Anite expects to end the year (to April 30 2012) with revenue and adjusted profit before tax up 30% and 60% respectively, aided by a strong Q4. Today’s trading update shows that the pattern established over recent quarters is set to continue with handset testing more than delivering the goods – full year revenue and operating profit ahead of raised expectations (see Anite thrives on handset testing) – due to demand for LTE as well as 2G/3G testing. Anite has a handle on existing and developing markets, which is helping it produce a string of positive results and with the LTE market still developing it has places to go.
Even travel, which has had its travails and still looks out of place among the rest of the portfolio, had a good year, with revenue and operating profit on target to meet expectations for the full year, and an increased order backlog. Anite has said this division is transitioning and it does look healthier than it has in the past.
Network testing has not had a bumper time, again reflecting previous patterns plus “challenging market conditions.” Although H2 order intake and revenue were up on the year ago period, operating profit was flat. The launch of the Invex benchmarking product at the end of H1 helped pull this division up and demonstrated the wisdom of the strategic purchase of the Invex product line in January last year (see Anite makes strategic wireless acquisition). Given the reference to H2 rather than full year performance, the detail around this division will make interesting reading when the full results are released on July 3. Testing is still waiting for LTE’s time to come however, and when it does Anite will be there.