Companies: CTG   

Christie is split into two divisions, Professional Business Services, which has a software system which values companies for takeover purposes, and Information Systems and Services, which is involved in EPoS and stock auditing systems. This latter division was boosted recently by the purchase of Vision Associates, a small private company which develops software and booths for touchscreen internet use. The company has also expanded into Europe, opening offices in Paris and Frankfurt. Despite a healthy corporate takeover market stemming from the low interest rate environment, business has hardly been booming: turnover in the six months to 30 June was static at £16.28m with pre-tax profit falling 24% from £1.61m to £1.2m. Not surprisingly the directors are looking forward to an improvement in the second half of the year. The shares are however trading near their all-time high of 84p.