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| Mark Read |
WPP reported 8.1 percent growth to $3.2B in like-for-like revenues due to strong demand for its digital media, e-commerce, data and marketing technology offerings.
CEO Mark Read boosted overall 2022 guidance from five percent to 5.5 percent to the 6.5 percent level due to the strong start of the year and continued momentum.
The PR group posted a 14.1 percent gain in revenues to $275.1M as BCW, Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Finsbury Glover Hering, which has completed the Sard Verbinnen & Co. acquisition, posted double-digit gains.
“Our public relations and public affairs businesses have been the stand-out performers in the first quarter of 2022," Read told O'Dwyer's. "This performance, growth of 14% compared to 9.5% [revenue less pass-through costs] for WPP overall, shows just how much the discipline has evolved in the past few years and how public relations firms have become critical partners to our clients."
WPP announced on March 4 its plan to exit the Russian market, which accounted for about 0.6 percent of overall revenues.
An agreement to sell the 1,400-member Russia operation is “substantially complete,”
The firm continues to provide financial and other assistance to its 200 staffers in Ukraine, many of whom are now displaced.
WPP’s partnership with the United Nations Refugee Agency has raised $150M to support Ukraine.
Public Policy Holding Company grew 27.5 percent to $50.1M during Q1, powered by the accelerating contribution from recent acquisitions and a 5.1 percent hike in organic revenues across its three operating segments.
Institutional Shareholder Services advises investors to vote "no" on a compensation package for WPP chief Cindy Rose at the May 8 annual meeting.
FTI Consulting chalked up a 9.5 percent rise in Q1 revenues to $983.3M, powered by gains in its PR, corporate finance and technology segments.
Stagwell reports 4 percent growth in Q1 net revenues to $585M and a record $141M in net new business wins.
WPP reported a 6.7 percent drop to $3.1B in Q1 like-like revenues less pass-through costs. CEO Cindy Rose says 'it will take time to outpace historical losses."
