Coscient Group is reporting a sharp hike in net earnings for the first six months of ’95/96, coinciding with important additions to the company’s management roster.

Andre Picard has left Rozon Distribution and joined Productions SDA as executive vp/gm, while Paul Dupont-Hebert moves from vp cultural and variety programming at Radio-Canada to head up a new Coscient subsidiary offering entertainment products and services.

Coscient also recently named Andre Belanger president of Cactus Animation, which has signed a three-year, $100 million coproduction agreement with Ellipse Programme.

Coscient reports net earnings are up 130% in the first six months ending Jan. 31 to $816,120 or $0.08 a share. Gross profits for the half stood at just over $6 million, while sales declined to $35.2 million from last year’s $40.9 million. This will be balanced during the second half when revenues from the $22 million Allegro Films’ thriller Jackal come on line.

Trading in the company’s class a stock has been active on the mse for weeks, rising from a 52-week low of $1.90 to $3.50 on April 1.