Ebiquity are independent marketing performance specialists. We enable brands across the world to make better-informed decisions to improve their brand and business performance across integrated communications channels.

London Stock Exchange AIM-listed

http://www.ebiquity.com/?gclid=CNbc8uOUgMMCFSMFwwodBYkAqw

[Proactive investors -

Data makes the world go round for expanding Ebiquity

By Ian Lyall

January 14 2015, 1:09pm
These days, in the global village connected by the Internet, there is possibly a more valuable commodity, one which oils the machinery of commerce. And that commodity is data


It was Liza Minnelli in the musical 'Cabaret' who told us money makes the world go round.

These days, in the global village connected by the Internet, there is possibly a more valuable commodity, one which oils the machinery of commerce. And that commodity is data.

We hear a lot about it. Big data, niche data, market data…the list is endless.

Finding the information that will allow firms to make the correct spending, investment or marketing decisions is one thing. It is quite another to be able to interpret it.

AIM-listed Ebiquity (LON:EBQ) does just this, making sure companies are getting enough bang for their advertising and marketing buck as well as showing them how they can improve that return on investment.

It works with 1,100 clients worldwide in 20 markets and counts among its roster 90 of the top 100 advertisers globally.

It has two main divisions – Media Value Measurement and Market Performance Optimisation - that work across a range of industries, including retail, financial services and pharmaceuticals.

“The growth of technology, particularly the Internet, has empowered consumers, which makes a marketing director’s job very difficult in terms of engaging with customers,” explains Ebiquity chief executive Michael Greenlees.

“The good news is the market is throwing off tons of data; data to do with how customers are choosing where they sit on an airline, to how they buy their groceries, to how they feel about particular brands.

“This allows brand owners to target more effectively, forecast more effectively, track their consumers more effectively and optimise their investment more effectively: so, spending where it has more impact.

“That’s the solution we deliver. We offer it end to end. We understand the landscape, how to invest more efficiently and how to choose the right mix [of marketing and advertising]. Not just that, we are able to track those customers.

“Marketing has become more like a science than simply being a case of making the right judgement. It has become data informed and we live right in the middle of that landscape.”

Around 90 per cent of Ebiquity’s business is repeat, and since taking the helm around seven years ago, the CEO and his team have quadrupled revenues.

This has been achieved via a combination of organic growth and well-judged acquisitions, including the most recent, China Media Consulting, for up to £6.7mln, which took the firm into the People’s Republic.

Greenlees said the company will look at “opportunities that will enhance and widen our skills base”.

Its competition includes market researchers AC Nielsen and Kantar Worldpanel, and Accenture and Adobe in media analytics.

None does the end-to-end job performed by Ebiquity, while remaining completely independent from the media buying process.

Its trading update last month revealed the group is trading in line with expectations.

Its broker Numis is forecasting pre-tax profit will grow £1.2mln to £11.4mln in the year ending April 30, on revenues of £72mln, with profits hitting £12.3mln in 2016. It forecasts net debt will be £22.5mln at the end of the 2015 financial year.

November’s trading statement hinted the firm may start paying a dividend – the plans will be revealed next month alongside interim figures.

Based on the current share price of 115p, the company is valued at £82mln, or just 10 times prospective earnings. Its potential doesn’t seem to be widely understood by London investors.

Continued strong growth combined with a solid re-rating could be transformational for the share price. So, too, could merger and acquisition activity.

“We are also very conscious this market is going to consolidate,” says Greenlees.

“And we want to be part of that consolidation. We really don’t mind whether we lead or follow it.”

Shares - despite the shares already getting off to a strong start year-to-date- up more than 10%-there is more to go with the stock on a reasonable looking April 2016 PE ratio of 11.5 .The track record is excellent with pre-tax profit increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 32.5% over the past 5 years and a reversal of FX headwinds (like many UK plcs the company was a victim of the strong pound in 2014) leaves scope for a positive surprise in the current financial year.

RNS Number : 3121D
Ebiquity PLC
28 January 2015



Ebiquity plc



Interim Results for the six months ended 31 October 2014



Strong growth, maiden dividend intended



Ebiquity plc, the independent marketing performance specialists, announces interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2014. Ebiquity provides services to more than 1,000 clients across 40 countries, including over 90%1 of the top 100 global advertisers.



A strong first half performance and full year maiden dividend intended



• Total revenue up 7% to £35.0m (2013: £32.7m); up 12% on a constant currency basis2

• Like for like3 revenue up 7% on constant currency basis

• Underlying4operating profit up 16% to £4.7m at constant currency and £4.1m on a reported basis (2013: £4.1m)

• Underlying PBT up 17% to £4.2m at constant currency and £3.6m on a reported basis (2013: £3.6m)

• Underlying diluted EPS up 14% to 3.5p at constant currency and 3.0p on a reported basis (2013: 3.0p)

• Maiden dividend payment to commence following full year results, reflecting confidence in the Group's future



Analytics and data divisions continue to drive growth



• Media Value Measurement and Marketing Performance Optimization generating growth

• Market Intelligence broadly maintained revenue year on year, renewals remained high at 90%

• Significant pipeline of domestic and international business across the Group

• Appointed two Non-Executive Directors to strengthen the Board



Michael Greenlees, CEO, commented:



"Ebiquity has delivered a strong performance in spite of significant currency headwinds in the first half of the year. The growing demand for data analytics and performance measurement is driving growth and the Group's increasing profile and reputation is supporting new business conversion.



The introduction of Ebiquity's maiden dividend following the full year results demonstrates our confidence in the Group's ability to take advantage of the significant market demand for marketing analytics services."

28 Jan Numis 162.00 Buy

UPDATE - Ebiquity seeking premium rating as it announces plans to start paying dividends

By Ian Lyall

January 28 2015, 1:15pm
Dancing with data? Ebiquity makes sure companies are getting enough bang for their advertising and marketing buck as well as showing them how they can improve that return on investment.
Dancing with data? Ebiquity makes sure companies are getting enough bang for their advertising and marketing buck as well as showing them how they can improve that return on investment.


---ADDS BROKER COMMENT, MANAGEMENT COMMENTS AND SHARE PRICE---

Ebiquity (LON:EBQ) performed well against some strong headwinds in the first half, allowing the marketing performance specialist to propose its first ever dividend payment.

Investors will have to wait until after the full-year figures to receive the cash distribution; however, Ebiquity’s decision will mark it out as a rarity: a dividend paying AIM stock.

“The introduction of Ebiquity's maiden dividend following the full year results demonstrates our confidence in the group's ability to take advantage of the significant market demand for marketing analytics services," said chief executive Michael Greenlees.

Speaking to Proactive Investors, Greenlees said the company intends to introduce a sensible but progressive dividend policy. "We prefer to under-promise and over-deliver," he said.

Ebiquity makes sure companies are getting enough bang for their advertising and marketing buck as well as showing them how they can improve that return on investment.

It works with 1,100 clients worldwide in 20 markets and counts among its roster 90 of the top 100 advertisers globally. According to Greenlees, the addressable market is worth a cool US$100bn.

It has two divisions generating growth – media value measurement and market performance optimisation. They work across a range of industries, including retail, financial services and pharmaceuticals.

In the six months to October 31, total revenues £35mln, up 7% on a reported basis, or 12% adjusting for foreign exchange rate movements.

Underlying pre-tax profits, meanwhile, were £4.2mln, a rise of 17% at constant currencies.

The third division - Market Intelligence -(MI) “broadly maintained revenue year on year”.

"MI is very important to our clients, but we have different expectations of its performance compared to the other divisions," Greenlees told Proactive.

"The fact is, the MVM [media value measurement] and MO [market optimisation] products have a far more demonstrable return on investment, so customers really appreciate them. MI is not a high growth business but it generates cash that can be invested in faster growing parts of the business," he explained.

Renewals remained high at 90%, while the business has a “significant pipeline” of work both domestically and internationally.

"Ebiquity has delivered a strong performance in spite of significant currency headwinds in the first half of the year,” said Greenlees.

“The growing demand for data analytics and performance measurement is driving growth and the group's increasing profile and reputation is supporting new business conversion.”

Chief financial officer Andy Beach noted that the first half of the financial year had been a bit unusual, in that both the US dollar and the euro "had moved in the wrong direction" instead of offsetting each other as they usually do.

The company's results are normally second-half weighted and although events in Europe have sent the common currency into another downward spiral, the US dollar is at least moving in the right direction from the company's point of view.

The shares were little changed at 129p in morning trade. Following the results broker Numis raised its valuation by 2p a share to 162p – which suggests there is room for the price to rise a further 26%.


“We are encouraged by continuing strong momentum in media value measurement and market performance optimisation and clear evidence of market intelligence turning the corner,” said analyst Paul Richards.

Acquisition and issue of shares
RNS
RNS Number : 9145E
Ebiquity PLC
13 February 2015



Ebiquity Plc

("the Company")



Acquisition and issue of shares



The Company recently announced the appointment of Dietmar Kruse as CEO of Continental Europe. Mr Kruse was formerly CEO of Ebiquity Germany which he co-founded in 2008.



The Company has elected to acquire Mr Kruse's minority interest in Ebiquity Germany in order to reflect Mr Kruse's wider responsibilities within the Ebiquity group and to align his equity interests with his new role. The Company is pleased to announce the completion of its acquisition of those shares.



Following this acquisition the Company's ownership of the issued share capital of Ebiquity Germany has increased from 85% to approximately 94%. The remaining balance of shares continues to be held by local management as co-founders.



The consideration has been satisfied by the issue to Mr Kruse of 966,413 new Ordinary Shares of 25 pence each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares"). Application has been made for the new Ordinary Shares to be admitted to AIM, with trading expected to commence on 19 February 2015 ("Admission"). Upon Admission, the shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares of the Company.



Michael Greenlees, CEO, commented:



"Dietmar has demonstrated great leadership and business acumen since joining Ebiquity and become a trusted advisor to some of our most important clients. I am delighted to be able to leverage his leadership across our European business and to bring more international experience to our Executive team."



Total voting rights



Following the issue of the new Ordinary Shares the Company's issued share capital consists of 76,753,112 Ordinary Shares and a total of 75,553,122 voting rights.



Note

The Ebiquity plc 2010 Employee Benefit Trust holds 4,200,000 issued Ordinary Shares to satisfy awards for the Company's senior management team. To date these awards have not been exercised and the trustee has agreed not to vote the Ordinary Shares held by it. As such 4,200,000 Ordinary Shares are treated as not carrying voting rights for the purposes of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.

Acquisition of Media Value
RNS
RNS Number : 9881F
Ebiquity PLC
26 February 2015

Ebiquity Plc

("the Company" or "Ebiquity")



Acquisition of Media Value



Ebiquity plc is pleased to announce the acquisition (the "Acquisition") of the entire issued share capital of Media Value SL, incorporated in Spain (together with its subsidiaries "MV"). MV has operated as Ebiquity's franchise partner for media auditing in the Iberian market since approximately 2008 and has been operating under the Ebiquity name.



MV is being acquired for an initial cash consideration of €743,000 which is being satisfied from existing banking facilities. The maximum total consideration is up to €6m, payable in cash, depending on the performance of the MV business in the three financial years ending 30 April 2016. The Acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing in the first full financial year.



MV is being acquired from shareholders including its co-founder Mauricio Barange. Following completion of the Acquisition, Mr Barange will remain as Chief Executive of MV.



MV comprises two divisions. The first is a leading independent media auditing and benchmarking business. This business will be included in Ebiquity's Media Value Measurement division. MV's second business comprises an ROI/effectiveness practice, which will be included in Ebiquity's Marketing Performance Optimization division. MV has offices in Madrid, Barcelona and Lisbon.



MV's unaudited revenue for the year ended 30 April 2014 was approximately €2.3m and it generated an operating profit before highlighted items of approximately €0.3m. MV had unaudited net assets of approximately €0.5m at 30 April 2014 and employs 32 people.



Michael Greenlees, Chief Executive Officer of Ebiquity:



"I am delighted that Mauricio Barange and his colleagues have now formally joined our growing business. MV has been operating under the Ebiquity name for some time and has played an important part in the European development of the Ebiquity group. The Iberian business has performed well and this acquisition marks another step in the development of Ebiquity's leading position in marketing and media data analytics across Europe."

Ebiquity sees accelerated top-line growth

By John Harrington

May 27 2015, 7:22am
The company is set to join the ranks of dividend payers
The company is set to join the ranks of dividend payers


Ebiquity (LON:EBQ), the market analytics firm, enjoyed a growth spurt in the second half of its financial year.

The company's top line in the year to 30 April saw high single-digit percentage revenue growth year-on-year on a like-for-like constant currency basis, with the growth rate achieved the highest in the company's recent history.

The Marketing Performance Optimization (MPO) and Media Value Measurement (MVM) divisions both enjoyed double-digit percentage growth, with the MPO division up 40% on a year earlier.

Together, the two divisions account for almost two-thirds of the company's revenues, and the company said it continues to see increasing demand for their services.

In contrast, the Market Intelligence (MI) division is operating in a fiercely competitive market, which is affecting revenues, but not as severely in the previous financial year.

As mentioned at the time of the company's interim results, the MI division is being rejuvenated by enhancements to the services offered and the delivery platform, the benefits of which should be seen in the current year.

On a similar theme, Ebiquity said it has made a substantial investment in people and technology that has proved successful in turbo boosting top-line growth, but noted this would have an impact on margins in the short term.

Meanwhile, foreign exchange movements have had an impact on profits but, on a constant currency basis, pre-tax profit is set to be in line with management expectations for the year just gone.

Full-year results will be announced on 29 July, at which time the board will recommend payment of a maiden dividend.

"We continue to see positive client engagement and increasing contract sizes. We begin the current year with a very strong pipeline of new business and high visibility over the company's revenue targets for the current year," the company said.

RNS Number : 2337U
Ebiquity PLC
28 July 2015

Ebiquity plc



Final Results for the year ended 30 April 2015



Continued revenue growth, strong new business pipeline, maiden dividend



Ebiquity plc, the independent marketing performance specialists, announces final results for the year ended 30 April 2015. Ebiquity provides services to more than 1,100 clients across 70 countries, including over 85% of the top 100 global advertisers.





Strong full year financial performance and double-digit revenue growth



· Revenue up 11% on a constant currency* basis to £76.3m (2014: £68.5m), up 8% to £73.9m (2014: £68.5m) on a reported basis

· Like for like* revenue up 8% on constant currency basis

· Underlying operating profit up 12% to £12.9m at constant currency and £11.7m (2014: £11.3m) on a reported basis

· PBT up 64% at constant currency basis to £5.6m (2014: £3.4m) ,up 38% to £4.7m (2014: £3.4m) on a reported basis

· Underlying diluted EPS up 14% on a constant currency basis to 11.55p (2014: 10.11p), up 6% to 10.71p (2014: 10.11p) on a reported basis

· Recommended maiden dividend of 0.4p reflecting confidence in the Group's future



Progress across all divisions with demand increasing significantly for data and analytics segments



· Demand continuing to increase for Media Value Measurement ("MVM") and Marketing Performance Optimization ("MPO") divisions

· Market Intelligence ("MI") significantly improved client renewal rate to 95% (2014: 87%) and ongoing enhancement programme expected to return the division to modest growth in 2016

· Strong pipeline of domestic and international business across the Group in line with developing market dynamics

· Media Value SL acquired to strengthen Ebiquity's leading European position in marketing and media data analytics

· Appointed two Non-Executive Directors to strengthen the Board



*Like for like means prior year results are adjusted to include the results of recent acquisitions as if they had been owned for the same period in the prior year.

Constant currency is calculated by taking current year denominated results restated at last year's foreign exchange rates.



Michael Greenlees, CEO, commented:



"Ebiquity has delivered another excellent full year performance with double-digit revenue and profit growth. Our maiden dividend marks an important milestone and demonstrates the Board's confidence in the Company's potential for continued growth and expansion.



"The positive current market dynamics are closely aligned to our sector-leading service offering and position Ebiquity at the forefront of global marketing and data analytics. We have continued to gain client traction as companies place increasing importance on gaining competitive advantage from the efficient use and analysis of data and marketing investments."



"The strategic initiatives implemented across all three divisions throughout the year, combined with our strong new business pipeline, enable us to look forward to the future with confidence."

28 July 2015

28 Jul Numis 162.00 Buy

Trading Statement
RNS
RNS Number : 9877G
Ebiquity PLC
26 November 2015



Ebiquity Plc

("the Company")





Trading Statement



Ebiquity plc, the leading independent marketing analytics specialists, today announces a trading statement for the half year ended 31 October 2015.



Ebiquity continues to perform ahead of the same period last year and in line with market expectations for the half year to 31 October 2015 on a constant currency basis. The Company similarly expects to meet market expectations for the 12-month period to 31 December 2015.



Following the Company's announcement of its change of financial year end to 31 December, these results represent the last time the Company will report on the half year period 1 May to 31 October. Ebiquity will report its performance for the full eight-month period from 1 May to 31 December 2015 in March 2016. These results will also include the Company's performance for the 12 months ending 31 December 2015 against the equivalent period in 2014, both presented on a pro forma basis.



On 27 January 2016 the Company will release a trading update for the period ending 31 December 2015 along with the interim report for the period ended 31 October 2015.