Fusion Corporate Partners

Aegis Group plc has announced preliminary results for 2011.

Highlights:

• Group organic revenue growth of 9.9% (2010: 5.3%), including 12.0% in fourth quarter
• Group underlying operating margin of 17.4% (2010: 16.1%)
• Strong performances from digital, faster-growing regions and North America
• Record-equalling year in net new business, with $2.7 billion in billings (2010: $2.0 billion)
• Aegis now a unique, scaled media and digital communications specialist, following sale of Synovate for enterprise value of £525m
• Continued focus on acquisitions, with around £75m spent in initial consideration on 18 bolt-on acquisitions and investments in 2011
• Appointment as global strategic media partner by General Motors Co. (“GM”) in January 2012, with anticipated annual global media spend of $3 billion
• Proposed total dividend (excluding special dividend) increased to 3.20p, from 2.75p in 2010, including proposed final dividend of 2.01p
• Expect to deliver continued sector-leading organic revenue growth and further improvement in underlying operating profit in 2012

Full details and notes on accounts are available here

Jerry Buhlmann, Chief Executive Officer of Aegis Group plc, said, “Aegis Group delivered a very strong performance in 2011, reporting sector-leading organic growth, positive margin progression and a record-equaling year in net new business wins of $2.7 billion.

“The successful sale of Synovate represented the largest structural change in our history and gives the Group increased flexibility to move ahead with our programme of targeted acquisitions and investments. We completed 18 acquisitions and investments in 2011, and they have improved our core capabilities and positioning in a number of key geographies. This is in line with our strategy to increase revenue contribution from digital, faster-growing regions and North America.

“All these achievements, coupled with recent successes, including our appointment as GM’s global strategic media partner, leave us well placed as the world’s leading specialist media and digital communications group. We are better positioned than ever before to support our clients in re-inventing the way their brands are built.

“We are optimistic about the outlook for the advertising sector in 2012, supported by key sporting events and the US Presidential Elections, and we anticipate further success for the Group in the year ahead and beyond. We expect to continue delivering sector-leading organic revenue growth which we expect to convert into further margin progression and earnings enhancement for our shareholders over time.”

UK, London

Related articles:

• Aegis Group acquires Hungarian out-of-home agency PPI Central Europe Posted on March 14, 2012
• Aegis Group to acquire Beijing eLink Advertising Co. Posted on March 5, 2012
• Aegis acquires US digital agency, Roundarch, for initial consideration of $125m Posted on February 22, 2012
• Isobar Acquires Digital Agency The Upper Storey Posted on January 31, 2012
• Aegis Media’s iProspect acquires ICUC to support growing social media offerings Posted on June 10, 2011
• Aegis Group acquires Qualitè Search Marketing Posted on May 13, 2011
• Proposed acquisition of Mitchell Communication Group by Aegis Group plc Posted on August 29, 2010
• Morningstar Australasia acquires Aegis Equities Research Posted on April 2, 2010