Ringier with record sales and less cash flow in 2008
Ringier significantly increased its revenue in 2008. With 5.3 percent year-over-year growth, the media company generated revenue of 1,536 million Swiss francs. Consolidated net income after taxes came in at 62.2 million Swiss francs, in line with the multi-year average. Cash flow, however, fell from 208.3 to 146.9 million Swiss francs.
Ringier significantly increased its sales in 2008. With 5.3 percent growth compared to the previous year, the media company achieved sales of CHF 1,536 million. According to a Ringier press release, this was mainly due to a pleasing business performance in Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, but also to higher sales of digital media. Consolidated profit after tax amounted to CHF 62.2 million, which is comparable to the multi-year average. Cash flow, on the other hand, fell from CHF 208.3 million to CHF 146.9 million.
Ringier recorded the strongest growth of 18.6 percent in the Czech Republic, 11 percent in Slovakia and 6.6 percent in Switzerland. On the other hand, Ringier Romania reported a 27 percent drop in sales, mainly due to the sale of three titles, currency fluctuations and intense competition, as Ringier explains in the press release. In China and Vietnam, sales were down slightly by 1.6 percent on the previous year. Digital media achieved a share of 8.5 percent of total sales. In 2007, the share was still at 5.5 percent.
The number of Blick Mobile users is also growing rapidly. While around 100,000 users visited the Blick Mobile pages in August 2008, this figure had already risen to over 300,000 by March. The number of page impressions on the site has increased by over 290 percent since August.
Marc Walder, Managing Director of Ringier Switzerland, stated at the media conference on Friday that the company was not very satisfied with the relaunch of Blick in tabloid format. Ringier is working on a new concept despite rising readership figures.
Ringier recorded the strongest growth of 18.6 percent in the Czech Republic, 11 percent in Slovakia and 6.6 percent in Switzerland. On the other hand, Ringier Romania reported a 27 percent drop in sales, mainly due to the sale of three titles, currency fluctuations and intense competition, as Ringier explains in the press release. In China and Vietnam, sales were down slightly by 1.6 percent on the previous year. Digital media achieved a share of 8.5 percent of total sales. In 2007, the share was still at 5.5 percent.
The number of Blick Mobile users is also growing rapidly. While around 100,000 users visited the Blick Mobile pages in August 2008, this figure had already risen to over 300,000 by March. The number of page impressions on the site has increased by over 290 percent since August.
Marc Walder, Managing Director of Ringier Switzerland, stated at the media conference on Friday that the company was not very satisfied with the relaunch of Blick in tabloid format. Ringier is working on a new concept despite rising readership figures.
