Halma PLC (LSE:HLMA) said full-year adjusted profit before tax will be slightly ahead of previous guidance but the first-half performance will be much stronger than the following six months.
The tech group said order intake has been ahead of revenue this year and of order intake for the same period last year. As a result it expects to report strong organic constant currency revenue and profit growth for the first half of the year.
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Profits are benefitting from the easing in Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions with interim revenue growth and return on sales exceeding expectations and historic levels.
However, the second half will see more typical rates of revenue growth and return on sales and the additional COVID-19 costs may come back, with full-year results more weighted to the first half.
The Safety and Environmental & Analysis sectors reported the strongest organic revenue and profit growth in the year to date, with many companies experiencing significant increases in demand because of a rebound in customer activity as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic moderated.
The Medical sector also delivered strong growth, with revenue benefiting from a recovery in demand for most products and services related to elective healthcare procedures, which offset declining demand for products and services directly related to COVID-19 diagnosis or treatment.
The Safety and Environmental & Analysis sectors saw a small negative impact from recent disposals, net of acquisitions, while the Medical sector benefited from recent acquisitions.