Real Time Control Plc, Watford, Hertfordshire point-of-sale systems specialist, rushed out its first half figures without the usual notice period yesterday in order to get itself out from under the backwash generated by Riva Group Plc’s turn-of-the-year warning of big losses (CI No 2,326). With pre-tax profit up by a healthy 64% at UKP424,000 on sales up 14% to UKP3.6m for the six months to September 30, it hardly wanted to be tarred with the Riva brush. The company reports a sound improvement in sales of electronic point-of-sale systems and services during the period, and says that business has continued buoyant. Close control of costs fed through to the bottom line, but the recession continued to linger in other parts, with cost controls in manufacturing unable to prevent a loss, although even here, the company says there are signs that the picture is getting brighter. Cash in hand rose, but not enough to compensate for falling interest rates, so that interest receivable was UKP114,000, down from the UKP177,000 that came in in the year-ago period. A strong performance for the full year is forecast.
