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| Philippe Krakowsky |
Interpublic CEO Philippe Krakowsky reported Q4 total revenues rose 1.3 percent to $3B, while operating income soared 36.5 percent to $606.8M.
He said IPG's robust performance in its healthcare, speciality marketing services and media group was tempered by the uncertainties and challenges faced by its technology clients.
Krakowsky said IPG continues to make “strategic investments, including the ongoing development of our leading addressable capabilities, such as our data-powered tools, retail and performance media, and the expansion of our media buying models.”
He projects full-year 1-2 percent organic growth, which would top the 0.1 percent decline in 2023.
IPG’s specialized communications, sports, entertainment & experiential solutions division, which includes Weber Shandwick, Golin, Current Global, R&CPMK, DeVries Global, Jack Morton, Momentum and DXTRA Health, showed 3.8 percent Q4 growth to $370M. It was up 2.9 percent on an organic basis.
For the full-year, the specialized communications group registered $1.4B revenues, which was up 3.9 percent on a reported basis and 4.1 percent organically.
Public Policy Holding Company registered 23.8 percent Q3 growth to $48.8M, with organic growth contributing 4.5 percent and the balance driven by merger & acquisition activity.
Publicis Groupe reported 3.1 percent in Q3 growth to $4B, sparked by a 3.6 percent jump North America, its biggest market.
WPP suffered a 10.2 percent drop in 1H revenues to $6.7B and a 47.8 percent plunge in operating profit to $297M.
Interpublic reported Q2 net revenues dropped 6.6 percent to $2.2B and operating income tumbled 23.4 percent to $243.7M. 
WPP has adopted a gloomier profit and sales forecast due to a deteriorating Q2 financial performance triggered by weak client spending as companies cope with the challenging economic backdrop.
