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The Issta group reported 3rd quarter profits of 12 million shekels, compared to 8 million shekels in the corresponding period last year.  The profit since the start of the year totaled 15.5 million shekels, this compared to 14.3 million shekels last year.

The Issta group reported that most of its profit since the beginning of the year was as a result of savings in salaries due to a reduction in operations caused by the economic recession.  Total revenue for Issta since the start of the year totaled 392.7 million shekels, compared to 460.8 million shekels in the corresponding period last year.

Gross profits fell by 13.2 million shekels, totaling 128 million shekels.  The group estimates that the military operation in Gaza at the beginning of the year and the fact that in the corresponding period last year included a capital gain because of the sale of 50 percent of a joint project, in addition to the compensation due to the second Lebanon war, contributed to a decline in gross profits.

However sales and marketing expenses in the first nine months of 2009 amounted to 84.8 million shekels, compared to 96.4 million shekels in the corresponding period last year. The reduction in sales and marketing expenses was largely as a result of the reduction in the cost of wages totaling 9.5 million shekels, which covered the reduction in the number of sales personnel.