JSE-listed information technology group Business Connexion on Thursday reported a 10.9% rise in operating profit for the six months to February 28.

The group reported an operating profit of R145.1-million in the first half of the 2013 financial year, an increase from the R130.8-million reported in the first half of last year.

Profit for the period increased slightly from R100.8-million in the six months to February 28, 2012, to R101.4-million in the six months under review.

The group generated basic earnings a share of 19.6c in the first half of the current financial year, while headline earnings a share reached 19.1c.

This compared with the earnings a share of 20.3c and headline earnings a share of 22.3c recorded in the prior corresponding period.

Business Connexion achieved revenue of R2.9-billion for the first half of 2013, up 8% on the R2.6-billion reported in the comparative period last year.

The group reported good growth from many of its divisions.

Business Connexion’s Canoa division contributed R514.9-million in revenue during the six months to February 2013 – a jump from the R344-million achieved in the prior corresponding period. Operating profit for the unit increased from R42-million in the first half of 2012, to R56.9-million during the period under review.

The Innovation division delivered flat revenue at R244-million, but reported a 9.3% increase in operating profit, reaching R37.8-million in the first half of the year, from the R34.6-million reported in the first half of last year.

The group’s Technology division moved out of the red – reporting an operating profit of R13.1-million in the first half of this year, compared with an operating loss of R7.7-million in six months to February 2012. Revenue, however, fell from R429-million in the six-month period in 2012, to the R359.5-million reported in the 2013 interim period.

Revenue within the Services division rose 3.4% to R981.9-million during the six months under review, while operating profit fell to R84.3-million, from the R107.2-million recorded in the corresponding period the year before.

The UCS division contributed R560.1-million to group revenue in the interim period, up from R503.4-million in the comparative period last year. Operating profit fell slightly to R47-million, from the reported R49-million in the interim months to February 2012.

Revenue in the International division increased 12.1% to R239.8-million, with steady operating profit of R5.7-million, compared with the prior period’s operating profit of R5.3-million.