Last year's Rugby World Cup provided a record year for its Australian business, according to JCDecaux. Organic growth was up by 1.3% for the year boosted by a strong performance in the fourth quarter, which saw a 2.6% rise in organic revenues.
The company said that an acceleration in revenues at its street furniture division had driven the growth along with a recovery in transport. Outdoor advertising continued to be a bright spot in the UK with revenue growth in the high single digits. Other markets to perform well were Spain and Belgium, while Germany and the Netherlands saw revenues fall.
Billboard revenues were down overall by 3.4% to €427.6m (£290.3m) and full-year transport revenues felt the impact of the Sars outbreak in the second quarter of the year, down 5.3% to €279.2m.
Jean-Francois Decaux, chairman and co-chief executive officer of JCDecaux, said: "Despite difficult market conditions in Europe for the third consecutive year, the improved growth in organic revenues in 2003 demonstrates the quality of our outdoor advertising networks and the strength of our sales and marketing teams."
Shares in the company, which trade on the Paris Bourse, were up this morning by 1.4% at €14.96.
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