22/02/2002

Alliance & Leicester reveal lower profits for 2001

The Alliance & Leicester has unveiled lower profits, blaming higher investment costs.

The UK banking group revealed on Friday February 22 that pre-tax profits for 2001 fell to £396 million, down from £447 million in the previous year.

The company said the dip in profits reflected increased investment over the course of the year, including a £13 million revamp of the company's small business banking division.

Total revenues grew by just over five per cent during the final three months of the year compared with the same period one year earlier, up from 3.5 per cent during the July to September period.

The number of small businesses which opened accounts with the group grew by 27 per cent.

Strong growth in mortgage lending activity was also reported, with gross lending rising to a record £6.1 billion, representing nearly four per cent of the UK market.

(MB)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

30 August 2001
Hilton Group report 33 per cent rise in profits
The UK hotels and leisure company Hilton Group has reported a one thid rise in profits for the first six months of the year. The company’s profits, which rose by 33 per cent to £144.3 million, improved despite the recent problems besetting the British tourist industry such as an economic slowdown and the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
24 August 2001
Shorts reveal rise in profits
The Belfast aerospace company, Shorts, have announced a rise in profits of six per cent over the past year. The firm also made a total of £57 million while sales rose by around 25 per cent to £500 million due to the buoyant markets for regional and business aircraft.
02 November 2001
BSkyB profits rise while subscriptions fall
BSkyB have reported a 23 per cent rise in operating profits for their first quarter, but admit that subscriber numbers are lower than predicted. The company's losses have diminished after operating profits for the three months ended September came in at £45 million.
07 August 2001
BASF issue another profits warning
Chemicals giant BASF have issued another profits warning as second quarter results revealed a drop in profits of euro 131 million, down around 15 per cent on the same period in 2000. The interim report noted that in 2001 BASF were expecting a decline in income from operations from ongoing business”.
13 September 2001
BAE Systems reveals first-half year profits
Defence giant BAE Systems has posted a modest four per cent rise in first half year profits but said it expected growth to pick up next year. The company, which is the fifth-largest supplier to the US military, posted pre-tax profits of £482 million for the first half of 2001.