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Media Companies Appear Among Top 100 Performers By Profit

Media Companies Appear Among Top 100 Performers By Profit

Seven media companies made it into the Sunday Times Profit Track 100, published yesterday. The report lists the UK’s fastest growing 100 unquoted companies by profit.

Of the seven the Eastern Counties Newspapers Group (ECNG) secured the highest ranking, appearing in 26th position. The Norwich-based Newspaper publisher which recently acquired Pilot and Life magazines, showed an annual profit growth of 62%. Profits increased from £5.1 million in 1996 to £21.6m in 2000.

The Kent Messenger group, which now produces 30 titles and claims 950 000 readers throughout Kent and the South East is ranked 49. The groups profits have grown 40% annually from £1.5m in 1996 to £4.1m in 2000.

London company Media Force appears mid-table with a ranking of 54 and an annual profit growth of 39%. Established in 1984 the company, which distributes 2.5 billion advertising leaflets annually has seen profits rise steadily from £1.6m in 1997 to £4.2m in 2000.

Independent Radio News (IRN) appears at the lower end of the table and is ranked 77 with an annual profits growth of 29.64%. The IRN’s decision to accept advertising slots instead of cash for its 24 hour news service led to its profits rising from £2.2m in 1997 to £4.9m in 2000.

London-based design consultancy The Design Group makes its second appearance in the listing, ranking 82. The group has raised profits yearly by 27% from £4.1 million in 1996 to 8.4 million in 2000.

With an annual profits growth of 24.95% outdoor advertising agency Alban Communications appears in the table for a second time, ranked 93. Profits have risen from £1.9m in 1996 to £3.8m in 1999 due to key clients such as Nestle and Unilever devoting more of their advertising budget away from television and in to outdoor branding.

Advertising Agency M & C Saatchi Worldwide appears at the bottom of the table at number 97. With major clients including British Airways and Sainsbury, company profits have grown 24% a year from 2.3 million in 1996 to 4.4 million in 1999.

The Profit Track 100 is compiled from a database of one million UK firms by research and publications company Fast Track.

www.fasttrack.co.uk Subscribers can access ten years of media news and analysis in the Archive

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