JCDecaux UK revenue climbs 47.9%

According to the group's latest results, worldwide revenues were €2.4bn in 2010, an increase of 22.5% from 2009, which JCDecaux said reflected a 9.1% organic revenue increase, and the strong contribution from acquisitions. Core ad revenues increased by 9.8% organically.

It is understood that while in the UK organic growth was 6.2% in 2010, the company's organic media revenues performed in line with the market, which was up 12.5% year on year, but a decline in non-media revenues affected the organic figure.

In the UK, billboards recorded double-digit organic revenue growth last year. Global billboard revenues increased 7.7% to €425.4m and, excluding the impact of foreign exchange and acquisitions, organic revenue rose 3.8%

The UK’s street furniture division recorded mid-single-digit revenue growth in 2010. Global street furniture revenues increased 22.8% year on year to €1.1bn, and organic revenues, excluding the impact of foreign exchange and acquisitions, increased 7.3%.

Global revenues in the transport division, which includes airports and rail in the UK, increased by 31.9% over 2010 to €777.6m, excluding acquisitions, and the impact of foreign exchange organic revenues increased by 15.6%.

Jean-Charles Decaux, chairman and co-chief executive, said: "Most of our geographies performed well, with particularly impressive growth in Asia Pacific and North America, while France and the United Kingdom returned to solid organic revenue growth."

More detail on JCDecaux's quarter-one performance will be included in its full-year 2010 results, which will be published in March. However, Decaux said: "We can already say that our early bookings are encouraging for the first quarter of the year. 

"This positive revenue momentum continues to be supported by the expertise and commitment of our teams, the quality of our advertising assets, the enhancement of our portfolio with selective digital deployment, our significant exposure to emerging markets, and our strengthened leadership in the outdoor industry."

In the fourth quarter, global revenues increased by 23.1% to €691.3m, an increase of 8.4% on an organic basis, and the company said there was a "significant amount of late money spent across the board" during the quarter.

Global growth in quarter four was led by the transport division, which reported growth of 42.3% and organic growth of 21.1%, while billboards performed less well, reporting growth of 2.2% on a reported basis, and a decline of 0.5% organically.

This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk