On the markets: GB Group; McBride

GB Group, the ambitious Chester-based company says its half year figures will show revenue growth of nearly 40% and operating profits up 21%.

In a trading update ahead of its December announcement of its results for the six months to September 30, the AIM-listed digital identity intelligence provider said revenues are expected to rise from £23.2m to £32.3m, representing year-on-year growth of around 39% (2014: 28%) and organic growth of 18%.

Adjusted operating profit is set to hit £4.5m (2014: £3.7 million), an increase of over 21% on last year after investing an additional £1.3m during the period in product and business development.

Chief executive Richard Law said: “The team at GBG has achieved another excellent  performance in the period, both in terms of our high growth and continuing to lay the strategic groundwork to support our expansion in the UK and globally.”

Headquartered on the Chester Business Park, the company has 18 offices across the world. Its customers include household names like Nike and Harrods.

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MCBRIDE, the Middleton company which makes private label products for the household and personal care markets, says it has made a “solid” start to the new financial year with first quarter trading in line with the board’s expectations.

The company said revenues at constant currency slightly ahead of the same period last financial year.  Under the leadership of its new management team Rik De Vos and Chris Smith, it has began implementing a strategy to “Repair, Prepare and Grow” the business.

De Vos said “We continue to deliver the restructuring projects established in the past two years and we are now embarking on the key early actions in the “Repair, Prepare, Grow” strategy.  It is encouraging to see the engagement of the wider McBride team with the key initiatives that are now underway.”