Daily Mail & General Trust Profits Up 9.5%

Pre-tax profits at the Daily Mail & General Trust group (DMGT), owner of the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday, grew by 9.5% for the year ended 3 October 1999, the company announced this morning. DMGT also owns the Evening Standard and London Metro newspapers.

DMGT’s national and London newspapers are run by the company’s Associated Newspapers division. The two Mail titles have been performing very strongly over the last twelve months, with circulation for the Daily Mail up 2.8% and the Mail On Sunday up 3.3%. Advertising revenues across all the papers are performing healthily, up 15% in total, partly due to the increased availability of colour.

Trading conditions for the company’s regional newspaper division, Northcliffe Newspapers, were described as “mixed” by DMGT.

The group’s internet division, DMG New Media, this year launched thisismoney.com (see Associated New Media Launches Personal Finance Website) and women’s site, charlottestreet.com (see ANM And Freeserve Unveil Women’s Web Offerings). DMG New Media is currently running at a loss, but advertising revenues grew by over 300% year on year.

Daily Mail & General Trust: 0171 938 6000