Swiss-based Bellevue Group reported a profit from continuing operations of SFr101.1 million in 2006, an increase of 82.1 per cent over the comparable year-ago figure of SFr55.5 million ($45.6 million). Net discontinued operations amounted to SFr22.8 million (SFr8.3 million in the previous year), resulting in total profit of SFr123.8 million before minorities and a net profit of SFr120.1 million attributable to Bellevue Group shareholders. Group profit from continuing operations excluding non-recurring other income amounted to SFr61.8 million, an increase of 37.8 per cent over the comparable previous-year figure of SFr44.9 million, at the bank previously known as Swissfirst. The past year was dominated by Bellevue Group’s strategic reorientation and official investigations. All private banking activities were sold off last year in three separate transactions. In November 2006 Swissfirst Bank (Liechtenstein) was sold to a group of shareholders headed by its board chairman, in December the private banking operations in Basel were sold to Adler Bank, and January 2007 marked the closing date of the sale of Swissfirst Bank with operations in Zurich and Zug, to Bank Pasche. The withdrawal from private banking will be reported separately as discontinued business operations in the 2006 accounts and will no longer be consolidated. Bellevue Group is now focused on the business areas of asset management, brokerage and corporate finance.