Akademik

first half

first-half ˈfirst-half adjective [only before a noun] ACCOUNTING FINANCE

first-half profits, losses, sales etc are ones made in the first six months of the financial year:

• Shares in the UK electronics group increased in price after they reported a 41% increase in first-half pretax profit.

• First-half sales grew 11% to $1,025 billion.

— first half noun [singular] :

• Sales were down 5.3% in the first half.
— see also first-quarter

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first half UK US noun [C, usually singular]

► (US also fiscal first half) ACCOUNTING, FINANCE the first six months in a company's financial year: »We have enjoyed a very successful first half.
»The company's first-half results are likely to be substantially ahead of expectations.

Financial and business terms. 2012.