IT recruiter SThree broke back into the FTSE 250 last week, after its year-end results for 2008 showed a 20.8% revenue increase last month (recruiter.co.uk, 2 February).

“We have just got back into the FTSE 250. Our performance of late has been more buoyant than a number of our competitors,” Steve Hornbuckle, company secretary SThree, told Recruiter. Despite this its share price dropped by 7.7% over the past two weeks.

Michael Page announced a 5% drop in profits before tax in 2008. The share price, which is commonly referred to as one of the bellwether recruitment stock, fell from 212.25p to 191.75p in the last two weeks, during which it released its results.

IT staffing firm InterQuest also had positive news after releasing what its executive chairman Gary Ashworth described as the company’s “best set of figures” in its history. After-tax profits rose by 12.5% compared to the previous year, from £2.7m to £2.4m. The market reacted positively, with the share price increasing 16.2%, from 31p to 36p.

Profits for blue-collar recruiter Staffline fell but the company has already increased the number of OnSite facilities from 101 in 2008 to 112 in 2009. Andy Hogarth, Staffline’s chief executive, told Recruiter clients were attracted by its high credit rating and that the opening of the new sites would leave it well positioned when the market recovers and allow it to benefit from any temporary spikes in demand. Revenues increased to £120.8m in 2008, from £119.9m in 2007, however net profits fell by £990k. Hogarth said increasing site numbers had hit profitability because of increased costs.

Talent management firm Hydrogen’s share price continued on its downward trend, hitting a new 52-week low of 33.25p, after it announced its preliminary results. The group’s revenue fell by 7% to £96.2m, compared with £103.4m in 2007.