WPP 2009 Results: PR Revenues Down 7.4%

WPP Preliminary Results March 5, 2010

WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY) reported an 8.1% organic revenue decline as part of 2009 full year results, released today. The company’s Public Relations & Public Affairs division reported a 7.4% revenue decline for the year on a like-for-like basis, which “excludes the impact of currency movements and acquisitions.”

From the report:

Public relations and public affairs also experienced a substantially “less worse” position in quarter four, with like-for-like revenues down less than 5%.

All of the [Public Relations and Public Affairs] Group’s businesses in this sector improved in the final quarter, particularly Burson-Marsteller, Hill & Knowlton and the Group’s specialist public relations businesses.

WPP also did not refrain from humor in its release, stating, “2010 should be a more stable year (famous last words!).”

The company’s PR holdings include Hill & Knowlton, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe.

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