Profit at Irish unit of tech giant Xilinx slides 25%

Profits at the Irish arm of US technology giant Xilinx fell last year 25% to $20.6m (€18.4m).

According to accounts recently filed by Xilinx Ireland, pre-tax profits at the Dublin-based firm decreased as revenues decreased 4.5% to $525.3m in the 12 months to the end of the end of March.

Xilinx established its Dublin base for its European, Middle East and African markets in 1995 and numbers employed at its Irish base last year rose from 233 to 244.

The Dublin unit has paid out over $2bn in dividends to its US parent between 1999 and 2013, and in the company’s 2015 fiscal year it paid out an additional $10m.

The figures show that expenses for research and development increased 14.5% to $23.8m.

The directors’ report says that they “are satisfied with the company’s performance in light of the prevailing market conditions” and was confident about the business model.

Staff costs last year were unchanged at $36.7m, a sum that includes share-based payments of $5.7m.

Payments to directors last year rose sharply from $1.15m to $1.6m, which included pension payments of $301,095 while share-based payments having increased from $566,687 to $909,749.

Meanwhile, new accounts show that pre-tax profits at Dell Direct fell 51% to €5m last year, as revenues dipped marginally from €136.59m to €133.4m.

Numbers employed by the firm fell from 1,287 to 1,077 and staff costs increased slightly to €96.7m.

Another set of accounts filed by Dell Products show that pre-tax profits at that firm fell 61% last year to €5.2m, even as revenues increased from €11.43m to €12.17m.

Numbers employed at Dell Products fell from 966 to 783.