8th Jan 2007 07:00
Centaur Media PLC08 January 2007 Centaur Media plc HALF YEAR PRE-CLOSE TRADING STATEMENT Monday January 8, 2007: Centaur Media plc ("Centaur" or "the Company"), thespecialist business publishing and information company, today issues a pre-closetrading statement, prior to its interim results announcement, which is scheduledfor 15th March 2007. Results for the 6 months ended 31st December 2006 are expected to show furthergrowth. As reported at the recent AGM, overall revenues are expected to beapproximately 10% ahead of the equivalent period in 2005. This has been led bythe effect of acquisitions made during the course of the prior financial yearand by the continued growth in online and print advertising. Events results forthe first six months are expected to be below last year, due principally tolater timing of the Mortgage Summit, which now takes place in April 2007.Overall profits and margins have also improved in the period, in line with theBoard's expectations. The Company has continued to look for new product opportunities and has, duringthe period, launched three new websites (marketingweek.co.uk, designweek.co.ukand precisionmarketing.co.uk) and two new verticals within the onlinelead-generation service ProTalk. Further products are in development across theportfolio and in the second half, Centaur is planning to launch a number of newproducts including a further two new websites alongside HeadlineMoney, a monthlymagazine extending the Company's coverage of the mortgage market and six newSummits. Further to the recent announcement that Centaur was discontinuing its onlineoperation Finance Week, the Company announces that the service is now beingtaken over by Sift Media Ltd ("Sift"). Sift will pay Centaur a share ofadvertising revenues earned by the service. Centaur will retain the right toorganise events for the Finance Week audience, which will be marketed by Sift inreturn for a share of revenues. Due to seasonal factors, Centaur earns the majority of its profits in the periodfrom February to June. Accordingly, the expected first-half profit performancecannot be taken as an indicator of full year results. The Board remainsencouraged by the trading outlook for the year to June 2007. Enquiries: Centaur Media plc Geoff Wilmot (CEO) Tel: 020 7970 4000 Mike Lally (GFD) Gavin Anderson & Company Richard Constant Tel: 020 7554 1400 Robert Speed Janine Brewis 1. Centaur's product portfolio currently includes 10 weekly or fortnightly magazines, 21 other magazines, over 20 online products or services, 25 awards or other sponsored events, 20 exhibitions and 80 conferences. 2. Centaur reports its results within 5 distinct business sector segments, namely Marketing and Creative, Legal and Financial, Engineering and Construction, Perfect Information and Other. The first 3 segments comprise principally the following vertical business communities in which Centaur publishes market-leading magazine titles: Marketing Services, Creative Services, New Media, Retail Financial Products, Legal Services, Engineering, Private Homebuilding. Centaur also enjoys strong positions in a number of other specialist communities, namely HR, Construction, Antique Rugs and Textiles, Logistics, Recruitment and Public/Private Finance. In addition, it serves the Business Travel community with 3 leading trade shows in the UK and overseas and an associated web service. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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