Huntsworth recorded a nine percent growth in revenues to $122.5M during the first half paced by a robust performance of its healthcare unit and the return to profitability for Grayling.
Pretax profit surged 58 percent to $13M.
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Paul TaaffeeCEO Paul Taaffe said Huntsworth Health remains the firm’s focus for growth and investment as clients “seek a more differentiated and increasingly digital offering for their medical and marketing communications.”
Huntsworth Health added The Creative Engagement Group experiential marketing operation in an acquisition worth $35.5M this month to strengthen its digital creativity expertise.
Grayling swung from a slight loss to $500K profit despite a 13 percent drop in revenues to $27.3M.
Europe, which accounts for 70 percent of Grayling’s revenues, Middle East and Asia operated in the black while the US posted red ink.
Taaffe anticipates the US would be profitable beginning in 2018, buoyed by its Washington lobbying office and a PR business transitioning to a broader client portfolio.
Citigate Dewe Rogerson financial unit showed a two percent revenue dip to $14.2M. Slowdowns in Greater China (14.4 revenue plunge) and Singapore (nine percent drop) hurt CDR, which reported an overall $1.9M profit.
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.
