Johnston Press PLC (JPR.L), a UK-based media group, reported Wednesday that its fist-half pre-tax loss was 248.7 million pounds, compared to profit of 13.6 million pounds a year ago. Basic loss per share was 29.75 pence, compared to profit of 2.34 pence last year.
For the 26 week period ended June 29, operating loss was 225.4 million pounds, compared to prior year's profit of 37.8 million pounds. The like-for-like operating profit, before items, for the six months increased 4.3 percent to 28.6 million pounds, the first increase in like for like operating profit for seven years, the company noted.
Revenue for the period declined to 159.9 million pounds from 206.1 million pounds last year. Total like-for-like revenues fell 9.8 percent to 144.3 million pounds. Total advertising revenues declined 13.6 percent.
Looking ahead, Chief Executive Ashley Highfield said, "Although the economic outlook is not without challenges, momentum has continued into the second half, underpinned by the re-structuring and re-focusing of the business, an increasingly stable advertising market and growth in circulation and digital revenues. ...In view of this operational progress, we expect the results for 2013 to be broadly in line with current market expectations."
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