Spam and porn lift SurfControl

Soaraway profits

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Business, 8th July 2003 13:25 GMT

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Shares in UK-based censorware outfit SurfControl rose sharply with the release of an upbeat profits forecast today.

In a trading update ahead of its full-year results on September 9, SurfControl forecasts it will exceed market expectations.

Buoyed by strong demand for Net Nanny and spam filtering software, SurfControl predicts annual sales of £55.8 million ($92 million), up 41 per cent from last year. Based on this, analysts expect SurfControl to record pre-tax earnings of around £6.6 million, compared to £1.02 million last year.

The company expects Q4 sales of around £18.2 million ($30 million), 43 per cent up on the same quarter next year.

SurfControl's stock put on 11 per cent on the statement to reach 722.5p by lunchtime today.

A recent contentious ruling that US libraries need to apply porn filters and a campaign by child protection groups in the UK to get manufacturers to pre-install "child protection software" on PCs will do no harm to SurfControl's future earnings potential. ®

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