Compagnie des Machines Bull SA is looking to achieve a significant increase in net profits this year after a 23% increase in 1996 to the equivalent of $65.7m. Bull looks to the future with confidence and plans to show renewed sales growth in 1997, the company said. The restructuring of its personal computer activities – essentially dumping them off onto NEC Corp – and Smart Cards should halt their losses and enable the businesses to be used as levers for higher sales growth, it said. Those businesses generated $770m in 1996, compared with a restated 1995 revenue of $1,032m at current exchange rates. In its systems and services activities, Bull aims to grow faster than the overall market. Revenue from those activities rose to $3,485m from $3.25bn. The group in 1997 will pursue its effort to reduce non-wage costs, it added. The company hopes to pay a dividend in 1998 based on 1997 results and should pay one in 1999 for the 1998 year, chairman Jean-Marie Descarpentries declared.
