Cision AB (publ) - Year-end report January–December 2011, Feburary 8, 2012

Cision reports robust performance and proposes dividend for the year

October–December

• Operating revenue amounted to SEK 252 million (268). Organic growth was +4 %, compared with +2 % for the previous quarter and –1 % for the same period last year. Exchange rate effects decreased revenue by SEK 4 million and the net effect of divestments decreased revenue by SEK 24 million.
• Operating profit excluding non-recurring items amounted to SEK 39 million (37), and the operating margin excluding non-recurring items was 15.5 % (13.7 %). Exchange rate effects had a negative impact on operating profit of SEK 1 million.
• Group Organic growth of +4 % for the fourth quarter was driven by double digit growth in the US, with organic growth now reported for five consecutive quarters.
• Profitability in Europe continued to strengthen in the fourth quarter, with an operating margin of 20 %, compared with 17 % for the previous quarter and 11 % for the same period last year.

January–December

• Operating revenue amounted to SEK 969 million (1,132). Organic growth was +0.4 % (–5 %). Exchange rate effects decreased revenue by SEK 87 million and the net effect of Divestments and Acquisitions decreased revenues with SEK 81 million.
• Operating profit excluding non-recurring items amounted to SEK 132 million (142). Operating margin was 13.6 % (12.6 %). Exchange rate effects have had a negative impact on operating profit of SEK 15 million compared with the same period last year.
• Profit before tax was SEK 94 million (83) an increase of +13 %. Earnings per share were SEK 5.60 (4.01).
• Operating cash flow amounted to SEK 81 million (105) and free cash flow amounted to SEK 45 million (5).
• For 2011, the board proposes a dividend of SEK 2.00 per share.

Comment by Cision CEO Hans Gieskes:
“For the full year we saw positive organic revenue growth of 0.4 %, the first full year of organic growth for Cision in 4 years. The momentum gained in the third quarter continued in line with our expectations into the fourth quarter. There are clear signs that our 2010–2011 investments in sales and marketing in the US are paying off. We are pleased with double digit growth in revenue in the fourth quarter in the US and equally happy with further improvements in operating margins in Europe to 20 % compared to 11 % last year. During the fourth quarter we executed on the necessary process transformation of our Canadian business to address the cost base and the declining revenue trend, and this has helped to stabilize our Canadian business. Having reached our overall 2012 financial goals in 2011, we are confident that our changed emphasis on revenue growth is the right strategy for 2012.”

 
For further information, please contact:

Hans Gieskes, President and CEO, phone 46 (0)8 507 410 11
e-mail: investorrelations@cision.com

Tosh Bruce-Morgan, CFO, telephone 46 (0)8 507 410 91, 44 (0) 7710 385 006
e-mail: investorrelations@cision.com

Cision AB (publ)
P.O. Box 24194
SE-104 51 Stockholm, Sweden
Corp Identity No. SE556027951401
Telephone: 46 (0)8 507 410 00
http://corporate.cision.com

Cision AB is required to disclose the information in this year-end report under Sweden’s Securities Market Act and/ or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. It was released for publication at 8:30 a.m. CET on February 8, 2012.

Cision is the leading provider of software, services, and tools to the public relations and marketing industry. Marketing and PR professionals use our products to help manage all aspects of their brands – from identifying key media and influencers to connecting with audiences; monitoring traditional and social media; and analyzing outcomes. Journalists, bloggers, and other influencers use Cision’s tools to research story ideas, track trends, and maintain their public profiles. Cision is present in Europe, North America and Asia, with partners in over 125 countries and is quoted on the Nordic Exchange with revenue of SEK 1.1 billion in 2010. This press release is also available at http://corporate.cision.com.

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