Automated Systems Holdings, the leading information-technology services provider to the Hong Kong government, plans to accelerate expansion on the mainland and across Southeast Asia after recording virtually flat sales in its last fiscal year.
'We are working closely with Beijing Teamsun Technology, the group's controlling shareholder, to capture more business opportunities throughout the mainland,' Automated chief executive Lai Yam-ting said yesterday.
Lai said potential mergers and acquisitions were being considered for growth in Southeast Asia, where Automated already had operations in Thailand.
The company posted a HK$115.8 million net profit in the year to March, up 171.4 per cent from HK$42.7 million a year earlier, boosted by a one-off gain from the disposal of its global managed services business in August last year. Revenue fell 2.3 per cent to HK$1.33 billion, due to a slowdown in information-technology hardware and services sales.
Lai, however, noted that the improving economy helped the company grow in the January-March period, when it generated HK$28.8 million in profit before taxation that was higher than those of the previous three quarters combined.
He said Automated would focus more on growing its technology solutions business - which includes professional, maintenance and outsourcing services - as it further develops operations on the mainland and across Southeast Asia.