WPP's PR and public affairs operations climbed 5.2% in the first quarter of 2015 to $336M as overall revenues at the ad/PR conglomerate increased 8.3% to $4.2B despite a slowdown in sales growth.
WPP said all regions except UK and Western Europe grew PR and PA revenue and net sales, singling out Burson-Marsteller, Penn Schoen Berland and Cohn & Wolfe, which turned in a "strong performance."
Currency fluctuations clouded a 0.9% gain on a like-for-like basis in WPP's PR operations – Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Ogilvy PR, Glover Park Group, among others – or a 2.3% gain on a constant currency basis.
WPP also said its Group SJR operation showed strong growth in content development in the US market.
US revenues across WPP hut $1.5B for Q1, up 4.7%.
WPP noted continued recovery in the US and UK with signs of growth in Germany, Spain and Italy, adding opportunities are possible in Cuba, Egypt and Iran. Those positives sit against geopolitical concerns in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Russia/Ukraine and the possible exit of the UK or Greece from the European Union, a threat referred to as "Grexit/Brexit."
WPP reported debt of $4.5B against $1.4B in cash.
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