LONDON (Brand Republic) - UK media-buying company Aegis Group has met the majority of analysts’ expectations with a 21% increase in full-year profits to £78.4m, up from £64.6m the previous year.
Turnover climbed 19% to £5.7bn and it raised its full-year dividend by 15% to 1.15p per share.
Its agency network Carat won more than $2bn (£1.38bn) in new business. European new business accounted for $1.57bn (£1.08bn) of that figure, with wins including Bertelsmann, BMW, Carrefour, LVMH, Renault, Sonera and Vodafone. This year, Carat has already attracted $600m (£412.73m) of new business.
Aegis said it sees growth in the US market falling to 4.5% in 2001, down from 8% in 2000, but forecasts growth in Europe at 6.4% and Asia-Pacific at 6.3%.
It also announced its Market Facts unit has bought US-based marketing consultancy Copernicus for around $16.5m (£11.3m). Copernicus provides marketing consultancy and research services to blue-chip clients including AT&T, Exxon Mobil and IBM.