ROBERT WALTERS PLC
(the "Company", or the "Group")

Results for the year ended 31 December 2017

OPERATING PROFIT UP 60%; DIVIDEND UP 50%

Financial and Operational Highlights

• Record performance with operating profit increasing by 60% (54%*) to £41.9m (2016: £26.2m) and profit before taxation increasing by 44% (50%*) to £40.6m (2016: £28.1m).
• 71% of the Group's net fee income derived from outside of the UK.
• All regions grew both net fee income and operating profit.
• Asia Pacific net fee income up 16% (11%*) to £136.6m (£131.1m*) (2016: £117.6m) and operating profit up 21% (14%*) to £17.7m (£16.8m*) (2016: £14.7m).
• In Asia, growth continued to be broad-based across both established and emerging markets with Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Indonesia all delivering excellent results.
• Good performance across Australia and a record set of results in New Zealand.
• Resource Solutions won several new multi-country contracts across the region.
• UK net fee income up 16% to £100.9m (2016: £86.7m) producing an 84% increase in operating profit to £11.8m (2016: £6.4m).
• Activity levels in London were strongest across technology, legal and financial services. In the regions, Manchester and St. Albans were the standout performers.
• Resource Solutions delivered impressive net fee income growth and entered new industry sectors winning clients in retail, mobile telecommunications, fintech and property management.
• Europe net fee income up 34% (26%*) to £80.6m (£75.5m*) (2016: £60.1m) and operating profit increased 168% (149%*) to £11.3m (£10.5m*) (2016: £4.2m).
• Outstanding performance across the region.
• Belgium, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and Spain all delivered net fee income growth in excess of 20% year-on-year.
• Our French business, our largest in the region, grew net fee income by 18% and delivered a significant increase in operating profit.
• Blend of permanent, contract and interim recruitment businesses is a pillar of strength and point of differentiation.
• Other International (Brazil, Canada, South Africa, the Middle East and the USA) net fee income up 93% (87%*) to £27.1m (£26.2m*) (2016: £14.0m) and operating profit increased by 16% (41%*) to £1.1m (£1.3m*) (2016: £0.9m).
• Strongest growth across the North America region. Market conditions in Brazil remain challenging but encouraging to see our local business deliver net fee income growth in excess of 50%.
• Group headcount increased by 17% to 3,793 (2016: 3,229).
• The Group purchased 2.1m shares at an average price of £3.79 for £8.0m which were subsequently cancelled. An additional 0.4m shares have also been purchased at an average price of £4.03 for £1.8m through the Group's Employee Benefit Trust.
• Strong balance sheet with net cash of £31.1m as at 31 December 2017 (31 December 2016: £22.5m).

Robert Walters, Chief Executive, said:

"The Group delivered a record performance in 2017 increasing operating profit by 60% year-on-year. We continued to benefit from both our international footprint which covers 28 countries including many of the world's fastest-growing and exciting recruitment markets and our blend of revenue streams covering permanent, contract, interim and recruitment process outsourcing.

The Group has successfully maintained the momentum of 2017 and started the year strongly. As a result, we look ahead with confidence."

The Company will publish an interim management statement for the first quarter ending 31 March 2018 on 10 April 2018.

* Constant currency is calculated by applying prior period exchange rates to local currency results for the current and prior periods.

Further information on our investors site.

Robert Walters is a market-leading international specialist professional recruitment group with over 3,700 staff spanning 28 countries. We specialise in the placement of the highest calibre professionals across the disciplines of accountancy and finance, banking, engineering, HR, IT, legal, sales, marketing, secretarial and support and supply chain and procurement. Our client base ranges from the world's leading blue-chip corporates and financial services organisations through to SMEs and start-ups. The Group's outsourcing division, Resource Solutions is a market leader in recruitment process outsourcing and managed services.

Further information

Robert Walters plc +44 (0) 20 7379 3333
Robert Walters, Chief Executive
Alan Bannatyne, Chief Financial Officer

Newgate Communications +44 (0) 20 7680 6550
Steffan Williams
Charlotte Coulson

Forward looking statements

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements. These statements are made by the directors in good faith based on the information available to them at the time of their approval of this announcement and such statements should be treated with caution due to the inherent uncertainties, including both economic and business risk factors, underlying any such forward-looking information.

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