ITV Delivers 2013 Interim Results

ITV continues to deliver strong growth and rebalance, according to the broadcaster's 2013 interim results.
The company's stats for the year so far are as follows:

- Total Non-NAR revenues up 11% to £568m driven by ITV Studios and Online, Pay & Interactive
- Total ITV Studios revenues up 11% to £395m
- Online, Pay & Interactive revenues up 19% to £56m
- ITV Family NAR down 3% as expected
- Total external revenues up 1% to £1,144m

- EBITA before exceptional items up 11% to £291m
- ITV Studios EBITA up 26% to £63m
- Broadcast & Online EBITA up 7% to £228m
- Adjusted PBT up 16% to £270m
- Adjusted EPS up 15% to 5.3p

- ITV Studios completed acquisitions in the UK and the US
- £20m cost savings on track
- Profit to cash conversion strong at 100%
- Net debt of £52m following acquisitions, dividends and further debt repayments
- Board has declared an interim dividend of 1.1p up 38%

- Expect ITV Family NAR for nine months to the end of September to be broadly flat following a good Q3 up 9%
- Confident of delivering double digit revenue growth in Online, Pay & Interactive and ITV Studios over the full year

Adam Crozier, ITV Chief Executive, said: "We're making good progress with our strategy of growing and rebalancing the business as we build new revenue streams and improve margins.
"In the first six months of the year ITV continued to increase group profits and revenues despite the expected fall in our H1 advertising revenues. Non-advertising revenues were up by 11% to £568m, driven by significant growth in Online, Pay & Interactive and in ITV Studios.
"ITV Studios delivered further growth in the UK and internationally both organically and through selective acquisitions in our key target markets – with total Studios revenues up 11%. We're showing real momentum in our strategy of creating a robust international content business and in building substantial strength and scale in the US market.
"The improved variety and quality of the ITV schedule has driven a strong on-screen performance in the first half of the year with ITV Family SOV up 1%."
Mr Crozier continued: "Our cash generation remains strong and we continue to have a robust balance sheet to support the strategy and invest in our future growth.
"As we anticipated, the shape of the television advertising market this year is very different to 2012. In spite of monthly volatility we expect ITV Family NAR to be broadly flat for the nine months to the end of September with Q3 up 9%. We expect both ITV Studios and Online, Pay & Interactive to deliver double digit revenue growth for the year as a whole as we continue to rebalance and strengthen ITV."
(IT/JP)