The company said first-half profits were £36.4m, down from £40.4m last time, despite a 68.2% increase in underlying profits at its Asian and European businesses and stringent cost savings. Turnover was £412m, down from £490m last time.
Chief executive Lord Clive Hollick said: "There has been no-let up in the difficult marketing conditions. To offset the impact of tough markets, we have taken further substantial action on costs to protect the growth of profitability."
United's research arm NOP World posted profits of £11.4m, up from £10.6m in the first six months of 2001, on revenues of £101.5m, up from £76.1m last time.
Its UK consumer publishing sector UAP, publisher of Exchange and Mart, had profits £6.9m, up from £4.8m a year ago, on unchanged revenues of £29.5m.
It said growth in the UK motor sector and the breakthrough to profitability of Auto Exchange was boosted by Dalton's Weekly, which benefited from the recovery from the foot-and-mouth outbreak last year.
The company said its US PR service PR Newswire saw revenues drop 20.5% to £57.5m. Profits fell 48.2% to 12.3m.
Lord Hollick said: "The outlook for the UK, European and Asian businesses remains encouraging. The outlook for the US business is mixed, with continuing pressure on revenues, no upturn anticipated during the rest of 2002, and further substantial cost savings being realised."
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