Bull profit plummets despite high turnover

First-half results for Bull show that the company is once again making a loss, despite having fought its way back into the black last year for the first time since 1988.

The loss for the six months ended 30 June amounts to $122 million and contrasts with Bull's stated aim of returning to full profitability by the end of the full year.

Losses at former subsidiary Zenith Data Systems (ZDS) were blamed for the losses. Sales of PCs were down 18 per cent, the company said, leaving ZDS to record a non-recurring loss in excess of $130 million for the first half of the year.

Group turnover for the UK and Ireland was up 14 per cent to $175 million.

Turnover for the previous year increased 27 per cent.

Digital has recorded a loss of $433 million for fiscal Q4 1996, following its earlier profit warning. The company said that it had incurred costs of $492 million in the closure of its plants and as a result of paying for 7,000 job cuts.