Final Results

16/10/2007
Preliminary Results for the Year Ended 31 July 2007 (Unaudited)

Next Fifteen Communications Group plc ('Next Fifteen' or 'the Group'), the global public relations consultancy group, today announces record preliminary results for the year to 31 July 2007.

Financial Highlights:

• Net revenues increased 5.8% to £59.3m (2006: £56m)
  
• Revenue growth in constant currencies of 11%
  
• Headline profit before tax increased 26.7% to £5.61m (2006: £4.44m)
  
• Profit before tax increased 49% to £4.47m (2006: £3.0m)
  
• Adjusted net profit margin improved to 9.5% from 7.9%
  
• Adjusted operating profit margin, before head office costs, increased to 13.7% (2006: 11.9%)
  
• EBITDA increased 33% to £7.25m (2006: £5.44m)
  
• Adjusted earnings per share increased 33% to 7.08p (2006: 5.32p)
  
• Basic earnings per share increased 78% to 5.08p (2006: 2.86p)
  
• Net debt reduced from £1.4m to £70,000
  
• Final dividend of 1.1p (2006: 1.0p), making a total dividend for the year of 1.5p (2006: 1.365p), up 10%
  

Operational highlights:

• Group added Facebook, Boots, Cisco, Nokia and MySpace as major clients
• Acquired a further 25% stake in Lexis Public Relations in November 2006, taking holding to 76%
• New market research agency, Redshift Research launched in the UK
  
• Opened Bite subsidiaries in China and Hong Kong

Commenting on the results, Will Whitehorn, Chairman of Next Fifteen, said:

'The global public relations industry is in a period of expansion as more and more media moves online and as social media such as blogs and phenomena such as MySpace and Facebook continue to attract users. Against this background and due to its strength in these areas, the Group has again shown excellent growth at both the top and bottom line. Behind these results are a stronger UK business; a reduced tax- charge; further expansion in Asia; and the addition of significant new clients including Facebook, Boots, Cisco, Nokia and MySpace. This has been achieved despite a further 9% weakening of the US dollar, in which 44% of our revenues are earned. Shareholders should also note the healthy cash generation of the business, which provides a firm base for further acquisitions by the Group in the current year.'

For further information contact:

Next Fifteen Communications Group
Tim Dyson, Chief Executive
001 415 350 2801
David Dewhurst, Finance Director
07974 161183
Merlin
020 7653 6620
Anja Kharlamova
07887 884788

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