Profitability among UK businesses approached a five-year high in 2014, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Measuring net rate of return in Q2 2014, the ONS estimated overall profit at 11.8%, which was “at the higher end of the quarterly range experienced during the last five years.”
The manufacturing sector had a net rate of return for the period of 12.1%, 0.5% up on the first quarter of 2014.
Service companies’ net rate of return fared even better and was estimated at 15.6% – the highest estimated rate since Q3 2003 (15.3%).
