PubliGroupe increased its profit in 2005
Last year, the company increased its revenue by 1.7 percent to 2.015 billion Swiss francs. Net income rose by 21.3 percent to 85 million Swiss francs, thanks to higher financial income.
PubliGroupe increased its sales by 1.7 percent to CHF 2.015 billion in 2005. According to the press release, the increase in sales is attributable to the new activities of Cinecom in the electronic media sector and to the intensified cooperation between PubliPresse and the Neue Zürcher Zeitung since January 1, 2005. The net result increased by 21.3 percent to CHF 85 million thanks to higher financial income. The operating result (EBIT) amounted to CHF 72 million, which corresponds to a decrease of 5.3 percent. The main reason for the decline is the significant use of funds (approx. CHF 12 million) for the development of the Group in the online and electronic media sectors, as the company announced.
The company's Board of Directors will propose a total distribution to shareholders of CHF 11 per share at the next Annual General Meeting. In 2004 it amounted to CHF 9. The total distribution to shareholders amounts to CHF 26.2 million (+ 22 percent), or 36.5 percent of the net result.
In terms of operating result, the Publicitas Promotion Network (PPN) division, the international marketing of press advertising, achieved the greatest increase in the various segments, with EBIT growth of 117.9% to CHF 8 million. Sales increased by 2 percent and amounted to CHF 345 million. PPN recorded strong growth in Asia (+ 27.9 percent), while European activities (- 0.1 percent) remained stable overall. Business in America suffered an overall drop in sales of 24.3 percent.
The PubliPresse segment, which handles the marketing of advertising for the Swiss press and its online services, improved its sales by 1.5 percent to CHF 1,480 million. The increase in sales is attributed to the exclusive cooperation with NZZ and NZZ am Sonntag from January 1, 2005. The operating result fell by CHF 8 million to CHF 16 million. Most of the decline in EBIT resulted from the approximately CHF 5 million invested in the development of Publiconnect. The decline in commercial advertising (- 2.8 percent) had a negative impact on PubliPresse, which was only partially offset by the favorable development in job advertisements (+ 14.2 percent) and real estate advertising (+ 5.1 percent).
The PubliDirect division increased its EBIT by 0.6 percent to 52 million francs. Sales also remained stable at CHF 133 million. Printed telephone directories recorded a slight decline, while sales of Internet products rose sharply. According to a press release, PubliDirect is preparing to launch a new portal at www.local.ch in April 2006, geared to the needs of local markets throughout Switzerland.
The "Business under development" segment reported sales of CHF 68 million and an operating loss of CHF 5 million. Cinecom recorded a good development of its advertising marketing for television (+ 3 percent), while the cinema sector lost 10 percent. Web2com AG, which emerged from the merger of Publicitas Webservices and Publimedia Webadvertising on July 1, 2005, reported sales of CHF 8 million (+ 10.5 percent) in the area of advertising marketing for websites and mobile telephony. The consulting/e-business company namics increased its turnover by 12.3% to CHF 20 million.
The company's Board of Directors will propose a total distribution to shareholders of CHF 11 per share at the next Annual General Meeting. In 2004 it amounted to CHF 9. The total distribution to shareholders amounts to CHF 26.2 million (+ 22 percent), or 36.5 percent of the net result.
In terms of operating result, the Publicitas Promotion Network (PPN) division, the international marketing of press advertising, achieved the greatest increase in the various segments, with EBIT growth of 117.9% to CHF 8 million. Sales increased by 2 percent and amounted to CHF 345 million. PPN recorded strong growth in Asia (+ 27.9 percent), while European activities (- 0.1 percent) remained stable overall. Business in America suffered an overall drop in sales of 24.3 percent.
The PubliPresse segment, which handles the marketing of advertising for the Swiss press and its online services, improved its sales by 1.5 percent to CHF 1,480 million. The increase in sales is attributed to the exclusive cooperation with NZZ and NZZ am Sonntag from January 1, 2005. The operating result fell by CHF 8 million to CHF 16 million. Most of the decline in EBIT resulted from the approximately CHF 5 million invested in the development of Publiconnect. The decline in commercial advertising (- 2.8 percent) had a negative impact on PubliPresse, which was only partially offset by the favorable development in job advertisements (+ 14.2 percent) and real estate advertising (+ 5.1 percent).
The PubliDirect division increased its EBIT by 0.6 percent to 52 million francs. Sales also remained stable at CHF 133 million. Printed telephone directories recorded a slight decline, while sales of Internet products rose sharply. According to a press release, PubliDirect is preparing to launch a new portal at www.local.ch in April 2006, geared to the needs of local markets throughout Switzerland.
The "Business under development" segment reported sales of CHF 68 million and an operating loss of CHF 5 million. Cinecom recorded a good development of its advertising marketing for television (+ 3 percent), while the cinema sector lost 10 percent. Web2com AG, which emerged from the merger of Publicitas Webservices and Publimedia Webadvertising on July 1, 2005, reported sales of CHF 8 million (+ 10.5 percent) in the area of advertising marketing for websites and mobile telephony. The consulting/e-business company namics increased its turnover by 12.3% to CHF 20 million.
