Banner Year for Newly Named GlobalData

Business information firm GlobalData Plc (previously PDM) has announced final results for the calendar year 2016, including group revenues passing £100m - including organic growth of 24% and the effect of major acquisitions. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 71% to £20.6m.

Originally an ISP, themutual.net (later TMN), the company was acquired in 2009 via a reverse takeover by Progressive Digital Media Ltd (PDM), whose name it took. It also moved away from the ISP model towards a focus on information services. The company, which is chaired by Datamonitor founder Mike Danson, bought GlobalData Holding Ltd a year ago and has since become GlobalData Plc.

The last year's results reflect the acquisitions of a number of consumer-oriented businesses from Datamonitor last summer (Datamonitor Financial, Datamonitor Consumer, MarketLine and Verdict) from Informa Plc for a combined £25m; and of healthcare specialist GlobalData Holding, completed in January 2016. The two acquisitions have given the group broad coverage across these three sectors, while the latter of them has added 'management and operational scale' in North America, the firm says.

Reported revenue increased 65% to £100.0m.Executive Chairman Bernard Cragg comments: 'The business has performed well over the past year, achieving record levels of both reported and deferred revenues. We have combined three businesses to create a leading global business information company. Our results for the year's trading are encouraging, more so given that for much of the year we focused on integrating the businesses and creating a strong global platform. We are now leveraging this platform to drive significant growth and profitability'.

Cragg says the group aims to continue strong organic growth, and make acquisitions that are strategic and earnings accretive, including 'small bolt-on acquisitions that either broaden our offering or extend our client reach in an existing market'.

GlobalData has also announced board changes, with Kelsey van Musschenbroek (retirement) and Mark Freebairn due to depart as NEDs, and replacements appointed in Annette Barnes - currently a Managing Director and CEO of Lloyds Private Banking Ltd (subject to regulatory approval), and Andrew Day, Chief Data Officer for J Sainsbury Plc.

Web site: www.globaldata.com .