
PageGroup profits dive as recruiter cuts more jobs
Shares in the business moved lower in early trading after it also posted a slump in revenues.
Bosses at the company said it came after it reported a 'slight deterioration' in activity, particularly in Germany and France.
PageGroup revealed that pre-tax profits sank by 99% to £0.2 million over the six months to June 30, compared with a £27.7 million profit a year earlier.
The London-listed firm said the sharp fall in profits was partly linked £13 million in one-off costs linked to restructuring efforts.
In April, the company revealed plans to cut senior manager jobs as part of an overhaul designed to reduce costs.
On Tuesday, the group said it reduced its headcount of fee-earner roles by 207 to 5,163 at the end of June as it responded to 'more challenging trading conditions'.
It said the majority of job cuts took place in its European business and in the UK.
It also revealed that revenues fell by 11.1% to £798.4 million for the half-year.
Nicholas Kirk, chief executive officer, said: 'The group delivered a resilient performance in H1 despite ongoing macro-economic uncertainty.
'Whilst activity levels remained robust across most of our markets, we experienced a slight deterioration in activity levels and trading in continental Europe towards the end of the period, particularly in our two largest markets, France and Germany.
'Elsewhere, we saw some improvement in activity, trading and customer confidence in Asia and the US.'
Shares in PageGroup were down 3% on Tuesday morning.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Less available places to rent could see prices rise ‘by at least 25%', report says
The lack of fresh rental home supply in the UK could see prices rise over the next three months by 25 per cent, a new report has said. It comes as the flow of fresh rental properties coming to market has fallen at its fastest rate in five years, according to surveyors. Thirty-one per cent of surveyors saw new instructions from landlords falling rather than rising, which was the weakest reading since April 2020, the Royal Institution of Surveyors (Rics) said. With less rental properties in the pipeline, prices are anticipated to continue to rise over the next three months by a net balance of 25 per cent, the report said. Despite the 'firmly negative trend' in landlords making their property available for rent, tenant demand held steady in the three months to July, the report added. Looking at the sales market, new home buyer inquiries fell back in July, the report said. A net balance of 6 per cent of property professionals reported new buyer inquiries falling rather than rising in July, indicating a softening in demand compared with the previous month. In June, a net balance of 4 per cent of professionals had seen a rise in fresh inquiries from buyers. The report said that results across different areas appear to be increasingly variable, with relatively weaker demand trends reported in East Anglia, the South East and the South West of England. Sales fell in July, with a net balance of 16 per cent of professionals seeing falls, deteriorating further from a balance of 4 per cent who noted falling sales in June. Looking ahead, those surveyed expect to see little change in sales over the next few months, with a more positive outlook for 12 months ahead. A net balance of 8 per cent of professionals expect to see a pick-up in sales in the year ahead. A net balance of 9 per cent of survey participants saw an increase in the flow of new property listings coming onto the market in July. The latest survey also pointed to a small downward direction in house prices, with a balance of 13 per cent of professionals seeing prices fall. This compared with a balance of 7 per cent seeing price falls in both May and June. Going against the broader trend, prices continue to rise typically in Northern Ireland and Scotland, while professionals based in the North West of England are also seeing prices move higher, the report said. At the other end of the spectrum, prices are reportedly falling at a more significant rate than the national average across East Anglia, Rics added. Rics chief economist, Simon Rubinsohn, said: 'The somewhat flatter tone to the feedback to the July Rics residential survey highlights ongoing challenges facing the housing market. Although interest rates were lowered at the latest Bank of England meeting, the split vote has raised doubts about both the timing and extent of further reductions. 'Meanwhile, uncertainty about the potential contents of the Chancellor's autumn budget is also raising some concerns. Against this backdrop, respondents continue to report that the market remains particularly price sensitive at the present time.' Sarah Coles, head of personal finance, Hargreaves Lansdown said: 'The green shoots of recovery that agents were hopefully nurturing in June have dried up in July, with demand falling, fewer agreed sales, and a slight drop in house prices. The market always falls quiet during the summer holidays, but this is even more of a deathly hush than usual.' She added: 'We're firmly in a buyers' market right now, so there is a real chance to bag a bargain. For anyone who had been tempted to dip into their emergency savings to boost their budget, this is a chance to regroup.' Ms Coles said: 'With tenant demand remaining steady, yet again it means more people chasing fewer homes, and the era of runaway rents isn't over yet. 'The HL (Hargreaves Lansdown) savings and resilience barometer shows this is incredibly tough on everyone – so the average renting household has just £62 left at the end of the month. However, it's particularly horrible for renters living on their own – who end the month with a paltry £24. There's every sign that an awful lot of them have been pushed as far as it's possible for them to go. 'When money is so tight, it's incredibly difficult to cover your costs, let alone put anything aside for a property deposit. However, if you can't build anything at all, there's a risk you'll be locked into a cycle of ever-increasing rents. 'It means it's worth considering all your options. This can include anything from making major compromises on where you live to moving back home for a period. There are also options that don't require any of these sacrifices, such as asking family for help, or giving your deposit a boost from the Government through a Lifetime Isa.' Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: 'The housing market is hitting a series of hurdles this year. April's stamp duty cliff edge was the first and now buyers and sellers are increasingly unsettled by a re-run of last year's game of 'guess the autumn tax rise'. 'We had an interest rate cut this month, but it was priced in and the wider economic mood remains fragile. Supply still notably outstrips demand, which is also keeping a lid on prices.' On Wednesday, financial information website Moneyfacts said that the average two-year fixed-rate mortgage on the market had dipped below 5 per cent for the first time since before former prime minister Liz Truss's so-called mini-budget in September 2022. Moneyfacts said the average two-year fixed homeowner mortgage rate on Wednesday was 4.99 per cent. This was down from 5.00 per cent the previous working day. Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent, said: 'Agreed sales are mostly holding, supported by falling mortgage rates and a stable employment environment.' On the lettings sector, Mr Leaf said: 'We noticed that demand has dropped over the past month or so, especially for two-bed flats in older buildings, with more interest in modern, lower maintenance properties.'


The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
Flow of fresh homes to rent ‘shrinks at fastest rate since 2020'
The flow of fresh rental properties coming to market has fallen at its fastest rate in five years, according to surveyors. A net balance of 31% of professionals saw new instructions from landlords falling rather than rising, which was the weakest reading since April 2020, the Royal Institution of Surveyors (Rics) said. Alongside the 'firmly negative trend' in landlords making their property available for rent, tenant demand held steady in the three months to July, the report added. With the lack of fresh rental home supply in the pipeline, rental prices are anticipated to continue to rise over the next three months by a net balance of 25% of survey participants, the report said. Looking at the sales market, new home buyer inquiries fell back in July, the report said. A net balance of 6% of property professionals reported new buyer inquiries falling rather than rising in July, indicating a softening in demand compared with the previous month. In June, a net balance of 4% of professionals had seen a rise in fresh inquiries from buyers. The report said that results across different areas appear to be increasingly variable, with relatively weaker demand trends reported in East Anglia, the South East and the South West of England. Sales fell in July, with a net balance of 16% of professionals seeing falls, deteriorating further from a balance of 4% who noted falling sales in June. Looking ahead, those surveyed expect to see little change in sales over the next few months, with a more positive outlook for 12 months ahead. A net balance of 8% of professionals expect to see a pick-up in sales in the year ahead. A net balance of 9% of survey participants saw an increase in the flow of new property listings coming onto the market in July. The latest survey also pointed to a small downward direction in house prices, with a balance of 13% of professionals seeing prices fall. This compared with a balance of 7% seeing price falls in both May and June. Going against the broader trend, prices continue to rise typically in Northern Ireland and Scotland, while professionals based in the North West of England are also seeing prices move higher, the report said. At the other end of the spectrum, prices are reportedly falling at a more significant rate than the national average across East Anglia, Rics added. Rics chief economist, Simon Rubinsohn, said: 'The somewhat flatter tone to the feedback to the July Rics residential survey highlights ongoing challenges facing the housing market. Although interest rates were lowered at the latest Bank of England meeting, the split vote has raised doubts about both the timing and extent of further reductions. 'Meanwhile, uncertainty about the potential contents of the Chancellor's autumn budget is also raising some concerns. Against this backdrop, respondents continue to report that the market remains particularly price sensitive at the present time.' Sarah Coles, head of personal finance, Hargreaves Lansdown said: 'The green shoots of recovery that agents were hopefully nurturing in June have dried up in July, with demand falling, fewer agreed sales, and a slight drop in house prices. The market always falls quiet during the summer holidays, but this is even more of a deathly hush than usual.' She added: 'We're firmly in a buyers' market right now, so there is a real chance to bag a bargain. For anyone who had been tempted to dip into their emergency savings to boost their budget, this is a chance to regroup.' Ms Coles said: 'With tenant demand remaining steady, yet again it means more people chasing fewer homes, and the era of runaway rents isn't over yet. 'The HL (Hargreaves Lansdown) savings and resilience barometer shows this is incredibly tough on everyone – so the average renting household has just £62 left at the end of the month. However, it's particularly horrible for renters living on their own – who end the month with a paltry £24. There's every sign that an awful lot of them have been pushed as far as it's possible for them to go. 'When money is so tight, it's incredibly difficult to cover your costs, let alone put anything aside for a property deposit. However, if you can't build anything at all, there's a risk you'll be locked into a cycle of ever-increasing rents. 'It means it's worth considering all your options. This can include anything from making major compromises on where you live to moving back home for a period. There are also options that don't require any of these sacrifices, such as asking family for help, or giving your deposit a boost from the Government through a Lifetime Isa.' Tom Bill, head of UK residential research at Knight Frank, said: 'The housing market is hitting a series of hurdles this year. April's stamp duty cliff edge was the first and now buyers and sellers are increasingly unsettled by a re-run of last year's game of 'guess the autumn tax rise'. 'We had an interest rate cut this month, but it was priced in and the wider economic mood remains fragile. Supply still notably outstrips demand, which is also keeping a lid on prices.' On Wednesday, financial information website Moneyfacts said that the average two-year fixed-rate mortgage on the market had dipped below 5% for the first time since before former prime minister Liz Truss's so-called mini-budget in September 2022. Moneyfacts said the average two-year fixed homeowner mortgage rate on Wednesday was 4.99%. This was down from 5.00% the previous working day. Jeremy Leaf, a north London estate agent, said: 'Agreed sales are mostly holding, supported by falling mortgage rates and a stable employment environment.' On the lettings sector, Mr Leaf said: 'We noticed that demand has dropped over the past month or so, especially for two-bed flats in older buildings, with more interest in modern, lower maintenance properties.'


Daily Mail
23 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
City firm's 'league table of shame' for WFH staff who rarely visit the office amid crackdown on remote working
City accountancy giant PwC is cracking down on staff who work from home too often with a 'traffic light' system that tracks their movements. Bosses are monitoring whether employees are spending the required three days a week – or 60 per cent of their time – either out with clients or in the office. The firm will track how often workers swipe their security passes in the office and when their phone or laptop is connected to a client's wifi network. If they fall below the 60 per cent threshold, an amber light flashes on their screen, switching to red if they drop below 40 per cent, the Financial Times reported. Staff, who are said to be unhappy with the new system, then face being sanctioned at appraisals or having their bonuses cut. One senior employee said they had 'lost count' of the number of colleagues who had raised concerns about monitoring, while another said workers wanted more transparency as the company began 'pushing hard' to increase attendance. PwC, whose partners in the UK earned £862,000 on average last year, will make allowances for those who are unable to meet the new rules in certain instances, for example due to sickness or family issues. The attendance data can be viewed only by the individuals concerned, their business unit leaders and chief financial, administrative and human resources officers. In April, PwC threatened to sack employees who worked from home too much after it scrapped a policy that let them stay at home three days a week. The shift reflects the view of many businesses that the working from home regime brought in during the pandemic is unproductive. EY, another of the world's so-called Big Four accountancy firms, began using swipe-card data to monitor office entries last year. Rival Deloitte has a more flexible remote working policy. The world's most powerful banker, Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JP Morgan, has said that working from home 'doesn't work', and some of the UK's biggest employers including Amazon, BT and Asda have ordered their staff to spend more time at the office. Phillippa O'Connor, PwC's chief people officer, told peers on the House of Lords Home-based Working Committee in April that working in the office is 'better for our business and clients' and helps with the training of new recruits. PwC is a major employer of university graduates, hiring more than 1,000 every year. Asked whether PwC would discipline those who refuse to comply, including withholding bonuses or sacking them, Ms O'Connor said: 'This is, as with any other employment policy, something that we would look to follow through to disciplinary action if that were required.' PwC did not respond to a request for comment last night.