Trading Statement

Pre-Close Trading Update

WS Atkins plc ("Atkins" or "the Group"), the design and engineering consultancy group, today provides an update on trading for the year ended 31 March 2011 in advance of its preliminary results announcement on 16 June 2011.

The Group has traded well through the fourth quarter, in particular due to the performance of the Middle East business, and is now anticipating reporting results for the year ended 31 March 2011 ahead of current market expectations.

Our UK business continues to navigate challenging market conditions and is performing in line with our expectations.

Our US acquisition, The PBSJ Corporation, which was rebranded Atkins on 1 April 2011, has also traded in line with our expectations during the first six months of our ownership, marking a return to previous performance levels. 

The Group's operations in the Middle East have benefited from increasing activity in the second half of the year, together with further recovery of client payments against which we had previously provided.

We have continued to adjust our resources across the Group to meet anticipated market demand and we expect to report a year end Group headcount of around 17,500.

The Group's financial position remains strong and our sustained focus on cash is expected to result in net funds at 31 March 2011 in excess of £120 million.

Outlook

The Group has continued to position itself for growth through targeted investment and active deployment of resources. With our focused portfolio of businesses across a number of geographic markets, the Group is well placed for the year ahead.

Enquiries

Notes to editors

1. Atkins

Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) plans, designs and enables the delivery of complex infrastructure and buildings for clients in the public and private sectors across the world. Atkins is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK and the world's eleventh largest international design firm (sources: New Civil Engineer Consultants File, 2010; Engineering News-Record, 2010).

Atkins is the official engineering design services provider for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

2. Analyst Conference Call

A conference call for analysts will be held at 0800 hours today. Dial-in details are available from Alex Simmons, Smithfield +44 (0) 20 7903 0669.

3. Cautionary Statement

This information has been prepared for the shareholders of Atkins, as a whole, and its sole purpose and use is to assist shareholders to exercise their governance rights. Atkins and its directors and employees are not responsible for any other purpose or use or to any other person in relation to this announcement.

The report contains indications of likely future developments and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risk factors associated with, among other things, the economic and business circumstances occurring from time to time in the countries, sectors and business segments in which the Group operates. These and other factors could adversely affect the Group's results, strategy and prospects. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. They relate to events and/or depend on circumstances in the future which could cause actual results and outcomes to differ. No obligation is assumed to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.