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YouGov Growth Continues Unabated
YouGov has announced strong preliminary results for the year ended 31st July, with group revenue up 12% on a constant currency basis to £88.2m, and adjusted profit before tax up 46% to £13.3m.
 All the group's service areas performed well - the largest segment, Custom Research, grew revenue 9% (reported) to £54.3m, while the more specialist Data Products and Services grew 32% to £34.5m, and now represent 38% of the Group total, from 34% a year earlier. The latter include BrandIndex, which grew 39% to £14.5m, and omnibus which was up 30% to £16.4m.
Cash generated rose to £14.1m and the firm has enviable net cash balances of £15.6m (up from £10.0m).
CEO Stephan Shakespeare said of the results: 'YouGov has delivered strong growth in revenue and profit. The expansion in our global data products and services such as YouGov BrandIndex and YouGov Omnibus demonstrates their stand-alone strength and also the further potential benefits to clients that we can offer by bringing all of our data together in the YouGov Cube. We are continuing our journey towards becoming a global data and analytics business and this will remain the focus of our investment in our technology and staff resources'.
Chairman Roger Parry (pictured) says the firm's largest market is now the USA where 'the awareness of YouGov's quality, methodologies and products is growing rapidly'. Parry says YouGov's strong cash position 'provides us with the means to continue to invest to support growth, including in our product development, technology and panel' - organic growth will remain the focus, but the firm 'also has the capacity to consider bolt-on acquisition opportunities that may arise to accelerate our development in line with that strategy'. Trading in the current year is said to be in line with the Board's expectations.
YouGov's panel now comprises almost 5 million people worldwide, and the company boasts 31 offices in 21 countries. The US operation grew revenue rapidly (12% at constant currencies) to £31m this year with operating profit up by 29% to £6m. UK revenue increased by 9% and operating profit by 28%. The Middle East, France and Asia Pacific all showed impressive revenue growth; while Germany and the Nordic region, which account for just under a fifth of the total revenue, were relatively flat. The business also expanded into three new markets: Russia, Hong Kong and South Korea.
Web site: www.yougov.com .
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