(Adds management comments.)
By Rory Gallivan
LONDON--Wilmington Group PLC (WIL.LN), the business information
and training company behind titles such as Compliance Week,
Wednesday said it is trading in line with expectations and on
target for the full year as it posted a flat interim pretax
profit.
The company said its risk and compliance, finance and insight
divisions performed well but the legal division continued to face
tough conditions.
Pretax profit for the six months ended Dec. 31 was flat at 3.7
million pounds ($5.7 million), on revenue up to GBP46.1 million
from GBP43.1 million. Stripping out the impact of factors such as
the reduced value of intangible assets, including publishing
rights, pretax profit rose 14% to GBP8.1 million.
Chief Executive Pedro Ros, who took the position in October
having previously led advertising company WPP PLC's market research
division TNS, said the company is focusing its investment on the
areas that are performing well, while seeking to improve margins in
the legal division.
Investment in business divisions that are performing well could
include acquisitions, said Chief Financial Officer Tony Foye. He
said areas that might be augmented include the insight division,
particularly in its healthcare operations, and Axco, Wilmington's
insurance information provider.
Shares at 0817 GMT, unchanged at 217 pence valuing the company
at GBP187.6 million.
Write to Rory Gallivan at rory.gallivan@wsj.com; Twitter:
@RoryGallivan
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