The US data company posted net profits of $10.5m for the quarter ending September 30 compared with $21.7m for the same period last year. Revenues, however, rose by 0.8% to $351m.
Acxiom said that its profits had been hit by $14.8m in expenses during the quarter. These included $2.3m spent on Acxiom's failed $3bn buyout by private equity firms Silver Lake Partners and ValueAct Capital.
The private equity company pulled out after seeing Acxiom's weak April to June results, in which it recorded a loss of $11.5m.Charles D Morgan, Acxiom's soon-to-retire chief executive, said: "First-half results show the effects of too much transaction and too little business focus. We've been operating in an atmosphere of great uncertainty throughout the entire organisation. That period of uncertainty has ended."
Acxiom received a $65m payout from Silver lake and ValueAct for the failed deal but this figure will be added to earnings for the third quarter.
Morgan will remain as chairman of Acxiom but will step down from his chief executive role once his successor has been found.
Acxiom's share price is now $13.43, having been as high as $28 in May during the preliminary stages of the takeover.