million, for the six months to 2 August.
The Jersey-based company – formed last year from the merger of the Le Riche and Ann Street groups – is planning further investment in its retail stores, UK pubs, and l’Abeille French bottling plant.
It is also stepping up its publishing activity this month with a new weekly magazine in Jersey.
he company says £1 million of the £1.
million improvement in profit is explained by there being no exceptional items in the current half year.
urnover for the AIM-listed company rose by 8.
% over the six-month period, to £140.
million, with operating profit on continuing operations up 6.
%.
But the operating profit margin fell to 7.
%, from 7.
% last year, reflecting ‘competitive market conditions and a change in sales mix, with growth coming from lower margin businesses’.
141October2003
