Last Friday afternoon, RS2 Software plc published its interim results covering the six months ended 30 June 2015 revealing a significant improvement in pre-tax profits to €6.56 million compared to €2.96 million in the corresponding six months of 2014.
The surge in profitability is largely attributable to the 48.5% growth in revenue to a record €11.5 million on the back of increases in licence fees, service fees and maintenance fees. RS2 reported improved profit margins with the EBITDA margin rising by more than 13 percentage points to 62.7%.
During this morning’s trading session, the share price of RS2 Software immediately reacted to the news and advanced by 7.5% to regain the €2.194 level across thirty one deals totalling 126,750 shares.
HSBC Bank Malta plc also performed positively with a 1.7% increase to recapture the €1.83 level albeit on shallow volumes of less than 1,000 shares.
On the other hand, the share price of Bank of Valletta plc eased by 0.8% back to the €2.28 level across 46,796 shares.
Similarly, the equity of Tigné Mall plc shed 0.6% back to the €0.855 level on a large trade of 184,300 shares. The Company issued its 2015 interim results last week revealing a 36.4% increase in net profit to €0.68 million on the back of continued growth in revenue as well as a further decline in net finance costs as the Company continued to repay its borrowings.
The directors also declared a net interim dividend of €0.01 per share, representing a 59.8% increase over last year’s interim dividend. The interim dividend will be paid on 10 September to all shareholders as at the close of trading on 6 August.
Likewise, the share price of 6pm Holdings plc eased minimally lower to GBP0.759 on just two deals totalling 2,513 shares.
Meanwhile, GO plc maintained the €3.57 level across 3,000 shares. Last week, the telecoms quad-play operator also published its 2015 half-year results revealing a 53% increase in pre-tax profit to €13 million largely due to a 5.2% decrease in cost of sales to €34.5 million.
Lombard Bank Malta plc also maintained the €2.115 level on low activity of 1,213 shares and Mapfre Middlesea plc ended this morning’s session unchanged at €2.20 also on low volumes of 2,200 shares.
On the bond market, the RF MGS Index edged 0.1% higher to 1,135.697 points as the benchmark 10-year German Bund yield slipped back to around the 0.64% level after last Friday’s approval by eurozone finance ministers of Greece’s third bailout programme. Nonetheless, the upside in Greece’s scenario is still limited as the country is likely to hold a snap general election with more than a third of the members of the ruling Syriza party revolting against its leader – the Greek Prime Minister.