Centaur Holdings today reports record profits for the financial year to June 30th.
Turnover was up 6% at 72.2m and the EBITDA profits figure was 12.2m, up 38% on the previous year. Adjusted Pre Tax Profits were 10.2m, up 60% on the previous year. The profit margin at the EBITDA level was 17%, up from 13% last year. Excluding Centaurs two major new development initiatives (Perfect Analysis and Finance Week) the margin achieved was 20% (2004: 14%).
Chairman and CEO Graham Sherren said, "I believe that our achievements in the past year and our expectations for further strong growth in the future continue to reflect the value of the strategy which Centaur has pursued since its formation and the essential strength of its major brands. This strategy has been based principally on establishing market-leading information brands (normally weekly magazines) to serve distinct business communities and then extending our service to those communities through other media, for example exhibitions and conferences.
"However, I believe that the development of the Internet as an advertising and information medium is transforming the business opportunities available to companies such as Centaur. Centaur has successfully created and run electronic businesses for over ten years, but over the past five years in particular, we have invested steadily in our internet operations so as to complement our market-leading print brands. These internet services typically supplement their sister magazines with news and jobs, directory information and magazine archives. They are now delivering high rates of revenue growth and in many cases are already demonstrating high profit margin potential.
"The recovery in the advertising cycle that started towards the end of 2003 is continuing. As I have previously reported, this remains a rather sluggish recovery, but our growth prospects continue to be well supported by our pipeline of new and recently launched products and revenues in the first quarter are ahead of the same period last year. The outlook is at present encouraging and we expect FY 2006 results to demonstrate further strong growth."
You can find a copy of the full statement here.
