Gooch & Housego PLC (LON:GHH) has said trading in the six months to 31 March 2018 was in line with management's expectations, with full-year trading also expected to be in line with expectations, with a typical higher second-half weighting.
The AIM-listed specialist manufacturer of photonic components and systems pointed out that in its 21 February 2018 AGM trading update, the group reported that it had benefited from positive overall market condition and that remains the case, with exceptional levels of demand for critical components used in microelectronic manufacturing continuing.
However, also as previously reported, the firm said demand for high-reliability fibre couplers has been at a lower level since the start of the year, but it continues to expect demand to come back in the second half of the year.
Gooch & Housego added that its order book is at a record level for the half year and as at 31 March 2018 stood at £84.7mln, an increase of 27.1%, compared with the same time last year.
“Overall market conditions remain good”
Mark Webster, Gooch & Housego ‘s chief executive officer commented: "Overall market conditions remain good. We have a record half-year order book and full year trading is expected to be in line with management's expectations.
"The introduction of a new manufacturing organisation has enabled us to more readily upgrade capacity and performance, in particular at our Ilminster and Fremont, CA sites, in order to meet the unprecedented levels of demand in the microelectronic sector.”
The company said its interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2018 are expected to be announced on Tuesday 5 June 2018.