Revenues Rise 5pc in Creston Comms & Insight Arm

Marcoms group Creston has reported a 5% increase in annual revenue for its Communications & Insight businesses, to £56.2m. However, headline profits before interest fell slightly to £8.1m from £8.3m last year, due in part to the weakening Euro.

Last year, as part of a five-year strategy, the group launched a new brand called Creston Unlimited, which has added the suffix to the names of all its group companies including insight agencies ICM, Marketing Sciences, and Walnut, and means the group no longer operates on a divisional basis. Following the launch of the new brand, the Communications and Insights businesses are reported as one division, which during the full year ended 31st March 2015 contributed 73% of group revenue. Meanwhile, Creston's Health business made up 27% of group revenue, while reporting a 3% drop in income to £20.7m (2014: £21.3m).

Overall for the group, revenues rose 3% to £76.9m for the full year, and pre-tax profits were up 2% to £9.9m. Group reported profits before interest increased by 32% to £9.8m, primarily due to one-off costs incurred in the prior year following the London co-location and restructuring within the Insight division.

Barrie Brien (pictured), Group CEO, commented: 'One year into our new five-year strategy there is a real feeling of momentum and energy across our group. A fantastic team effort has seen us achieve a huge amount in the last 12 months. We are encouraged by the early successes in our new strategy which give us a strong platform to deliver value to shareholders over the medium term'.

Web site: www.creston.com .