Olympic contractor WS Atkins to help New York as profits rise
ENGINEERING giant WS Atkins said yesterday it had won a contract to help the US Federal Emergency Management Agency clean-up after Hurricane Sandy, as it announced a rise in pre-tax profits.
Profits before tax for the first half of the year rose 14 per cent to £50.4m, from £44.2m 12 months earlier, as revenues dropped 3.2 per cent from £842.9m to £815.7m.
Atkins, which helped to design and deliver parts of the Olympic Park, also said it had increased headcount by 300 over the year.
The company said that a “challenging” first half in North America and the Middle East was offset by strong growth in Asia Pacific and Europe.
The UK performance was described as “solid”, with an emphasis on growing headcount.
Shares in the firm soared by more than 11 per cent yesterday, closing up at 710p.
Atkins also announced a 2.6 per cent increase in its interim dividend.