Alma Media revises its guidance and outlook for the year 2017 – clear growth in adjusted operating profit

Alma Media Corporation                                   Stock exchange release          13 July 2017 at 3.00 p.m. (EEST) 

ALMA MEDIA REVISES ITS GUIDANCE AND OUTLOOK FOR THE YEAR 2017 – CLEAR GROWTH IN ADJUSTED OPERATING PROFIT

Alma Media is revising its guidance and outlook for 2017. Contrary to its previous guidance, the company expects its adjusted operating profit to increase clearly from the 2016 level. The company expects its revenue to remain unchanged from the previous year.  

In its previous guidance (issued on 28 April 2017), the company expected its revenue to remain unchanged and its adjusted operating profit to increase from the 2016 level. 

The improvement in operating profit is the result of the continued strong sales in the Alma Markets business segment, especially in the international recruitment business. Thanks to the restructuring and efficiency improvement measures, the profitability of the Group’s Finnish operations has also improved. 

Outlook for 2017/13 July 2017

 The Finnish economy is expected to grow by 1–3% in 2017. Alma Media’s significant operating countries in Eastern Central Europe, such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are expected to see economic growth of 2–4%.  Macroeconomic development affects both consumer demand and advertising volume. The structural transformation of advertising will continue in 2017; online advertising will grow, while print media advertising will decline. 

In 2017, Alma Media expects its full-year revenue to remain at the previous year’s level and its adjusted operating profit to clearly increase from the 2016 level. The full-year revenue for 2016 was MEUR 353.2, and the adjusted operating profit was MEUR 35.2. 

Interim report for January–June 2017 

Alma Media will publish its interim report for January–June 2017 on 21 July 2017 at approximately 9:00 a.m. (EEST). 

ALMA MEDIA CORPORATION 

Rauno Heinonen 

Vice President, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations 

Distribution: NASDAQ Helsinki, main media, www.almamedia.fi 

For more information, please contact: 

Juha Nuutinen, CFO, telephone +358 10 665 3873 

Alma Media in brief

Alma Media is a media company focusing on the service business and journalistic content. The company’s best-known brands are Kauppalehti, Talouselämä, Affärsvärlden, Iltalehti, Aamulehti, Etuovi.com and Monster. Alma Media builds sustainable growth for its customers by utilising the opportunities of digitality, including information services, system and expert services and advertising solutions. Alma Media’s operations have expanded from Finland to the Nordic countries, the Baltics and Central Europe. Alma Media employs approximately 2,300 professionals (excluding delivery personnel), of whom approximately 30% work outside Finland. Alma Media’s revenue in 2016 was EUR 353.2 million. Alma Media’s share is listed on NASDAQ Helsinki. Read more at www.almamedia.com.