REG - Ebiquity PLC - Trading Statement

EbiquityAnnouncement

07/02/2023 07:00

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RNS Number : 0828P  Ebiquity PLC  07 February 2023

Ebiquity Plc

7 February 2023

Trading Update

Ebiquity plc ("Ebiquity" or the "Group"), a world leader in media investment
analysis, announces a trading update for the financial year ended 31 December
2022 ahead of its full year results announcement planned for late March 2022.

Ebiquity's trading in the year was in line with market expectations.

The Group performed well with revenue growing by 20% and by 9% organically.
Profitability has improved significantly from the prior year with the
underlying operating margin expected to be 12%, four percentage points higher
than in 2021. This reflects the contribution of recent acquisitions and
improved operating efficiencies, as well as the continuing strong growth of
our higher margin digital media solutions business.

Thanks to a better than expected second half performance, the earn-out payment
for the acquisition of Digital Decisions BV, due in May, is likely to be
somewhat higher than estimated in the 2022 interim accounts.

Net debt as at 31 December 2022 was £8.9 million (including cash balances of
£12.4 million) with undrawn facilities of £8.5 million.

Nick Waters, CEO, commented:

"The Group has performed well in the year as we continue to build momentum in
the business and deliver progress against our strategic plan. Pleasingly, we
have not only seen strong revenue growth but also a significant improvement in
profit from the previous year and an underlying profit margin which is
expected to be 12%.  These results reflect the benefit of our two
transformative acquisitions in the USA and Europe, our unrelenting focus on
improving operating efficiencies and our ability to identify, develop and grow
higher margin digital solutions.

 

We believe that with an increasingly compelling offer covering digital media,
combined with better balance across all our geographies and services, Ebiquity
remains well placed for long term sustained growth."

Note 1: Underlying operating profit is defined as the operating profit
excluding share-based payments, amortisation of purchased intangibles and
non-recurring items.

Market abuse regulation

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of
the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR").

 

 Ebiquity plc                                            Via Camarco

 Nick Waters (Chief Executive Officer)

 Alan Newman (Chief Financial and Operating Officer)

 Camarco

 Ben Woodford                                            07990 653 341

 Geoffrey Pelham-Lane                                    07733 124 226

 Phoebe Pugh

 Panmure Gordon (Financial Adviser, NOMAD & Broker)      020 7886 2500

 Dominic Morley/ Dougie McLeod (Corporate Advisory)

 Mark Murphy (Corporate Broking)

About Ebiquity plc

 

Ebiquity plc (LSE AIM: EBQ) is a world leader in media investment analysis.
It harnesses the power of data to provide independent, fact-based advice,
enabling brand owners to perfect media investment decisions and improve
business outcomes. Ebiquity is able to provide independent, unbiased advice
and solutions to brands because we have no commercial interest in any part of
the media supply chain.

 

We are a data-driven solutions company helping brand owners drive efficiency
and effectiveness from their media spend, eliminating wastage and creating
value. We provide analysis and solutions through five Service Lines: Media
management, Media performance, Marketing effectiveness, Technology advisory,
Contract compliance.

 

Ebiquity's clients are served by more than 600 media specialists operating
from 19 offices covering 80% of the global advertising market.

 

The Company has the most comprehensive, independent view of today's global
media market, analysing $55bn of media spend from 75 markets annually,
including trillions of digital media impressions. Our Contract Compliance
division, FirmDecisions, audits $40bn of contract value annually.

 

As a result, more than 70 of the world's top 100 advertisers today choose
Ebiquity as their trusted independent media advisor.

 

For further information, please visit: www.ebiquity.com
(http://www.ebiquity.com/)

 

 

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