Our suggestion a few weeks back that Apricot Computers Plc might like to take a look at Alphameric Plc (CI No 1,045) does not look so fanciful after the publication of Alphameric’s half-year results yesterday – pre-tax profits down 55% at UKP524,000, see page five: an Alphameric spokesman said customers had been hesitant in ordering large systems, while sales of Topic terminals were slow in late summer, and things do not look as if they will improve in the short term unless a couple of major orders turn up; the group is pinning its hopes on an agreement to supply financial systems to Memorex-Telex in Japan, while the CP and FTT acquisitions should feed through next year – but in these unforgiving markets, one profits stumble and you’re a takeover play; Alphameric’s shares slumped 58 pence to 182 pence, which is usually the first step.
ALPHAMERIC HALF-YEAR PRE-TAX PROFITS DOWN 55% AT UKP524.000
