Final Results - Year Ended 31 December 1999

ATA Group PLC
24 March 2000
                                   
                             ATA Group plc

        Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 1999


ATA  Group  plc  ('ATA') is a human resource support  services  group,
which  provides employment solutions and training services  to  client
companies in England, Scotland and Wales.


                              HIGHLIGHTS

*    Turnover  £6.64m (1998: £6.86m)

*    Pre-tax profit £0.72m (1998: £1.09m)

*    Earnings per share 7.27p (1998: 12.12p)

*    Maintained final dividend of 3.8p making a total of 5.8p (1998:
     5.8p) for the year

*    7% increase in consultant numbers

*    Ninth location opened in Croydon

*    Launch of ata-b2b.com


Commenting on the results Bill Douie, Chairman, said:

'After the difficult conditions experienced in the first half, we  are
delighted  by  the strong recovery in the second half  which  compares
well  with  any  in our history and allows us to look forward  to  the
future with confidence. '

                                                       24 March 2000

ENQUIRIES:

ATA Group plc                         Tel: [phone]
Bill Douie, Chairman
Clive Chapman, Chief Executive

College Hill                          Tel: [phone]
Giles Cooper

                                   

                         CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT


I  am  pleased to present the Group preliminary statement for the year
ended  31 December 1999. The year has, as foreshadowed, been a  trying
but  successful year for the Company.  Following a setback in earnings
in  the  first  half, largely caused by challenging  external  trading
conditions, a sharp recovery was achieved in the second half.


Financial

Group  pre-tax profits have decreased to £721,779  (1998:  £1,085,223)
on  turnover of £6,640,597 (1998: £6,863,304). Earnings per  share  on
share  capital  adjusted  for options issued during  the  period  have
fallen to 7.27 pence (1998: 12.12 pence).

Our core recruitment and consultancy businesses have recovered well in
the  second  half from an inefficient start to the year. Turnover  for
the year in these divisions was £6,018,442 (1998: £6,385,136) and pre-
tax  profits  fell  to  £771,682 (1998:  £1,114,991).   Our  embryonic
training companies, including Sloan Shrago Limited, are still in their
formative phase and have not yet achieved profitable trading.

In  view of the sharp recovery in profitability in the second half the
directors  are recommending a maintained final dividend of  3.8  pence
net per share, making a total of 5.8 pence net for the year (1998: 5.8
pence)


Trading

Recruitment
Trading conditions were difficult in the first four months of the year
mainly  due  to  a cyclical downturn, amplified, in manufacturing,  by
currency  strength  presenting significant challenges  for  exporters.
While  there is some evidence that exporters have come to  terms  with
the  new competitive conditions, improving economic conditions in  the
second  half  of  1999  have  been  mainly  in  home  markets.    More
significantly,  we  have  responded with  some  reorientation  of  our
industrial  exposure and have achieved material advances in management
skills  at  all  levels.  During this period of consolidation  overall
consultant numbers have continued to build and were 47 (1998:  44)  in
the  sales  division  and 47 (1998: 44) in the Engineering  Technology
division  at  the  year end.  Operating ratios have recovered  to  the
levels experienced in 1998.

Consultancy
Our  Advertising  Selection  business has  continued  to  develop  and
consultant  numbers  have risen to 18 (1998:  17)  at  the  year  end.
Turnover  has  fallen marginally to £1,080,213 (1998: £1,185,752)  but
conditions  adversely affected operating ratios and  profits  fell  to
£4,112 (1998: £65,594)  Again, in this year of consolidation, material
skills enhancement has taken place and the company enters 2000 with  a
stronger infrastructure.



Training
We continue to build for the future. During the year terms were agreed
for the acquisition of the business of Sloan Shrago and a new company,
Sloan  Shrago  Limited was incorporated  to offer clients  consultancy
services  in  the  fields  of  Organisational  Development,  Personnel
Appraisal  &  Assessment and Personnel Training &  Development.   This
company,  providing  the services of occupational psychologists,  will
spearhead  our  thrust into providing training services  to  Corporate
Clients.   Fairbourne  Adventure will in the  future  form  one  of  a
growing number of training and development tools available to back  up
the services identified above.


Technology

ATA  Group  is  at present in the final stages of development  of  its
first  internet  recruitment service which will  facilitate  operating
improvements  in  the present companies and provide opportunities  for
additional and more extensive services to both candidates and clients.
ATA  Group is determined not to lose sight of its core objective -  to
supply  the  best  available candidate for  posts  identified  by  our
clients.


Staff

During  the  year  Graham  Chivers  retired  as  Finance  Director  to
concentrate on other business activities.  I should like to thank  him
for  his  diligent dedication to our Group from formation and to  wish
him the best of good fortune in the future.
We  are  fortunate to have secured the services of Peter  McWeeney  to
succeed  Graham as Finance Director and Company Secretary and  welcome
him to the team.
John Green decided to move on and again I would like to thank him  for
his services.
I  should  like  to extend my thanks to all staff and  management  for
their commitment during an important year in our history.


Outlook

1999  was  expected to be a challenging year and indeed  it  was.   We
encountered  difficult conditions and moved fast to  deal  with  them.
Consequently, we are able to report second half figures comparing well
with any in our history in the contingency recruitment businesses  and
have  been  able to maintain our dividend, albeit at a lower  rate  of
cover, and our cash reserves.  We are still in the formative stages of
establishing our presence in training and believe we now are correctly
positioned  to provide a complete consultancy approach in  our  chosen
areas  at every level to our Corporate Clients.  Advertising Selection
continues  to  gain strength and is now well placed  for  the  future.
Economic conditions have improved and we are excited by the challenges
presented by new technology.  We view the future with confidence.
                                                           W.J.C Douie
                                                              Chairman
                                                         24 March 2000
                                   
                                   
                       CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REVIEW
                                   

Group Activities

ATA  Group Plc is the holding Company for a range of business services
that  provide  our clients with a turnkey human resource package.  The
aim  of  the  group  is to create real added value for  these  clients
through  the maximisation of the competitive advantages that exist  in
their  employee base.  The range of services encompass the  following:
assessment  services  in  the  Contingency  Database  and  Advertising
Selection recruitment businesses, development and training through the
outdoor  leadership business and Organisational Development  from  the
Occupational Psychologists of Sloan Shrago.
Group  turnover and operating profits for 1999 are presented on  a  by
profit centre basis with comparatives.
                                   

SUMMARY OF 1999 TRADING
               .......Turnover.................Profit Before Tax.....

                 1999  1998  1999  1998  1999   1998   1999   1998
                £,000 £,000     %     % £,000  £,000      %      %


Engineering     2,695 3,082 40.59 44.91 464.1  762.6  64.27   70.27
technology

Sales           2,243 2,117 33.78 30.85 303.5  286.8  42.04   26.43

Advertising     1,080 1,186 16.27 17.27   4.1   65.6   0.57    6.05
selection

Training          622   478  9.36  6.97 -49.7  -29.8  -6.88   -2.75


Group total    6,640 6,863 100.00 100.00 722.0 1085.2 100.00 100.00


Database Contingency Businesses

Sales recruitment business
The   Operations  Director  ensured  that  effective   selection   and
development  of  staff occurred in this business, producing  a  strong
supply  of  skilled consultants and first line management  succession.
The  resultant  growth  in the labour force,  turnover  and  operating
profits  sustained the upward momentum, compared to  1998,  despite  a
contraction   in   the   technical   sales   roles   associated   with
manufacturing.

The  market  direction of these activities is increasingly focused  on
commercial sales roles, with burgeoning demand for assessment  of  the
emotional  factors that affect ultimate selection. The  efficiency  of
this  service  is predominantly driven by our graduate  workforce  and
their  capacity to screen candidates in the interview process, thereby
determining  the  specific motivation and calibre  of  the  applicants
forwarded to the client companies.

The  buoyancy  in  the domestic demand of the UK  economy  provides  a
positive  platform  for  further expansion in the  consultant  numbers
across  2000. The eighth Sales branch opened, in Croydon,  in  January
2000 and is progressing satisfactorily.

Engineering Technology recruitment business
Trading  results  in  the second half reached  record  levels  with  a
strengthened  management  team and the appointment  of  an  Operations
Director, commencing January 2000. The number of consultants  employed
and  their  development  are  key drivers  in  the  expansion  of  the
business, which will facilitate further geographical roll out.

The  ninth  branch was opened at the half year in Croydon and  cements
our access to the London market. Early signs are very encouraging with
productivity gains beyond the average for this business.

Historically this has been the most significant business in the Group,
as  demonstrated in the comparative figures above. The contraction  in
the  manufacturing job base over 1998 and 1999 created a reduction  in
the operating efficiency of this business during that time period.  In
the  later  part of last year the market stabilised with a  noticeable
increase  in demand for our services. Skill shortages loom  once  more
which  boosts our trading advantages as a leading brand in the  supply
of  such  candidates  and  this bodes well  for  the  future  of  this
business.


Advertising Selection

The staff structure plan changed in 1999 to include the addition of  a
tier  of  first line managers, designed to provide a support role  for
the  development  of  staff both external to  the  business  and  from
internal transfer. The majority of current staff have originated  from
our  Engineering  Technology business. The  future  growth  objectives
necessitate  the formation of such training structures to ensure  that
the consultant numbers increase in a smooth fashion.

The  service solutions on offer through this business range from  high
level  retained  campaigns, to multiple placement recruitment  drives,
such  as  call centres, to the overlap with the Contingency businesses
at  lower level job roles. The breadth of this range provides an ideal
platform  for  the development of staff to progress  to  higher  level
campaign placements, which is the future of the business.

The  turnover and operating profit performance remained flat in  1999,
but  the development time was well spent and the growth objectives are
in  sharp  focus  with  a  strong team  of  staff.  With  the  general
improvement in market sentiment the business has every opportunity  to
prosper.



Training and Development

The  direct  synergy that exists between the assessment of  employees,
their  development and the business objectives and goals of a company,
supports  our strategic expansion of this aspect of Group  activities.
In addition to the acquisition of an outdoor management and leadership
business  in  1998  the  Group  acquired  an  Occupational  Psychology
practice in August 1999, called Sloan Shrago.

This  enhances the number of products readily available to our clients
through  the corporate sales function, internally. Hence, the capacity
to  broaden  the diagnosis of client needs beyond that encompassed  by
the   outdoor  training  tool  has  raised  our  client  profile   and
marketability.

The  growth  in  these  businesses,  including  the  associated  hotel
accommodation supporting the Fairbourne training business,  will  come
from  the  successful  application  of  a  sales  driven  tactic   and
collaborative  association with existing clients of  the  Group  on  a
relationship basis.

Turnover  is,  therefore, growing positively with real  gains  in  the
management  and leadership business, although this has yet to  convert
into  operating profit. The future is structured around the  expansion
of  the  corporate  sales  function with a management  overview  being
provided by the psychologist business.

Further  acquisitions  of  additional training  products,  to  support
client demand, will materialise as the growth objectives are met.


Share Options

The  Board  continues to support the ownership of  shares  within  the
staff  and made a further disposal  within the tax-approved scheme  in
1999. It is our intention to provide key staff with such incentives in
2000.


Prospects

The  strategic aim of the Group is based on the development  of  added
value  services  in relation to the employee base of our  clients.  To
this end, the expansion of training and development services, together
with  the  acquisition  of  an occupational psychology  business  have
furthered  our  cause  in  an  otherwise  difficult  set  of   trading
conditions.  It has been testimony to the resilience and determination
of  management  that  such gains have been  made  in  the  face  of  a
technical recession in our core manufacturing market.



ata-b2b.com

The advent of Internet interactive technology has provided a threat to
the  typical agency based curriculum vitae approach, but has  provided
our  Group  with an opportunity to embrace the value of  our  national
brands,  candidate  databases  and  the  importance  attached  to  the
emotional assessment criteria.
The  Group  has plans to launch an interactive site in the first  half
that will both reduce costs and generate client revenue opportunities.
The  branding  opportunity  for national  databases  of  niche  portal
candidates  in  both of our core markets, Sales roles and  Engineering
Technology, is a significant opportunity afforded to the Group. The 37-
year history of the ATA Selection brand and the marketing capacity  of
our  advertising budgets will accelerate the growth of  the  site,ata-
b2b.com.

                                                         Clive Chapman
                                                       Chief Executive
                                                         24 March 2000


                 CONSOLIDATED PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT
                                   


                                 1999                 1998
                            £'000      £'000     £'000      £'000
                                                                 
Turnover                                                         
Continuing operations       6,625                6,863           
Acquisitions                   16                    -           
                                       6,641                6,863
                                                                 
Cost of Sales                        (3,968)              (4,189)
                                                                 
Gross profit                           2,673                2,674
Administrative                       (1,986)              (1,631)
expenses
                                                                 
Operating profit                                                 
Continuing operations         705                1,043           
Acquisitions                 (18)                    -           
                                         687                1,043
Interest receivable            53                   61           
and similar income
Interest payable and         (18)                 (20)           
similar charges
                                          35                   42
                                                                 
Profit on ordinary                                               
activities before                        722                1,085
taxation
                                                                 
Tax on profit on                       (250)                (333)
ordinary activities
                                                                 
Profit on ordinary                                               
activities after                         472                  752
taxation                                                         
Dividends                              (376)                (376)
                                                                 
Retained profit for                                              
the financial year                        96                  376
                                                                 
Earnings per share                     7.27p               12.12p
                                                                 
Fully diluted earnings                                           
per share                              7.27p               12.12p

There were no recognised gains or losses other than those reported in
the Profit and Loss Account.

                                   
                                   
                   CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
                                   
                                   
                                      1999                1998
                                 £'000     £'000     £'000      £'000
                                                                     
Net cash inflow from                         625                 1283
operating activities
                                                                     
Return on investments and
servicing of finance
Interest received                   53                  49           
Interest paid                     (18)                (19)           
                                                                     
Net cash inflow from return                                          
on investments and servicing                  35                   30
of finance
                                                                     
Taxation
UK corporation tax paid                    (343)                (288)
                                                                     
Capital expenditure
Sale of tangible fixed assets       28                  28           
Purchase of tangible fixed       (191)               (356)           
assets
                                                                     
Net cash outflow from capital              (163)                (328)
expenditure
                                                                     
Acquisitions and disposals
Purchase of business from                                            
unincorporated undertaking                     -                (474)
                                                                     
Equity dividends paid                      (376)                (306)

                                                                     
Net cash outflow before use                (222)                 (83)
of liquid resources and
financing
                                                                     
Financing and Management of
Liquid resources
Decrease/(increase) in short       750                (25)           
term deposits
Net proceeds from issue of           -                 439           
share capital
(Decrease)/increase in medium     (58)                 270           
term loans
                                                                     
                                             692                  684
                                                
                                                                     
Increase in cash                             470                  601


                                   
                                   
                                   
                      CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET


                                   1999                 1998
                              £'000      £'000      £'000     £'000
                                                                   
Fixed assets
Intangible assets                72                    96          
Tangible assets                 720                   779          
                                           792                  875
                                                                   
Current assets
Stock                            18                    14          
Debtors                         888                   688          
Cash at bank and in hand      1,107                 1,357          
                              2,013                 2,059          
                                                                   
Creditors
Amounts falling due         (1,601)               (1,750)          
within one year
                                                                   
Net current assets                         412                  309

Total assets less current                1,204                1,184
liabilities
                                                                   
Creditors
Amounts falling due after                                          
more than one year                       (155)                (231)

Provision for liabilities                  (4)                  (4)
and charges

                                                                   
Net assets                               1,045                  949
                                              
                                                                   
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital                     65                   65
Share premium account                      433                  433
Capital redemption                          50                   50
reserve
Profit and loss account                    497                  401
                                                                   
Equity shareholders'                     1,045                  949
funds


Approved by the board of directors on

WJC Douie      Chairman
P McWeeney          Financial Director

                                   
                                   
                                 NOTES
                                   
1.   Dividends

 Interim dividends paid on 17 September 1999 of 2.0p per share  (1998:
 2.0p).   Final  dividend  proposed of 3.8p  per  share  (1998:  3.8p)
 payable to shareholders on the register on April 7th 2000

2.   Earnings per Share

 The  calculations  of  earnings per share and of  the  fully  diluted
 earnings  per share are based on a profit after taxation of  £471,485
 (1998:-  £752,220)  and  a  weighted  average  of  6,482,400  (1998:-
 6,205,477) shares in issue.  The share options that have been granted
 to date are not dilutive.

3.   Report & Accounts

 The  above  results  do  not represent the statutory  accounts.   The
 statutory  accounts for 1998 have been filed with  the  Registrar  of
 Companies, received an unqualified audit report and did not contain a
 statement  under  Section 237 (2) or (3) of the Companies  Act  1985.
 The  audited accounts will be mailed to shareholders shortly and will
 be  available  from  the Company's registered  office:-  20  Portland
 Square, Bristol, BS2 8SJ.