Press Releases
Informa Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2003
02/03/2004

Informa Group plc is pleased to announce its preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2003.

Highlights

  • Subscription income largest revenue stream at 36% of total revenue

  • MMS/MCM integration on track

  • Maritime division returns to growth

  • Established critical mass in Life Sciences with the acquisition of PJB Publications Limited

  • 2004 3GSM successful with 4,000 delegates and a 9% increase in sponsorship and exhibition revenue

Preliminary Results Summary

Statutory Results20032002
Turnover£268m£283m
Operating profit margin6.5%7.0%
Profit before tax£7.7m£12.1m
Basic earnings per share0.65p3.74p
   
Business Performance*20032002
Operating profit margin14.0%13.1%
Profit before tax£31.6m£30.1m
Adjusted EPS17.23p16.36p
   
* Before amortisation of goodwill and exceptional items

Peter Rigby, Chairman of Informa Group commented:

" I am pleased to report our full year figures which show a return to growth in earnings before exceptional items and goodwill amortisation, despite the challenging conditions experienced in the first half of 2003.

"It is our intention to build a business which allies defensive qualities with the ability to take strong advantage of economic improvements. In the latter part of the year, acquisitions of MMS and PJB helped push our subscription revenues up to 36% of total revenues in 2003 (over 40% on a pro-forma basis for 2004). This is part of our stated strategy to develop subscriptions as the dominant revenue stream going forward. On the other hand we continued to develop our events business which is highly operationally geared. It contributed 44% of group profits in 2003, and we are pleased to report a modest recovery in delegate revenue in the last quarter of the year, a trend which has continued into the early part of this year.

"We believe that our structure is now lean and efficient and we are well placed to drive additional profits through incremental advertising and delegate revenues as economic conditions improve.

"The outlook for 2004 appears more positive than in recent years and we look forward to another successful year."


Further enquiries

Jim Wilkinson020 7017 4302
Catherine Lees/Zoë Sanders, Bell Pottinger Financial020 7861 3877/3887


Notes:

    - There will be a conference call today for wire services at 7.30am. Please dial 020 8996 3950, followed by access code 687795#.

    - A presentation to analysts will take place at 9.30am at the City Conference Centre, 80 Coleman Street, EC2R 5BJ.

    - A press briefing will take place at 11.15am at the City Conference Centre, 80 Coleman Street, EC2R 5BJ.


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