Swick Mining Services has reported a net profit of $4.4 million for the first half and is expecting a similar performance in the second half.

The result was a 193 per cent improvement from the $1.5 million profit posted a year earlier.

The drilling company had unaudited revenue $69.3 million for the six months ended December 31. It is maintaining full-year guidance of $130 million in revenue and $28 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.

Swick also declared a maiden dividend of 5 cents a share.

"We are pleased with the company's first-half performance and expect the second half to provide a similar result, with potential upside based on work in hand and forecast utilisation," managing director Kent Swick said.

"The pleasing result is that even with a temporary reduction in rig numbers in the North American operations, our continued ability to grow our Australian drilling revenue has been demonstrated with a 27 per cent increase in group revenue over the prior corresponding period."

The company also announced two underground diamond drilling contract awards. One is with Sandfire Resources at the newly developed DeGrussa Copper mine in the Murchison region and the other with Panoramic Resources at its Savannah Nickel mine in the Kimberley.