Feb 22 - British chemicals firm Croda International posted a higher full-year profit, boosted by strong demand for consumer and industrial products, raised its dividend and said it plans to buy back shares.

Croda

The company, which has a market cap of over 2 billion pounds ($3.19 billion), said it expected to buy back shares worth about 50 million pounds this year.

Croda, which makes chemicals for cosmetics, healthcare and home care industries, had 137.3 million shares outstanding as on Dec. 21.

The company said trading in the current year started well, but the company had to increase its prices in 2011 to protect its profitability due to a major inflation in raw materials.

Adjusted pretax profit from continuing operations was 192.3 million pounds for the year ended Dec. 31, compared with 108.0 million pounds last year.

Sales rose 21 percent to over 1 billion pounds.

Consumer care turnover was up 14 percent at 485.5 million pounds, while industrial specialities turnover rose 29.7 percent.

The company, whose key customers include Estee Lauder , L'Oreal and Syngenta , has increased its final dividend by 68.3 percent to 25.25 pence.

The company's shares, which have gained 17 percent in the last six months, closed at 1494 pence on Monday on the London Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Purwa Naveen Raman in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon)