Empresaria expects continued profit growth

Staffing group Empresaria said on Tuesday that it was now forecasting a continued growth in profit thanks to a strong contribution from its offshore recruitment services unit.

Empresaria said it had seen increased momentum into the second half of the year, with the group continuing to realise the benefits of operational initiatives and the improved economic environment.

As a result, the group now expects full-year net fee income to be in the range of £57.0m to £59.0m and adjusted pre-tax profits to be somewhere between £7.4m and £7.9m - 9% to 16% above market consensus, respectively.

The AIM-listed group highlighted that the offshore recruitment services sector continued to "go from strength to strength" and delivered a record increase in billable headcount in September, while its professional sector also performed "better than expected" in the quarter, with a strong recovery in its UK hospitality operations and solid performances in Asia despite "very significant" local lockdowns.

Empresaria added that its healthcare division also had "a very strong 2021"

Chief executive Rhona Driggs said: "Demand continues to be strong across the staffing industry and we are seeing this reflected in most of our businesses. With skills shortages at a 15-year high, candidate attraction and engagement remain a key priority as we close out the year.

"I am pleased to see the positive momentum within the business, and I am confident that we can take advantage of the continued economic recovery to deliver long-term growth."

As of 1310 BST, Empresaria shares were up 3.14% at 89.22p.