Pre-Close Trading Update

Next Fifteen Communications Grp PLC 04 August 2003 Date: 4 August 2003 Contact: David Dewhurst Next Fifteen Communications Group plc 020 8996 4154 David Bick / Chris Steele Holborn 020 7929 5599 Next Fifteen Communications Group plc Pre-Close Period Trading Update As in previous years, the Group is issuing a trading update to coincide with the end of its financial year on 31st July. Next Fifteen is pleased to report that it continues to show profits and revenues in line with expectations. While market conditions remain challenging in all of the Group's major markets, strong performance in territories such as the USA and UK are helping offset continued weakness in some parts of mainland Europe and the Asia Pacific region. Taken together, this means that the Group is maintaining sales levels while modestly increasing profitability. Given the market conditions, the Group continues to manage its cost base aggressively and organise its business to meet the market demands. This action will once again give rise to reorganisation costs in the Group's full year figures, due for release on 20th October. At the same time, the Group is also investing in areas that will generate long-term growth for the Company. These measures have included the opening of operations in Mainland China and the formation of Inferno, a new subsidiary brand in the UK, set-up to work with technology clients in the business-to-business sector. The Group has recently merged its Joe Public Relations and AUGUST.ONE agencies. Following the merger, Joe Public becomes the consumer PR division of AUGUST.ONE. The merger will benefit the Group's cost structure and will create a more powerful offering for both companies. It is also worth re-stating that during the last quarter, the Group's largest subsidiary Text 100 reached agreement with its largest client, IBM, to extend its contract for a further two years. The board looks forward to the new financial year with some modest optimism. Considerable anecdotal evidence suggests two things to us. Firstly, Next Fifteen's agencies are performing more strongly in these difficult markets than many of their direct competitors. Secondly, we are encouraged by what looks like a strong pipeline of new business opportunities over the next few months. - Ends - This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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