 million a year earlier, the Christchurch-based company said in a statement. Net operating income rose …

Summerset Group, the retirement village operator and developer, more than tripled its net profit, beating the forecast from its 2011 prospectus, and will pay a bigger dividend than what analysts were picking. Net profit climbed to $14.8 million, or 6.96 cents per share, in the 12 months ended Dec. 31, from $4.3 million, or 2.39 cents, a year earlier, the …