Business
Q4 Trading Update
Q4 Trading Update.
About this update from Pagegroup Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n Michael Page International PLC\n08 January 2008\n\n8 January 2008\n\n\n\n 2007 FOURTH QUARTER TRADING AND\n\n FULL YEAR GROSS PROFIT UPDATE\n\n\n\nMichael Page International plc, the specialist recruitment consultancy, reports\na record quarterly Group gross profit of £128.2m for the fourth quarter, an\nincrease of 37.6% (33.9%*) over the £93.1m recorded in the fourth quarter of\n2006. Full year gross profit was a record £478.1m, an increase of 37.1% \n(37.6%*) over the £348.8m reported in 2006. Group headcount at 31 December \nwas 5,052.\n\nIn our largest region, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), fourth quarter\ngross profit was £57.7m, an increase of 55.9% (48.7%*) over the £37.0m recorded\nin the fourth quarter of 2006. Full year gross profit was £196.5m, an increase\nof 55.2% (55.0%*) over the £126.6m reported in 2006. In France, our largest\nbusiness in the region representing 33% of EMEA gross profits, we again grew\nstrongly with a fourth quarter growth rate of 35%*. The remaining EMEA\ncountries grew at a combined rate of 57%*. Headcount at 31 December was 2,078.\n\nIn the UK, fourth quarter gross profit was £45.0m, an increase of 15.6% over the\n£38.9m recorded in the fourth quarter of 2006. Full year gross profit was\n£186.0m, an increase of 19.4% over the £155.8m reported in 2006. During the\nfourth quarter, save for some weakness in specific banking sectors, the UK\nbusiness continued to experience good levels of activity across all other\ndisciplines and industry sectors. Headcount at 31 December was 1,799.\n\nIn Asia Pacific, fourth quarter gross profit was £14.8m, an increase of 30.6%\n(26.1%*) over the £11.3m recorded in the fourth quarter of 2006. Full year gross\nprofit was £57.2m, an increase of 27.3% (29.6%*) over the £45.0m reported in\n2006. In Australia, fourth quarter gross profit again grew at 26%*. In Asia,\nour businesses also grew in the fourth quarter at 26%*, despite some weakness in\nspecific banking sectors. Headcount at 31 December was 632.\n\nIn the Americas, fourth quarter gross profit was £10.7m, an increase of 81.6%\n(77.5%*) over the £5.9m recorded in the fourth quarter of 2006. Full year gross\nprofit was £38.4m, an increase of 78.9% (84.4%*) over the £21.5m reported in\n2006. In December we opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina our third country in\nLatin America. H...