Porta Communications plc is the holding company for an international communications and marketing business with a clear mandate to maximise shareholder value.

Within Porta there are currently two divisions which between them provide the synergy to build a successful international business. These divisions are; Public Relations, including financial, corporate, consumer and public affairs and Advertising, including marketing communications, digital services and media planning and buying.

The success of the company will continue to be delivered through:
•The recruitment of teams of key executives, with proven track records within the industry, who are committed to the Board’s and the CEO’s vision
•The active acquisition of established Public Relations, Advertising and associated businesses where there is clear synergy and energy to continue to build a fast growing international

http://portacommunications.plc.uk/

Interim Results

Highlights

· Revenue almost doubled

· Gross profit up 118%

· Substantial turnaround to positive EBITDA after all costs

· Headline EBITDA around ten times higher than comparable period last year

· Headline EBITDA margin showing a sharp jump from the same period last year

Outlook

· Continued strong growth and further improvements in trading performance expected in second half

· Further acquisitions to help scale up certain business segments already in the pipeline



http://www.moneyam.com/action/news/showArticle?id=4886119

Newgate Communications Opens Beijing Office

RNS


RNS Number : 7941U

Porta Communications PLC

20 October 2014










20 October 2014





Porta Communications PLC

(the "Company")



Newgate Communications Opens Beijing Office



Porta Communications is pleased to announce that its subsidiary, Newgate Communications ("Newgate"), a leading international strategic communications consultancy, has opened an office in Beijing, China, and appointed David Schlesinger and Tom Grimmer as Senior Advisors to Newgate in Greater China.



Newgate Hong Kong partner Grace Zhang will act as the Head of Newgate's new Beijing office, further developing its growing business in Mainland China.



Richard Barton, Newgate's Managing Partner for Greater China, said, "Since our launch in Hong Kong in January 2013 we have made strong inroads into the Mainland China market across our corporate, financial and public affairs practices. Grace Zhang has a strong track record in advising both local and multinational corporate clients and will drive forward our development in Beijing.



"As we continue to hire in both Hong Kong and Beijing, we are also delighted that David Schlesinger and Tom Grimmer have joined us as senior advisors. Both have been at the cutting edge of journalism, communications and business in the People's Republic of China. Their insights and advice on business and communications in China are proving to be an invaluable resource for our fast-growing global client roster."

Trading Update

RNS


RNS Number : 0658V

Porta Communications PLC

23 October 2014










23 October 2014



Porta Communications PLC

(the "Group")



Trading Update



Porta Communications PLC announces that for the three months ended 30 September 2014 trading has remained buoyant with all parts of the Group meeting their new business targets.



Newgate Communications in the UK has won 15 new clients and projects, including the Board of Investment (BOI) the national investment promotion agency of the Government of Mauritius. This account will utilise all the Group's offices worldwide. 13 Communications (formed towards the end of 2013) has achieved new business wins including the Silvertown Quays development in London, where Silvertown Quays in the Royal Docks will be transformed into a new innovation quarter and destination for global brands.



Redleaf PR, acquired in April 2014, continues to trade ahead of budget with a regular flow of new business activity.



Overseas, Newgate Australia remains the Group's star performer, while the Singapore and Hong Kong offices are trading profitably in very competitive markets. In the Middle East, Newgate Abu Dhabi, which has been profitable since its formation, is pitching with other Group companies for a number of exciting assignments.



On the Advertising side the 21:12 agency has been profitable for the last two months, helped by projects for BNY Mellon, Hermes Asset Management and JP Morgan.



TTMV, the agency based in Tunbridge Wells, is now operating with a much reduced cost base and we expect it to have a much stronger final quarter following two recent new business wins.

Furthermore, the Group is at an advanced stage of discussions regarding two acquisitions which, if completed, will be relocated to the London office. This is expected to have a marked impact on both trading and levels of profitability. These acquisitions will be funded from the Group's existing resources. The Group is currently simplifying the Newgate corporate structure in London by changing the minority interests and LLP structure to allow these acquisitions to be integrated as soon as possible.

Commenting on the trading update, David Wright, Chief Executive of Porta, said:

"We are encouraged by the current trading and pipeline in each of the business units. We are seeking to conclude the acquisitions before the year end and we expect them to have a material positive impact on the profitability of the business in 2015."

Acquisition

RNS


RNS Number : 6569W

Porta Communications PLC

11 November 2014






11 November 2014



Embargoed until 0700hrs





Porta Communications PLC ("Porta" or "the Group")

Acquisition of PPS Group



Porta Communications PLC (AIM: PTCM), the international marketing and communications group, today announces the acquisition of PPS Group Limited ("PPS") for a total consideration of £6,161,270. PPS is a leading independent consultancy specialising in reputation management, community engagement and political consensus building, advising on projects such as complex property, infrastructure and energy developments.



The business will operate as Newgate PPS and will become Porta's public affairs arm, managed by Stephen Byfield. The Group's existing, smaller public affairs division within Newgate Communications will be integrated into Newgate PPS.



PPS employs 45 staff operating from offices in London, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Cardiff. In the year ended 30 April 2014, PPS's fee income was £4,647,299 with profits before tax of £706,277; the balance sheet showed current assets of £2.67m and net current assets of £1.6m. PPS has cash at bank on completion of £1.6m.



The total consideration comprises £2,930,635 in cash and £850,000 in loan notes with the balance of £2,380,635 satisfied by the issue of 23,806,350 ordinary £0.10 Porta shares at 10p each. The loan notes totaling £0.85m nominal value carry a coupon of 6 per cent and are redeemable 12 months from date of issue for cash. The consideration shares are subject to a lock-in agreement which provides for a 24 months lock-in period with a further 12 months orderly market period.


Commenting on the acquisition, Porta Chief Executive David Wright, said:

"This acquisition is in line with Porta's strategy of building critical mass across the marketing communications mix. PPS is a very successful, professionally run company that will bring a new area of expertise to the Group and is complementary to our existing specialist public affairs offering. PPS's strength in the regions and Scotland will also enable the Group to capitalise fully on the opportunities created by the devolution of powers to those areas."



Stephen Byfield, Managing Director of PPS, said:

"As part of Porta, PPS will be able to offer its clients an even more cohesive and powerful offering. PPS has significant respect for the Newgate team and looks forward to being part of the enlarged team."



Application has been made to AIM for the consideration shares to be admitted to trading and admission is expected to take place on 17 November 2014. On admission of the consideration shares, the Company will have 253,533,895 shares in issue. For the purposes of the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules ("DTRs"), the issued ordinary share capital of the Company following this allotment consists of 253,533,895 ordinary shares with voting rights attached (one vote per share). There are no shares held in treasury. This total voting rights figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine whether they are required to notify their interests in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the DTRs.



- ends -

Trading Statement
RNS
RNS Number : 5760E
Porta Communications PLC
11 February 2015



11 February 2015

Porta Communications plc

("Porta" or "the Porta Group")

Trading update

Highlights

· Revenue expected to be close to 30 per cent higher than the previous financial year

· Fee income expected to almost double

· Approximately 35 per cent expected EBITDA growth

· PR division experiencing a strong year across all jurisdictions

· Advertising agency 21:12 gaining traction in core markets

Porta Communications plc, the AIM quoted international marketing and communications business, announces that for the year ended 31 December 2014 the Group continued to show strong growth in revenue and fee income.

During the period revenue is expected to be close to 30 per cent higher than the previous year, while fee income should almost double. On a like-for-like basis revenue should be around 20 per cent higher and fee income almost 75 per cent higher than the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA growth is expected to increase by nearer to 35 per cent as the Group absorbs the impact of negative currency movements and continues to invest heavily in its future growth.

PR Division

Newgate, the international public relations brand, experienced a strong year across all jurisdictions, but particularly in Australia which has built a leading brand in 18 months. Such was the success here that the impact of the weak Australian dollar will affect Group profits before tax by approximately £200,000.

Redleaf PR, which was consolidated by the Group during the year, has also been an impressive performer, trading ahead of budgets on a month by month basis.

Advertising Division

21:12, the financial and charities agency formed in January 2013, has started to gain traction in its core markets and performance is expected to improve in 2015.

Despite a restructuring and cost reduction program TTMV the media and creative agency has not performed in line with its budgets. As a result the Group has elected to expand Summit, a business wholly owned by Porta that also operates in Tunbridge Wells. Summit will take on further creative and account management capacity, creating a much more manageable unit. At the same time trading in TTMV will be discontinued and management do not anticipate any cash obligations associated with this to be borne by Porta. This will have an immediate, positive impact in the current year which is expected to result in a turnaround from losses to a reasonable profit in this business.

Recent Acquisitions

PPS and Publicasity have already been integrated into the Group head office and are successfully pitching for new business alongside other parts of the Group.

The Board anticipates further strong growth in 2015 throughout the Group while margins are also expected to improve with its recent acquisitions operating from one central location.

- ends -

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Director/PDMR Shareholding
RNS
RNS Number : 6310E
Porta Communications PLC
11 February 2015

11 February 2015

Porta Communications plc

("Porta" or "the Porta Group")

Director's Shareholding

Porta Communications plc, the AIM quoted international marketing and communications business, has been notified that Brian Blasdale, Non-Executive Director, today purchased 1,300,000 ordinary shares of 10p each in the Company at a price of 7.5p per share. Following this purchase, Mr Blasdale is beneficially interested in 3,117,322 ordinary shares in Porta representing 1.17 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital. The shares are held both in his name and in his SIPP.

- ends -

Enquiries:

Director/PDMR Shareholding
RNS
RNS Number : 6331I
Porta Communications PLC
27 March 2015

27 March 2015

Porta Communications plc

("Porta" or "the Company")

Director's Shareholding

Porta Communications plc, the AIM quoted international marketing and communications business, has been notified that Mr Bob Morton, the Non-Executive Chairman of the Company, yesterday purchased 1,343,766 ordinary shares of 10p each in the Company at a price of 7.5p per share through Hawk Investments Holdings, a company beneficially owned by Bob Morton and his wife.

Following this purchase, Mr Morton is beneficially interested in 34,286,318 ordinary shares in Porta representing 12.81 per cent. of the Company's issued share capital.

interview-porta-boss-expects-upsurge-in-floats-reckons-co-will-outperform-market-for-next-2-3-years
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28 May Sanlam... 11.00 Buy

Porta Communications chairman buys more shares

By Giles Gwinnett

May 29 2015, 11:12am
Morton is now interested in around 36.2mln shares, representing 13.56% of the capital
Morton is now interested in around 36.2mln shares, representing 13.56% of the capital


Porta Communications (LON:PTCM) said non- exec chairman Bob Morton had bought £135,000 worth of company shares.

The transaction was yesterday and he bought 2mln shares at 6.75p per share through Hawk Investments Holdings, which is beneficially owned by he and his wife.

Morton is now interested in around 36.2mln shares, representing 13.56% of the capital.

Yesterday, the marketing and communications group Porta posted its first annual profit as it comfortably outperformed the sector last year.

Its Australian operations starred, while the recent acquisitions have started to bed in, the company revealed.

Revenues for the 2014 jumped to £23.3mln from £9.3mln a year earlier, giving earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation of just under £2.2mln.

Organic growth for the year was 75%, while average gross profit per employee increased by a third to £100,000.

AGM Statement
RNS
RNS Number : 1571R
Porta Communications PLC
25 June 2015

25th June 2015



Porta Communications Plc

("Porta" or "the Company")

AGM Statement





Porta Communications Plc, the AIM quoted international marketing and communications business, will make the following trading announcement at the AGM.

The strong trading pattern highlighted at the time of our preliminary results has continued throughout the first half of 2015. EBITDA after all costs will be significantly higher than that achieved in the whole of 2014. Also, as previously indicated, there will be a big reduction in exceptional costs, reflecting the growing maturity of all our start-ups.

The three main acquisitions made in 2014, Redleaf, Publicasity and PPS are all performing well, while the international start-ups (operating under the Newgate brand) in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore are all trading at record levels.

The board remains confident about the outcome for 2015.

- Ends -

Porta Group's new gig takes the biscwit


07:46 10 Jul 2015

Vinnie, the panda in Fox's biscuits TV campaigns, has a new PR company backing him

Fox's






Public relations firm Newgate Communications – part of the Porta Communications (LON:PTCM) group – has won a contract with UK food manufacturing firm 2 Sisters Food Group.

Newgate Communications will provide a combined corporate and financial communications and public affairs programme to support the growth of Birmingham-based 2 Sisters Food Group.

2 Sisters Food Group is the company behind well-known brands such as Goodfella's and Fox's Biscuits.

Newgate will support 2 Sisters Food Group in all its food safety and animal welfare campaigns, as well as innovation initiatives within British agriculture. The role will include media relations, stakeholder and political outreach and support in financial communications, Porta said.