Pre-Close Trading Update
August 04 2003 - 3:00AM
UK Regulatory
RNS Number:2666O
Next Fifteen Communications Grp PLC
04 August 2003
Date: 4 August 2003
Contact: David Dewhurst
Next Fifteen Communications Group plc 020 8996 4154
David Bick / Chris Steele
Holborn 020 7929 5599
Next Fifteen Communications Group plc
Pre-Close Period Trading Update
As in previous years, the Group is issuing a trading update to coincide with the
end of its financial year on 31st July.
Next Fifteen is pleased to report that it continues to show profits and revenues
in line with expectations. While market conditions remain challenging in all of
the Group's major markets, strong performance in territories such as the USA and
UK are helping offset continued weakness in some parts of mainland Europe and
the Asia Pacific region. Taken together, this means that the Group is
maintaining sales levels while modestly increasing profitability.
Given the market conditions, the Group continues to manage its cost base
aggressively and organise its business to meet the market demands. This action
will once again give rise to reorganisation costs in the Group's full year
figures, due for release on 20th October. At the same time, the Group is also
investing in areas that will generate long-term growth for the Company. These
measures have included the opening of operations in Mainland China and the
formation of Inferno, a new subsidiary brand in the UK, set-up to work with
technology clients in the business-to-business sector.
The Group has recently merged its Joe Public Relations and AUGUST.ONE agencies.
Following the merger, Joe Public becomes the consumer PR division of
AUGUST.ONE. The merger will benefit the Group's cost structure and will create
a more powerful offering for both companies. It is also worth re-stating that
during the last quarter, the Group's largest subsidiary Text 100 reached
agreement with its largest client, IBM, to extend its contract for a further two
years.
The board looks forward to the new financial year with some modest optimism.
Considerable anecdotal evidence suggests two things to us. Firstly, Next
Fifteen's agencies are performing more strongly in these difficult markets than
many of their direct competitors. Secondly, we are encouraged by what looks
like a strong pipeline of new business opportunities over the next few months.
- Ends -
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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