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itX Group Limited (ITX) Record after tax profit of $7.58M for FY2010. Final Dividend increased by 13.3% to 4.25 cents. Year end cash balances of $11.8M. No debt.

The Directors of itX are pleased to announce that the Company achieved a record profit result in a challenging financial year.

The unaudited after tax profit for the full year ended 30 June 2010 is expected to be $7.58M, an increase of 6.5% over FY2009. Revenue increased by 9.1% to $159.9M (FY 2009: $146.6M).

With offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Canberra, itX is a leading distributor of a broad range of IT software and hardware products and a provider of specialised IT services throughout Australia.

In addition to its appointment as Sun Microsystems’ (recently acquired by Oracle) sole Authorised Distribution Centre in Australia, itX provides a distribution channel for a select range of world class IT vendors including: Apple, Appsense, DataCore, Citrix, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Oracle, Raritan, Red Hat, Secure Computing, ThinPrint, Trend Micro, Vizioncore, VMware and Wyse.

itX’s Technology Products Distribution division comprises Briell Marketing, a leading distributor of specialised printers and media for personal identification and security cards, medical and photographic imaging and the recently acquired Sydmed, a distributor of world class Urodynamic and Ultrasound medical devices used predominately in the specialised field of Urology.

itX’s Services division provides specialist services to its corporate clients including: Network and Server Management, ERP systems support, IT consulting and, via its hosted services division ICO, high uptime cost-effective solutions that meet the serious hosting needs of its customers.

For further information about itX and the latest itX news please visit: www.itxgroup.com.au.

QRSciences Holdings Limited (QRS) – Request for Trading Halt In accordance with ASX Listing Rule 17.1,

QRSciences Holdings Limited (Company) requests the grant of a trading halt for its securities pending an announcement by the Company in relation to a proposed material acquisition. The Company requests that the trading halt continue until the earlier of 2 trading days from the date of this letter or when a market announcement is issued in relation to the proposed acquisition.

The Company is not aware of any reason why the trading halt should not be granted by ASX. Jamie Taylor Company Secretary.

Preliminary management accounts for the 2009/2010 full year show a profit before tax of $0.8 million. The cash position for the group at the end of June 2010 was $4.45 million. Both the Prophecy business and the acquired Promadis business returned a profit for the year, albeit below budget expectations for each business.

A final dividend of 0.5c is expected to be announced once year end accounts have been finalized and audited during August, bringing the full year payout to 2.5c. The decision processes of our prospects have become more prolonged during the course of the year.

This has resulted in a number of incomplete transactions at the year end, which have impacted on revenues and lowered expected profits. The world economic conditions for capital intensive industries have had an influence on these decision processes. The high value of the Australian dollar during the year was also an influence on results, reducing revenues earned in US dollars and Pounds Sterling.

Both the Prophecy business and the Promadis business are forecast to show increased revenues and profits in this new budget year. Overall expenditure was on a par with last year, and was once again well controlled. Final revenues came in under the full year expectation, resulting in the lowered profit number for the year.

The Prophecy group remains debt free, with a strong Balance Sheet. Ed Reynolds Chairman.

ASG Group (ASZ) said it has secured a new contract with Vodafone Hutchison Australia (“VHA”) to provide corporate IT support services for an initial term of five years with two one-year extension options. The company said there is scope to provide additional project services.

VHA was formed last year upon the merger between Hutchison 3G Australia and Vodafone Australia.

Group chief officer Sales and Strategic Operations, Murray Rosa, said the company has been providing services to Hutchison for three and a half years and is pleased to deliver this expanded offering to VHA.

“ASG has now secured more than $140 million in new public and private sector contracts across Australia in 2010, confirming our presence as the nation’s premier IT service provider,” Mr Rosa said.

The group recently announced three acquisitions, including those of Dowling Consulting, Courtland Business Solutions and Capiotech.

ASG said its outlook for earnings growth remains positive and is underpinned by a project pipeline of qualified contract opportunities of $784 million in FY11.

The company concluded by saying it is confident of continuing the trend of organic and acquisitive earnings growth into FY11 and beyond.

As at 1118 AEST, ASG shares were up 1c to $1.355.

Redflex Holdings Limited (RDF) confirmed market rumours, saying it had received an indicative, non-binding and confidential proposal from a Macquarie Group subsidiary, at around $2.50 per share, valuing the company at around $275 million. The company said no action should be taken until a binding offer is received.

The takeover offer was a poorly kept secret from the market, with the company’s shares soaring in recent days, forcing Redflex to confirm interest had been expressed in the traffic camera infringement company.

Redflex shares had risen more than 50% since last Friday.

This morning Redflex shares entered a trading halt, but not before adding 5c to $2.35 per share.

Redflex Holdings Limited (RDF) said based on discussions with “a large Australian financial institution” it is set to receive a takeover offer in the next few days. The company said, in a response to an ASX price query, that it was aware of a special crossing in respect of 8 million shares in the company after the close of trading on 4 June 2010 at a price of $2.50 each.

The red-light and speed photo operator said it has also become aware that the buyer is a large Australian financial institution.

“Yesterday afternoon there were confidential discussions with representatives of the buyer,” the company said.

“The company believes on the basis of those discussions that it will in the next few days receive on a confidential basis, an indicative and non-binding proposal for the acquisition of control of the company.”

Redflex added that it is not aware of the nature or terms of the proposal and gave no assurance as to when or indeed whether any such proposal will be received.

Redflex shares spiked 40% yesterday before adding another 8.8% to be trading at $2.34 as at 1058 AEST today.

IRESS Market Technology Limited (IRE) said that the company was confident the financial markets were improving this year, driving activity for the company.

Speaking at Macqurie Australia Conference, IRESS said revenue growth was expected to be at the upper end of expectations, though still well below pre-crisis levels.

”Maintenance of crisis cost management into 2010 will produce positive H1 EBITDA growth,” the company said.

IRESS also said it was focused on restoration of cost base during 2010 to retain staff and capture opportunities.

”Effect will be to dampen margins in H2 but anticipate solid EBITDA growth in 2010 from 2009, before Asian costs,” the company added.

Looking to the medium-term, IRESS said it would focus on medium-term growth opportunities in addition to Asia.

At the close Thursday, IRESS shares were trading at $8.34.

Iress Market Technology (IRE) reported a full-year net profit of $42.8 million, up 20% from 2008. The company said the result reflected stabilising conditions among the client base.

“Following the high level of cancellations resulting from cost cutting and downsizing within the client base in late 2008 and early 2009, conditions quickly stabilised but remained cautious,” the company said.

Despite this, the company said there has been client activity to seed new initiatives and reduce costs through technology, which has seen emerging revenue growth in the second half.

“Together with cost management, the resulting second half EBITDA was slightly positive with a solid full year result for the group,” the company said.

Building on strong growth in the first half, the company said its Canadian business has made an overweight contribution to this result, and although from a small base, growth in South Africa was also strong on the back of technology upgrades.

Looking ahead, the company said trading in the early months of 2010 has been pleasing.

“While initial results are positive, the timing of a full recovery in our mature businesses to pre-crisis growth levels remains difficult to predict,” the company cautioned.

IRESS Directors declared a fully franked final dividend of 21c per share up from 19c per share in 2008.

At 1017 AEDT, IRESS Market Technology shares were down 7c to $8.12.

ASG Group Limited (ASZ) posted an NPAT of $6.5 million for the first half of FY10, up 32.5% on a year earlier. The IT services provider reported a 14.5% increase in EBITDA to $10.4 million, while revenue was down 9.3% to $58.2 million reflecting lower product sales and revenue from capital projects offset by continued growth in its major services business.

“Continued strong growth in revenue from managed services contracts and cost control initiatives put in place to respond to the economic downturn were key drivers of strong operating performance and the record profit,” ASG said.

The company said it benefited from overheads and efficient national delivery of long-term service contracts.

ASG said earnings per share were up 24.3% to 4.7 cents, while a 1.5c per share fully franked interim dividend was declared.

Managing director, Geoff Lewis, said cost cutting measure put in place in late 2008 delivered a significant advantage, allowing for profitability to grow given the economic downturn had only a limited impact upon its key businesses.

“Our cash flows remain very strong and our balance sheet continues to strengthen, giving us a great platform to pursue organic and acquisitive growth,” Mr Lewis said.

“In particular, we are pleased that we have grown our operating margins, testament to the capability and efficiency of our national IT infrastructure and the cost-related efficiency measures.”

Since the New Year, the company has announced two major contract wins worth a total of $58 million, which lifted ASG’s contract asset bank to $450 million.

”ASG has also been nominated as Preferred Tenderer on two further major contracts and is now engaged in exclusive negotiations, with completion expected in the March quarter,” the company said.

Mr Lewis said ASG’s balance sheet primed the company for strong growth in FY11 and FY12.

“We now have an outstanding platform for growth, with minimal net debt and significant capability to fund new initiatives,” he said.

“We are currently assessing a number of acquisition opportunities and expect to be able to make further announcements during the second half of FY10.”

Mr Lewis said the company was confident full year earnings would show growth over FY09, though would be impacted to some degree by investment in new growth initiatives.

As at 1104 AEDT, ASG Group shares were down 5.5c to $1.185.

SMS Management & Technology Limited (SMX) delivered a net profit after tax of $13.3 million for the six months ended 31 December 2009, up 9.3% on the previous corresponding period. The information and communications technology services company said revenues dropped 3.1% to $117.1 million, while EBITDA increased 7.6% to $17.7 million in the same period.

CEO, Tom Stianos, said recent increasing demand for the company’s services has led to a significant improvement in utilisation.

”With demand strengthening, we have now shifted from a defensive posture to a growth posture,” Mr Stianos.

"We have accelerated our recruitment effort and will be increasing the size of our recruitment team.”

Mr Stianos said the next twelve months’ performance would be influenced by the effectiveness of the company’s recruitment, retention and talent development activities due to an expected emergence of a skills shortage.

SMS said has restarted its successful 457 Visa program to hire professionals from the UK and would be making employment offers during February and March.

”The company is actively seeking to acquire companies which add to and broaden its range of practices,” the company said.

SMS further increased cash to $28.6m, a 42% increase over the December 2008 balance of $20.1m.

The company declared an interim dividend of 12.5c, up on the 10c declared a year earlier.

As at 1055 AEDT, SMS shares were up 11c to $5.72.