Impellam Group plc, the world’s 19^th-largest staffing firm, reported global revenue rose 9.1% year over year in constant currency in the six months ended June 30, while North American revenue fell 1.4%. The company also said it was still in talks regarding its possible acquisition by HeadFirst Global, but the deadline for HeadFirst to make a decision was further extended to Aug. 31.

“Our [first half] trading has delivered a robust result against the backdrop of muted client and candidate confidence, which resulted in declines in permanent placement against strong prior-year comparators,” Chief Executive Julia Robertson said in a press release on Aug. 21. “These declines, however, were more than offset by temporary placement growth.” 

Overall gross profit rose 0.1%, helped by an increase of 6.8% in temporary staffing gross profit. However, perm placement gross profit (including RPO) fell 54.6%. 

In its North America division, gross profit rose by 1.2% in constant currency to £39.6 million (US$50 million). The increase was driven by the Bartech Staffing and SRG engineering and science brands. These brands’ gross profit increase offset a decline at the company’s Lorien technology staffing business. North American temporary recruitment fees rose by 20.1%. 

In other geographies: 

• The UK and Europe region saw gross profit fall 3.1% to £52.6 million (US$66.4 million) amid challenging market conditions which particularly affected permanent recruitment and technology staffing. 
• In the Asia Pacific region, gross profit rose by 34.0% year over year to £5.4 million (US$6.8 million), boosted by growth in the company’s global managed services portfolio which includes the Comensura and Guidant brands. 

Impellam last year sold its Corestaff light industrial brand to Swipejobs Inc. in a $19 million deal. This year, Impellam announced the sale of its healthcare and specialist staffing businesses to Twenty20 Capital in a $102.2 million deal. The healthcare business included its Medacs Global Group operations in the UK, Ireland and Asia Pacific. The specialist staffing business included the UK brands Tate, Blue Arrow Group, Chadwick Nott and Career Teachers. 

Share price 

Shares in Impellam closed down 0.35% to £710.00 (US$904.80) today in London; they were 7.79% below their 52-week high, according to FT.com.