Jones Lang LaSalle said revenue from the EMEA region fell 7% to $226 mln (EUR 162 mln) in the final quarter of 2009 compared with $243 mln in the year-earlier period as transaction volumes continued to slide across the region. Full-year revenue was down 26% at $644 mln compared with $871 mln in 2008.

Jones Lang LaSalle said revenue from the EMEA region fell 7% to $226 mln (EUR 162 mln) in the final quarter of 2009 compared with $243 mln in the year-earlier period as transaction volumes continued to slide across the region. Full-year revenue was down 26% at $644 mln compared with $871 mln in 2008.

The real estate adviser reported a full-year loss of $4 mln (EUR 2.9 mln) for the group as a whole compared with net income of $84 mln the previous year, despite a strong final quarter which saw the firm post a 26% increase in net income to $52 mln. Revenue for the final quarter was up 2% at $815 mln, while full-year revenue fell 8% to $2.5 bn.

JLL attributed the strong performance in the final quarter to 'aggressive but targeted cost actions' throughout the year. The fourth-quarter results included $11 mln of restructuring charges, taken principally in the EMEA region for additional staff reductions, and $4 mln of non-cash co-investment charges.

The real estate adviser reduced its net bank debt position by $164 mln during the fourth quarter and $334 mln during the year. The company said EMEA results were mixed, reflecting 'significant' market declines in Russia, MENA and Germany and 'stable-to-improving' markets in France and the UK.

'We are very pleased with our strong finish to a difficult year,' said CEO Colin Dyer. 'Although markets face a slow and uneven recovery, the actions we’ve taken to protect our businesses and win market share make us confident about our prospects for 2010.'