Troubled Anglo-French IT company Sema, which earlier this week agreed to a bid from US firm Schlumberger, today reported lower year profits.
Sema said pre-tax profits before goodwill slipped to £91.9 million sterling (euro 147.2 million) in the year 2000, down from £96.1 million (euro 153 million) the year before.
The group said that while the results were disappointing, it believed its strategic direction remained sound.