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Accenture profit hit by NHS contracts charge     its biggest drop in share price in over eight months.    Accenture reported a 13% increase in local currency in net revenues for its second fiscal quarter ended February 28, 2006, which reached $4.10bn compared to $3.81bn a year earlier.    However, its contracts to digitise patient records in eastern and north-eastern England,     worth $3.3bn, were affected by higher than expected costs and delays. As a result, Accenture said it will establish a $450m reserve for losses.    Excluding the reserve and a $14m reorganisation benefit, operating income was $466m, compared with $379m on a reorganisation- and options-adjusted basis consistent with SFAS     123R for the second quarter of 2005.    The company’s net income fell to $69.7m, or 11 cents a diluted share, from $209.8m, or 35 cents, a year earlier, Accenture said.    Its shares fell $1.79, or 5.8%, to $29.11 on the New York Stock Exchange following the release of the financial report, their biggest drop since July 7.        Aside from the NHS contracts, Accenture said that it is on track to hit its full-year bookings target. It posted a record increase in consulting net revenue growth in local currency, operations continue to generate strong cash flow, and it maintained its sound balance sheet.           Despite Accenture’s double-digit growth in second-quarter revenue, the $450m provision the company is setting aside for future losses on its UK National Health Service contracts caused

MCG reports increased profits and predicts strong growth ahead     2005. Pre-tax profit rose 12% to £13.9m and operating margin was stable at 11%.    Kevin Parry, MCG's CEO, said that "2006 has started strongly. It is already clear that the first half of the year will deliver excellent progress on last year, driven by the demand for Proudfoot Consulting services".    "The group should deliver strong year on year revenue growth in the first half of the year driven by an encouraging outlook for Proudfoot balanced by a more cautious view for Parson Consulting."        Europe saw total sales rise 21% to just under £41m (€60m), with an operating margin of merely 0.8% (versus 0.2% in 2004).    North America remained the most important geographic region, although its dominance dipped to 61% from 65% of revenue. North American revenue grew only 2.4% in sterling terms to £79m but it remained the profit generator, with an operating margin of 17.7%, up 1.6% on 2004.    Proudfoot's revenues reached £86.4m, up 6%, with EBITDA margin at 13%. MGC said Proudfoot     ended the year with a "high" order book.    Furthermore, MGC said that Proudfoot's UK business "continued to be the strongest in Europe", adding that although there were "signs of increased activity in continental Europe, particularly in Germany", Proudfoot has "not yet seen a sustained pattern of increased activity in any individual continental European country".    Sales at Parson rose 14% to £43m, with non-US business rising to 25% of revenues and EBITDA margin at 9%.        The group hinted at possible future minor or mid-sized acquisitions. "We continue actively to explore the strategic development of the group on the back of a strong balance sheet with over £20m of cash and no debt," said Parry.    He told analysts that he would like to see a separate business added to MCG, complementing Proudfoot and Parson. He is interested in HR, risk and corporate-recovery consulting, and consulting driven by regulatory change.           Management Consulting Group (MCG), the holding company for financial-management consultancy Parson Consulting and operational-management specialist Proudfoot Consulting, has posted an increase in both full year profits and revenue and said the new year has started "strongly".    MCG said total revenues rose 9% to £130m (€190m) for the year ended 31 December

Business & Decision acquires ERP specialist Mi Services     Business & Decision, the consulting and data engineering company, has acquired Mi Services Ltd, an international IT and management consultancy company with offices in the USA and the UK. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed but Business & Decision said the acquisition is being funded by cash.    "This acquisition     marks an important milestone in our growth plans for North America," added Sylvain Thauvette, president & CEO, Business & Decision North America.    With this acquisition, the company expands its critical mass and customer base in both in the USA and UK, and gains a strong ERP practice with specific strengths and     competencies in the pharmaceutical industry.    Founded in 1984, Mi Services has provided ERP solutions for clients from the Life Sciences, Public Sector and Financial Services industry sectors and is renowned for its Validation and Compliance solutions to Life Sciences companies.    For the fiscal year ending 31 December,     2005, Mi Services reported revenues of around $25m. The combined entity will strengthen Business & Decision's presence both in North America, with offices in Montreal and now Philadelphia, and in the UK, with offices in St. Albans, Chester, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, Windsor and now Sunderland.    Founded in 1992,     Business & Decision currently employs more than 1,400 consultants globally and its client list includes companies such as AXA, Celetronix, Ducommun Aerospace, La Poste, LVMH, Rolls Royce and Tyco.

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