MUR.L Regulatory News (MUR)

28 Sep 2005 11:30

Murgitroyd Group PLC28 September 2005 28 September 2005 Murgitroyd Group PLC ("Murgitroyd" or "the Company") Annual General Meeting Chairman's Statement Murgitroyd, the European Patent and Trade Mark Attorney group, held its AnnualGeneral Meeting in Glasgow today. At the meeting Ian Murgitroyd, Chairman, madethe following statement on the 2005 results and current trading. "I am delighted to report on another successful year with an increase inturnover of 18% to £14.5 million and profits exceeding expectations. Profitbefore tax, excluding the amortisation of goodwill, rose by 42% to just under£1.4 million and the Group's basic earnings per share were up by 73% to 6.2p. "The successful integration of Castles into our core business boosted secondhalf figures as expected and, together with our continued organic growth, hasfurther strengthened Murgitroyd's strong client portfolio. The Group has seen anumber of reputable client wins throughout the year, including Jordans Cereals,Baxter's Food Group and Rohm & Haas. "The Group's clients enjoy representation rights in the UK, Ireland, Germany,France, Monaco and the Netherlands. It is the Group's aim to remain focused onexpansion in order to maintain our position as the leading pan-European Patentand Trade Mark Attorney practice. "The Belfast, Dublin and Nice offices have seen some further recruitment overthe last year. The expansion in Belfast led to our moving to larger officeaccommodation in July 2005.The Aberdeen office is still growing and we continueto look to expand our Muenster office where we will train our own GermanAttorneys. "Since the year end we have appointed another qualified Attorney taking thenumber to 33 compared with 22 in 2004, whilst recruitment of graduate traineesand part-qualified Attorneys has continued in a number of offices. Murgitoyd will also be opening a new office in York which will be permanentlystaffed with three qualified Attorneys from November and service the North ofEngland and the Midlands. "The market shows signs of healthy growth and we continue to build on ourstrengths. Current trading is in line with expectations." -Ends- For further information please contact: Keith Young, CEO & Finance Director T: 0141 307 8400Alasdair Robinson, Noble & Company Limited T: 0131 225 9677Nadja Vetter, Cardew Group T: 020 7930 0777 Notes to Editors Murgitroyd Group PLC, a European Patent and Trade Mark Attorney practice,specialises in the provision of Intellectual Property services, includingfiling, prosecuting, litigating, licensing, assigning and renewing Patents,Trade Marks and Designs and advising on Copyright. Patent services span themajor sectors of the global economy including technology, engineering,electronics, chemistry and biotechnology with clients ranging from largemulti-national corporations to individual inventors and both in-house andexternal Patent Attorneys. The practice services major Trade Mark clients fromthe personal care, clothing, food and drinks, tobacco, pharmaceuticals,chemicals and oil industries together with service sector, sport andentertainment and retail industry clients. Trade Mark services are alsoprovided to other private practice Trade Mark Attorneys. The practice hasoffices in Aberdeen, Belfast, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Muenster, Munich andNice. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange