Analysts expect Publicis, the smaller of the two and ranked sixth largest in the world, to report 2001 revenues of between €2.4bn (£1.5bn) and €2.5bn, up from last year's €1.8bn. Organic growth is expected to range between 2% and 3%.
Havas, the world's fifth-largest ad group, is expected to post revenues of between €2.2bn and €2.2bn, up from €1.8bn in 2000. Organic growth is forecast to be flat, with the highest estimates of only 1% growth.
However, the increases are not because Havas and Publicis are weathering the advertising recession better than other groups. Analysts are attributing the increases to the inclusion of acquisitions which were made at the end of 2000.
Publicis's 2001 figures include a full year's trading from Saatchi & Saatchi, compared with the four months they contributed at the end of 2000. The figures will also include four months of sales from Zenith Optimedia, its joint venture media-buying powerhouse acquired through the acquisition of Saatchis and which is jointly owned with Cordiant Communications.
Figures from Havas, meanwhile, will include a full-year's billings from US advertising and marketing firm Snyder Communications, which Havas bought in September 2000.
Both companies will announce their full-year results for 2001 in the first week of March.
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