September 2010
The findings from this year's 'Private Plums' survey - an
independent assessment of the financial credentials of the 71
largest privately owned* companies in the sector - were published
today by Marketing Services Financial Intelligence in association
with Results International, the leading corporate finance
specialists in the marcomms sector. The survey was carried out by
the Fintellect consultancy and edited by Bob Willott.
This year, only one company, sales promotion and direct
marketing specialist, Simpson Mahoney Parrock (SMP) achieved the
distinction of satisfying all eight of the highly demanding
financial criteria. This is drastically down on last year's ranking
when seven participants secured all eight Plums, and demonstrates
the impact of the recession.
The coveted maximum of eight plums is awarded to businesses
(with a gross income of £2.5 million and above) that successfully
satisfy various financial performance criteria (see table below),
and consistently build profits and maintain a strong balance
sheet.
Only three of last year's top ten agencies reappear in this
banding:
- CHI & Partners (49% owned by WPP Group) - down from first
position to sixth with six Plums this year instead of eight.
- Beattie McGuinness Bungay (49% owned by Chiel Worldwide) - up
from fourth to second - same number of Plums (as the agency has not
produced accounts since last year's rankings)
- Response One Holdings - up from seventh to fifth - but with
seven Plums instead of eight
Only three agencies secured seven Plums: Mediavest (Manchester),
The Big Partnership Group and Response One Holdings, in third (from
13 last year), fourth (11 last year) and fifth positions
respectively.
*Privately-owned is deemed to include companies controlled by
private equity houses and privately owned overseas parent
companies. In some cases up to 49% of a company may be owned by a
single trade investor, but the remainder of the shares will be
owned by individuals.
Other major changes in the rankings include:
Design consultancies moving up and with six Plums each:
- Radley Yeldar - up to eighth position from 16
- Jones Knowles Ritchie - up to 11 from 19
- Pentagram Design - to 12 (no appearance in 2009 ranking)
- Checkland Kindleysides - up to 13 from 18
Media firms with six Plums each:
- Brilliant Media Group - up to nine from 17
- Ptarmigan Media - down from six to 16
PR agencies moving mainly up to the top 20 but one big down:
- The Big Partnership Group up to four from 11 - seven Plums
- Nucleus Holdings (prev Meditech) up to seven from 33 - six
Plums
- Blue Rubicon to 10 (no appearance in 2009 ranking) - six
Plums
- Metia Group - up to 20 from 59 - five Plums
- Daniel J Edelman - down to 71 from 43 - no Plums (due to 2009
accounts not having been filed within the legal time limit)
Integrated agencies moving down:
- Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw - down from nine to 14 - six
Plums
- Rapier - down from 15 to 28 - four Plums
- Iris Nation Worldwide - down from 31 to 64 - one Plum
- BD Network - down from 34 to 66 - one Plum
Advertising agencies moving down:
- Albion Brand Communication - down from five to 15 - six
Plums
- The Red Brick Road - down from eight to 21 - five Plums
- Leagas Delaney - down from 14 to 35 - three Plums
But one ad agency, Mother Holdings, moving up from 24 to 19 with
five Plums
- Only one digital agency, Global Beach appeared within the top
20 at 17th position, from nowhere last year and with six Plums
Only 23% of agencies - down from 46% in 2009 - were able to meet
another Plums criteria of income growth of 15%+ per annum.
Profitability shortcomings impacted many
agencies' ability to secure all eight Plums. Almost 90% failed to
achieve the ranking's three key profitability criteria and only two
agencies, SMP and BMB, scored the full quota: (i) operating profit
margins of 15%+, (ii) operating profit per head of £12,500+ and
(iii) staff costs kept within 55% of gross income. Well over half
of the 71 companies failed to achieve any of these. These are three
of the main KPIs that Results works on with its agency clients to
achieve consistently.
On a more positive note, most of the agencies have recognised
the need to conserve profits, essential during a recession. Some
85% either had no net borrowing or borrowings amounting to less
than one-third of the funds provided by shareholders. Indeed 73%
had no borrowings at all. Those with the biggest cash balances were
BBH Holdings, Mediavest (Manchester), CHI & Partners and
Ptarmigan Media.
Those agencies that were heavily borrowed at the start of the
recession are evidently vulnerable. Casualties from last year's
Plums include i-Level (whose parent company had become Hamsard
3118) and Latitude Group, both of which called in the
administrators.
Some 35% of agencies, narrowly down on 37% in 2009, retained
working capital equivalent to at least three months' operating
costs, or £250,000 if greater, another Plum criteria.
On the M&A front the relative lack of high performing
companies means there has been less than the usual appetite for
acquisitions during the past year. Two notable exceptions include
Chime Communications acquiring Pelham Public Relations, a financial
PR agency and the conversion of integrated agency WFCA into a
public company by reversing into Ekay plc.
Contact:
For further information about Results International, please
contact:
Velvet Integrated PR
Tel: 020 8996 1800/07710 316759
Email: jo@velvetpr.biz
Note to Editors
About Results
Results International Group is a specialist consulting and
corporate finance business, which works exclusively in the global
marketing communications industry. Results was founded 20 years ago
in London to advise owners of agencies on creating, building and
realising value in their business. The international business was
started 14 years ago and over 250 UK and International M&A
transactions have been managed by the firm and its partners.
www.resultsig.com