Publisher Dorling Kindersley Holdings Plc hit back with strong interim figures after its poor year-end results, and sees multimedia as crucial to its future success. Half-yearly pre-tax profits were up 50% to ú5.3m from turnover that rose 36% to ú60.8m. DK Mutltimedia launched its first five CD-ROM entertainment titles last September, and by the end of 1994 sales stood at 170,000. The division contributed 7% of group turnover this time, but group managing director Rod Hare predicted that Multimedia sales could be around 25% of our total in two or three years. The division will publish a further list of four titles this spring, and four more in the autumn. Apple Computer Inc Macintosh versions of the titles are also being produced. Analysts forecast total year revenues for the group – 20% owned by Microsoft Corp – of between ú130m and ú140m for the current year. The interim dividend will be 1.3 pence, up from 1.1 pence last time.
