The Adecco Group, a Swiss human resources firm, has declared a 6% rise in shareholder net income for the fourth quarter, amounting to 68 million euros. This increase, from last year's 65 million euros, reflects an overall stronger operational performance.
The basic earnings per share improved by 5%, from last year's 0.39 euro to 0.41 euro. However, the adjusted earnings per share remained fairly stable, at 0.75 euro compared to 0.76 euro in the previous year.
In terms of revenues, the fourth quarter saw a decrease of 2% from last year's 6.21 billion euros to 6.11 billion euros. Nonetheless, the revenue did experience a growth of 1% on a TDA basis organically.
The company's Board is set to propose a dividend of 2.50 Swiss francs per share at the next AGM, aligning with the Group's progressive dividend policy.
Looking to the future, despite a challenging economic climate, the Adecco Group plans to keep lionizing market shares in the first quarter, which is traditionally a period of lower EBITA margins. This is coupled with an expectation for the gross margin trends to echo the developments seen in the fourth quarter.
