According to Informa PLC:
Key Financial and Operating Highlights
* Improving Revenue Growth: +4.3% underlying (H1 2017: +3.7%) and +4.6% reported
* Increased Adjusted Operating Profit: +1.9% underlying and +3.3% reported growth to £294.4m (H1 2017: £284.9m), despite higher depreciation and currency headwinds
* Higher Adjusted Diluted Earnings per Share: +2.5% to 24.6p (H1 2017: 24.0p)
* Enhanced Dividend: up 6% to 7.05p (H1 2017: 6.65p)
* Strong Free Cash Flow: +4.9% to £119.4m (H1 2017 £113.8m)
* Efficient Balance Sheet: Net debt/EBITDA at 3.1x following UBM completion (H1 2017: 2.8x)
* Lower statutory figures largely due to one-off acquisition costs: Statutory Operating Profit £151.6m (H1 2017: £182.0m) and Statutory Diluted EPS 10.4p (H1 2017: 14.1p)
Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, said: “Informa continues to deliver good trading performances, reflecting our combination of international scale, increased depth and breadth in attractive industry verticals and the recent addition of UBM. This puts us firmly on track for another year of growth in revenue, adjusted operating profit, adjusted earnings, cashflow and dividends.”
“Our focus for the second half is clear: to maintain consistent operating performance, as we implement our Accelerated Integration Plan to combine UBM and Informa and create a truly international B2B Information Services Group.”
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