Earnings

Adecco profits beat forecast as hiring picks up despite Brexit uncertainty

Key Points
  • The company reported a net profit of 270 million euros, beating Reuters analysts' estimate of 221 million euros.
  • The recruitment agency warned of slower growth in a number of European markets.

U.K.-based firms have stopped waiting for clarity over Brexit and have started to hire again, the world's largest staffing agency told CNBC Tuesday.

There has been some uncertainty surrounding the prospect of European workers in the U.K. as well as over the profitability of certain business in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. As a result, employers adopted a wait-and-see approach before taking on new hires. However, according to Adecco, that is now over.

"For the U.K. what we see in all figures is that since more than two to three quarters, the permanent recruitment is again growing quite fast, especially in the skills profile," Alain Dehaze, chief executive officer of Adecco told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe."

Christophe Bosset | Bloomberg | Getty Images

"So it means the companies in the U.K., they had waited first to gain more clarity, more certainty but as this clarity, certainty, was not coming they have decided to rehire again," he added.

Adecco reported earlier on Tuesday third-quarter earnings, beating net profit expectations.

The company reported a net profit of 270 million euros, beating Reuters analysts' estimate of 221 million euros. However, the recruitment agency warned of slower growth in a number of European markets.

Dehaze told CNBC that third-quarter results showed a "solid performance" and that he was "very pleased."