Agefi doubles earnings in 1999

The Swiss financial publishing group, Agefi, has revealed a significant improvement in results for 1999. The Lausanne based company saw profits bounce back 94 per cent to SFr1.8 million over last year, with turnover up 26 per cent at SFr15.4 million.

The Swiss financial publishing group, Agefi, has revealed a significant improvement in results for 1999. The Lausanne based company saw profits bounce back 94 per cent to SFr1.8 million over last year, with turnover up 26 per cent at SFr15.4 million.

The group benefited from a marked increase in advertising revenue and the strong response to conferences it has organised.

Shares in Agefi, which publishes the French language financial newspaper of the same name, were introduced to the Swiss Stock Market in July of last year. The company reports that the shares have outperformed the Swiss Performance Index over their first six months of trading.

“The company is very pleased with this performance,” said Agefi’s financial controller George Gard.

Sales of its publications were also doing well over 1999, increasing more than 30 per cent in volume terms, excluding the launch of its new monthly title “Futur Agefi”.

Gard said he looked forward to reaping more returns from an Internet joint venture it started last year with the Italian group, Class Editori. “We are also looking forward to organising more seminars and conferences for our readers over 2000,” he added.

By Tom O’Brien