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If Datong is right, the end-year picture should be a lot sharper. "It just so happens that, in this particular year, in every region in which we operate, the results will be second-half weighted," Ayres said, citing US budgetary delays as one reason why the first half appeared to be a step back for the company. One large order for around £900k has been delayed because of operational difficulties experienced by the customer, but will go through in the second half, the company said.

First half numbers were down at covert intelligence company Datong but the company is set to deliver in the second half. "The financials are down but that is not a reflection of the business," Finance Director Stephen Ayres told Sharecast. "Our revenue stream is a bit lumpy, and on any given year it depends on when you take the snapshot as to how good the picture is," Ayres added.

The broker is not making any change to its forecasts for the current fiscal year just yet, but sees scope to do so by a smidgen on improved Healthcare margins, which have risen faster over the last two years than Peel Hunt expected. The strong growth went down well in the market, Volex shares were up 7.5% at 09:08.

"Sales growth momentum slowed in 2H [second half] due to economic headwinds (especially in Europe) and the impact of the Thai floods," Buxton added. Peel Hunt is another fan of the stock. "The continued progression in the gross margin, the strong balance sheet and healthy dividend increase, make us believe the recent share price weakness is a buying opportunity," writes Thomas Rands of Peel Hunt.

Things on the telecoms side are more cloudy, but China is expected to provide significant growth opportunities, particularly in the data communications sector. "We enter FY2013 with positive momentum and are well-positioned to generate continued growth in revenues, margins and profit, in line with management's expectations," said Mike McTighe, the company's Chairman. Broker finnCap, which has a "buy" recommendation on the shares, said the figures were in line with expectations. "Telecoms/Data saw a 10% reduction in sales but gross margins increased 2.4 points to 21.2%," notes finnCap analyst David Buxton.

"Qualities developed for other sectors are being applied to our Consumer sector to good effect, e.g., ruggedising capabilities that were driven by the needs of the Industrial sector are now being marketed to - and bought by - floor-care customers. High-speed data cables, originally designed for the Telecom/Datacom sector, are now being applied to TV networking customers," the company's statement said. Additionally, the company sees opportunities to exploit existing relationships with original equipment manufacturers to win new work with original design manufacturers (ODMs) "after they realise the benefits Volex can deliver, particularly since ODMs tend to operate as a global supplier and are looking for global sub-contractors to supply them."

The gross margin improved one percentage point to 19.8%, yielding operating profits of $32m, a 23% gain on the prior year. Earnings per share gained 31% to hit 42.4 cents while the full year dividend will come in at 4.5 cents. The group was bullish about prospects for fiscal 2013 (FY2013), with the new consumer products developed last year providing platforms for major sector growth.

The group's next biggest division, Telecoms/Data, saw revenue slide 10% to $0.10m from $0.11m the year before, as the group fell victim to a cutback in sending by telecoms firms worldwide. On top of that, the group chose to discontinue certain low margin products. Healthcare revenue rose 24% and the Industrial division's revenue increased by 6%.

Several steps that Volex took to meet the needs of its largest customer (believed to be Apple) in this sector have positioned the group for continued growth in years to come, the company claimed, as Volex is now capable of meeting the standards that other consumer-product companies will eventually insist on.

Power cord maker Volex enjoyed a surge after reporting strong revenue growth and a boost in dividends. Total revenue for the 12 months to April 1st was $517.8m, 6% ahead of last year's figure of $490m. Revenue from consumer markets rose 9% to $0.33m from $0.30m the year before, largely as a result of increased sales to the firm's major customer.

In that last 12 months IDOX shares have now gained 94.3%.

IDOX now says it has started a recruitment programme to hire new graduates as it seeks to "drive innovation".

Including acquisitions, revenues increased by 58% over the comparable period last year. Revenue growth in the Engineering Information Management business has benefited from several big contracts, including with US electricity generator Southern Company, Occidental in Oil and Gas, and CH2M Hill in construction and engineering.

Idox, the software firm is in full on hiring mode, after letting the market know its 2012 figures will be 'substantially' ahead of 2011. Excluding acquisitions, revenues from operations in the public sector and the Engineering Information Management businesses delivered 10% organic growth.

At the end of April 2012, AKAZOO was available in 20 countries, with 3.2 million registered users and more than 0.5 million paying subs.

InternetQ cautions that, while its mobile marketing pipeline is at its "highest ever level", not all deals in the pipeline translate into firm commitments. The roll-out of AKAZOO, the company's mobile driven, social music network, is on track with the initial schedule, except in Brazil and Indonesia, where the firm says roll out will be complete in the "coming weeks".

InternetQ, the mobile marketing and digital entertainment company, said its mobile marketing pipeline is at a record level. In a somewhat tendentious statement, the company opted to remind investors of its low levels of exposure to Greece and the rest of the stricken Eurozone. At the same time, it played up its partnerships in Russia, Africa and Asia, which are going well, prompting the company to express confidence in meeting both revenue and profit targets for the whole of 2012.

"We continue to be mindful of the current macro-economic issues but we are well positioned to continue to execute the self-help agenda and to invest in repositioning the Group towards higher value added business," said Chairman JAS Wallace.

Revenue grew 1.7% to £195.6m with trading margins improving to 5.5% from 4.2% the year before. But the firm said it would pay no dividend for the year and the future recommendation of dividends would remain under review "as the group continues to make progress towards sustainable profitability and cash generation".

Bonding materials firm Scapa announced a big jump in profits in the year to the end of March and said trading was in line with expectations so far in 2012. Profit before tax increased 72.1% to £10.5m and basic earnings per share increased 87.5% to 4.5p. The numbers were driven by strong performances in its industrial and healthcare markets, but its electronics business proved a drag.