WPP plc (NYSE:WPP ) Q4 2024 Results Conference Call February 27, 2025 4:30 AM ET Company Participants Mark Read - CEO Joanne Wilson - CFO Brian Lesser - CEO, GroupM Conference Call Participants Adam Berlin - UBS Adrien de Saint Hilaire - Bank of America Steve Liechti - Deutsche Numis Joseph Thomas - HSBC Mark Read So, good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us in Sea Containers today who you found it busy coming in for our preliminary results for 2024 and strategic outlook for 2025. Now the past year has been extremely busy, and it's thrown up both challenges and opportunities.
U.S.-listed shares of WPP Plc (WPP) sank 15% Thursday when the giant advertising firm's revenue declined and it gave soft guidance as North America and China sales slid.
There have been a string of consumer-focused companies that have issued guidance that investors found disappointing.
WPP PLC (LSE:WPP) shares plunged 18% to 634p as the advertising and marketing giant reported a lower top line for last year as client budgets remain constricted, leading it to predict that growth will not return in 2025. Reported revenue for the 2024 came in at £14.7 billion, down 0.7%, but up 2.3% on a like-for-like basis.
Ad group WPP reported a worse-than-expected decline in organic revenue after a disappointing final quarter when it was hit by weaker client discretionary spending and said it had to be cautious about 2025, sending its shares sharply lower.
WPP PLC (LSE:WPP) attempts to sell its stake in research group Kantar have seemingly been boosted by the US $1 billion sale of that business's market research arm. Kantar Media, which specialises in TV ratings, is being sold to alternative investment group HIG Capital.
JPMorgan analyst Daniel Kerven lowered the firm's price target on WPP to 960 GBp from 1,040 GBp and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares.
WPP PLC (LSE:WPP)'s recent rebound has failed to shift sentiment at UBS, which doubled down on a ‘sell' rating for the advertising firm on poor prospects ahead. Though UBS upped WPP's share price target from 680p to 720p, the bank suggested a resurgence in its share price since the summer was unlikely to last.
WPP PLC (LSE:WPP) shares rose after it was confirmed that French market research giant Ipsos is in talks about potentially buying Kantar Media. WPP owns a 40% stake in Kantar.
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WPP plc (NYSE:WPP ) Q3 2024 Earnings Conference Call October 10, 2024 4:30 AM ET Company Participants Mark Read – CEO Joanne Wilson – CFO Conference Call Participants Laura Metayer - Morgan Stanley Nicolas Langlet - BNP Paribas Adrien de Saint Hilaire - Bank of America Thomas Singlehurst - Citi Joseph Thomas – HSBC Steve Liechti - Deutsche Numis Simon Baker - Bernstein Operator Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for standing by. Welcome to the WPP 2024 Third Quarter Trading Update Conference Call and Webcast.
WPP reported a surprise rise in organic revenue for the third quarter, returning to growth after declines in previous quarters, as it benefited from higher spending among its bigger clients and a stabilization in the technology sector.