Brave face for Nuance despite profits fall

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The Nuance Group has blamed the events of September 11 and their repercussions for a 5.1% fall in consolidated revenue in 2001. Announcing its results for last year, Nuance said revenue reached SFr1.73bn ($1.02bn) compared with SFr1.83bn ($1.07bn) in 2000.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at SFr95.6m ($56.2m), compared with SFr122.6m ($72.1m) the previous year. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 22%.

In a statement, Nuance claimed that group revenues had been consistent with the previous year up to September 11, but said that the resulting decline in air travel had caused a final-quarter drop in revenue of 18.8% compared with 2000. The operator insisted the decline was less dramatic than that experienced by the market as a whole, and said that 2002 figures had been "encouraging" so far. The group expects a "slight increase" in revenues and EBITDA in 2002.