TETRA  |  2011-06-24

TETRA radio maker hit by pressure on public sector budgets

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

the company said it has increased its market share and raised its dividend 7%

U.K. digital radio maker Sepura PLC Wednesday posted a sharply lower pretax profit for fiscal 2011, as pressure on public sector budgets delayed orders in certain markets.

Sepura is a specialist in Terrestrial Trunked Radio, or TETRA, a digital radio specification used in over 100 countries, predominantly by police and other emergency services.

Despite a decline in profit and revenue, the company said it has increased its market share and raised its dividend 7% to 1.36 pence. The firm said it expects calendar 2012 to bring a return to volume growth driven by the recent opening of the U.S. market to the TETRA standard, and continuing strong demand in emerging markets.

For the year ended April 1, the firm made a pretax profit of GBP2.50 million, compared with GBP9.38 million a year earlier. Revenue declined 11% to GBP70.5 million.

Sepura said sales volume in Germany, the largest single market for TETRA, was lower than expected, as public sector customers waited for the outcome of regional elections in March to provide clarity on budgets before committing funds.

Source: www.totaltele.com