Atkins鈥� UK business saw its revenue fall 9.4% in the year ending 31st March 2015 to 拢835.6m, down from 拢922.0m the previous year. But excluding disposals and the change in the accounting treatment of joint ventures, revenue increased by 2.7%. Operating profit rose 2.2% to 拢59.4m and staff numbers during the year rose from 8,810 to 8,885.
Worldwide, Atkins reported revenue growth up 0.4% to 拢1,756.6m. Pre-tax profit was down 6.6% to 拢106.7m but the underlying figure was up more than 14% to 拢121.9m. This profit includes the benefit of 拢5.0m of research and development expenditure credit following early adoption of new rules in the UK. In previous years the equivalent benefit was shown as a reduction in the group's tax charge.
The UK highways and transportation business won significant contracts for Highways England/Agency during the year as one of its key suppliers on the collaborative delivery framework and also for the Welsh government's M4 corridor project and Transport Scotland's A9 upgrade.
The rail business remains busy and the water & environment business returned to growth during the second half of the year. This improved performance was due to increased volumes from contracts secured with water utility clients for the 2015 to 2020 regulatory period (AMP6). The Faithful+Gould business also performed well with continued signs of recovery in the market.
However Atkins鈥� defence, aerospace and communications business had a difficult year as projects undertaken for Airbus came to an end.
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