18 September 2024
LBG Media
plc
("LBG
Media", the "Company" or "Group")
Results for the half year
ended 30 June 2024
STRONG FIRST HALF
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AND MEANINGFUL PROGRESS TOWARDS £200M OF
REVENUE.
LBG Media, the global digital entertainment business with a
focus on young adults, is pleased to announce its results for the
half year ended 30 June 2024 ("HY24" or "the
period").
Key
Highlights
· Record
audience of 494m globally, of which 141m is
US, highlighting our unparalleled engagement and extensive reach
with young adult audiences.1
· Strong
revenue momentum with organic growth of 29% driving operational
leverage and a significant increase in
profitability.2
· Proven
business model driving progress towards £200m of revenue with
significant strategic and operational developments across growth
lenses of Direct, Indirect and US expansion.
· Strong
momentum in the period to date and the Board is confident in
delivering on market expectations for the 12 months to 31 December
2024.3
Financial Highlights
|
HY24
(£m)
|
HY23
(£m)
|
Change
%
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
- Direct
|
22.0
|
11.4
|
92%
|
- Indirect
|
19.7
|
15.3
|
28%
|
- Other
|
0.6
|
0.5
|
36%
|
Total Group Revenue
|
42.3
|
27.2
|
55%
|
Adjusted
EBITDA4
|
10.2
|
3.0
|
240%
|
Adjusted EBITDA margin4
|
24%
|
11%
|
13ppts
|
Profit before tax
|
7.1
|
(1.2)
|
703%
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
26.6
|
32.7
|
(19%)
|
|
|
|
|
· Total
Group revenue up 55% on a reported basis, with organic growth of
29%, which is faster than the overall market as our proposition
continues to be increasingly compelling for advertisers.
· The
strength of our diversified revenue model continues to improve with
Direct accounting for more than 50% of total Group revenue for the
first time since inception, alongside progression of our Web
operations which now account for 45% of total Indirect revenue in
HY24.
· Adjusted EBITDA of £10.2m (HY23: £3.0m) up 240% and
benefitting from revenue growth, improvements delivered from the
ANZ operating model changes and the accretive impact of Betches.
Organic growth in adjusted EBITDA in the period was
190%.
· Strong
adjusted cash conversion of 152% resulted in cash and cash
equivalents of £26.6m at the period end (31 December 2023:
£15.8m).5
Strategic and Operational Highlights
Direct:
o Continuing to build deeper relationships with blue-chip brands
with HY24 brief conversion of 33% and repeat client revenue of
75%.6
o Uber
Eats sponsored Euros-themed editions of the hugely popular original
series "Snack Wars", launched in June, demonstrates expanding
capabilities and success in delivering brand sponsored content in a
native format with viewing figures for these episodes surpassing
viewership of the Euros final on the BBC.
o Notable wins for the Group in the half-year include Costa
Coffee, Wilkinson Sword and GetYourGuide.
Indirect:
o Global audience has grown by 20% year-on-year, to 494m, with a
US audience of 141m.
o Web
yields, which reflect the level of demand for our Web advertising
inventory, are up approximately 90%,
benefitting from a focus on high quality content, web platform
enhancements as well as strong partner demand for our inventory and
reach with young adult audiences.
o Facebook's new commercial model launched at the end of H1
emphasises engaging and high-quality content - both of which align
to our strengths. Whilst this has created some initial volatility,
revenues remain resilient and, as we have demonstrated with
previous platform changes, our scale and data-driven expertise
means we are better placed than anyone to adapt quickly to these
changes.
US
Expansion:
o Continued to build market share in the US, presenting partners
with a 'one stop shop' when wanting to connect with the young adult
audience.
o Significant wins including Boston Beer Co., NYX and White
Castle highlight good momentum and complementary nature of the
businesses.
o US
operations consolidated into Betches HQ, with a reorganisation of
sales teams to better encourage cross portfolio selling and enable
growth.
Outlook
With strong financial performance
and positive momentum across our growth lenses of Direct, Indirect
and US expansion, management remains confident in the size of the
opportunity ahead and the line of sight to £200m of
revenue. Given the progress in the period to date the Board is
confident in delivering on market expectations for the 12 months to
31 December 2024.3
As announced on 24 July 2024, the
Group has changed its accounting reference date and financial year
end so that, going forward, interim and annual accounts will be
prepared and published for the six months ended 31 March and 12
months ended 30 September. The decision to change the year end was
taken to better guide business planning and investment pacing and
improve visibility over market dynamics, providing transparency for
stakeholders by bringing the calendar Q4 spend into the first half
of the financial year. As a result, our audited FY24 results, which
in the first instance will be for the nine-month period ending 30
September, are expected to be announced in January
2025.
A further update on current trading
will be provided at our full year results in January, alongside
expanded proforma disclosures for the Annual Report and FY24
results presentation.
CEO,
Solly Solomou commented:
"Our strong first-half performance demonstrates excellent
progress along our line of sight to £200m of revenue and showcases
our team's success in diversifying income and strengthening our
operating model. Key sporting event activations and rising audience
numbers confirm our position as the number one digital
entertainment brand for young adults, a highly sought-after but
challenging demographic for marketers.
"I
am more excited than ever by the opportunity that lies ahead,
particularly in the US, where we are going from strength to
strength and where the complementary nature of our combined
businesses is already demonstrating success. Our thoughtful and
engaging campaigns, which frequently deploy messages of social
responsibility, remain central to our mission.
"In the complex digital media landscape, the detailed
understanding we have of our audience and our propensity to be
agile in such a dynamic market provide a strong foundation for
long-term growth and the delivery of shareholder
value."
Analyst Presentation
LBG Media plc will be hosting
an analyst presentation on 18 September
2024. Attendance is by invitation only. A
recording of the presentation will be available on the LBG Media
plc website at
www.lbgmedia.co.uk/results-reports-presentations/results-and-presentations
following the event.
Notes
1 Audience numbers reflect
social followers, unique podcast listeners and average monthly
website users in the 6 months to the end of June
2024.
2 Organic growth excludes the
impact of the Betches acquisition.
3 External market consensus
for year ending 31 December 2024: Revenue £86.0m and Adjusted
EBITDA £23.5m.
4 Adjusted EBITDA - earnings
before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation adjusted for
share based payments (including employers NIC as appropriate) and
adjusting items. Adjusted EBITDA margin is adjusted EBITDA divided
by Group Revenue represented as a percentage.
5 Cash conversion is
calculated as operating cash flow divided by adjusted
EBITDA.
6 Repeat client revenue
represents percentage of HY24 Direct revenue from clients that ran
campaigns with us in 2022 and 2023.
For
further information please contact:
LBG Media
plc
Solly Solomou, Co-founder &
CEO
investors@ladbiblegroup.com
Richard Jarvis, CFO
Mark Mochalski, Investor Relations
Matthew Lee, Investor Relations
Zeus (Nominated Adviser &
Broker)
Tel: +44 (0) 161 831 1512
Dan Bate / Nick Cowles (Investment
Banking)
www.zeuscapital.co.uk
Benjamin Robertson (Equity Capital Markets)
Peel Hunt LLP (Joint Broker)
Neil
Patel
Tel: +44 (0) 207 418 8990
Benjamin
Cryer
www.peelhunt.com
Kate Bannatyne
Media Enquiries
Burson
Buchanan
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
Richard Oldworth / Chris Lane / Toto Berger / Jack
Devoy
LBGmedia@buchanan.uk.com
Notes to editors
LBG Media is a global digital
entertainment business with a focus on young adults and a leading
disrupter in the digital media and social publishing sectors. The
Group produces and distributes digital content across a range of
media including video, editorial, image, audio, and experience
(virtual and augmented reality). Since its inception in 2012, the
Group has curated a diverse collection of specialist brands using
social media platforms (primarily Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X,
YouTube and TikTok) and has built multiple websites to reach new
audiences and drive engagement. Each brand is dedicated to a
distinct popular interest point (e.g. sport, gaming etc.), which is
designed to achieve broader engagement, increase relevance and
ultimately build a loyal community of followers.
The Group operates two core routes
to market: Direct revenue, which is principally generated from the
provision of content marketing services to corporates, brand
owners, marketing agencies and other entities such as government
bodies and where the relationship with the client is held directly
by LBG Media; and Indirect revenue, which is generated via a
third-party, such as a social media platform or via a programmatic
advertising exchange / online marketplace, which holds the
relationship with the brand owner or agency.
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
It has been a strong start to the
year for the Group with strong financial performance matched by
significant strategic and operational steps designed to position
the business for future success. The Company continues to progress
along its line of sight to £200m of revenue and, as outlined as
part of our FY23 results in April, is doing so by focusing on our
three growth lenses of Direct, Indirect and US
expansion.
Direct
In HY24, Direct revenue was
up 92% to £22.0m (HY23: £11.4m), or by 33%
organically. For the first time since the Groups inception, Direct
now accounts for more than 50% of total Group revenue.
This growth is fuelled not only by
the expansion of our client base but also by the deepening of
relationships with existing partners, such as Lloyds and Uber Eats.
The strengthening of these partnerships reflects our ability to
drive even greater value for our clients, cementing our role as a
trusted and integral partner. Additionally, we have secured
important new partnerships during the period, including with Costa
Coffee, Wilkinson Sword and GetYourGuide, as well as a number of
high-profile clients in the US, such as Boston Beer Co., NYX and
White Castle.
Our direct brief conversion stood at
33% at HY24. This rate of conversion is a direct result of the
deeper relationships we are building with brands, our highly
engaged and growing young adult audience, as well as our ability to
provide partners real time analytics and ROI insights that
demonstrate the value and success of their advertising investment.
Underscoring this improving conversion are high levels of repeat
client revenue as brands keep coming back to work with us. This
metric stood at 75%, meaning that 75% of clients that worked with
us in HY24 also worked with us in the two previous years,
demonstrating the confidence and trust our clients have in
us.
Indirect
Indirect revenue grew by 28% to £19.7m (HY23: £15.3m), or by 27% on an
organic basis. Our audience and reach continued to expand, with
global audience growing by 20% year-on-year, to 494m. Our US audience now stands at 141m.
Indirect revenue is split between
income from social platforms and income from web programmatic
streams from our owned and operated websites. Diversification of
our indirect channel and the ability to drive revenues from our
audience, reach and content via our social platforms and owned and
operated webpages provides stability and multiple levers to deliver
growth.
Web accounted for 45% of total indirect revenue in HY24 and the
acceleration of our Web programmatic offering reflects targeted
investment in people and technology as we have driven higher
quality sessions and higher yields through HY24. Web sessions are
up year-on-year and our yield per session is up approximately
90%. Google's announcement that it is
reversing its decision to deprecate third-party cookies can also be
taken as positive for the Group, though it will mostly serve to
prevent any immediate volatility in revenues.
As indicated as part of our trading
update in July, the change in Facebook's commercial model has
created some initial volatility in Social revenues. Despite this
volatility, revenues have remained resilient as the new model
emphasises engaging and high-quality content - both of which align
to our strengths. As we have demonstrated with previous platform
changes, our scale and data driven expertise means we are extremely
well-placed to adapt quickly.
US
Expansion
Expanding our operations in the
world's largest advertising market presents a huge opportunity from
both a Direct and Indirect perspective. Integration between the two
businesses has progressed at pace over the last six-months, with US
operations now consolidated into Betches HQ and sales teams
reorganised to focus on category specialisation. This operational
shift, which has seen a reorganisation of sales teams into key
sectors such as entertainment, alcohol and spirits and consumer
goods, is an enabler for future growth as it helps foster deeper
client relationships.
This refined approach is already
yielding results, with new high-profile partnerships and a very
encouraging pipeline. Betches accounted for
£7.1m of revenue and £1.5m of adjusted EBITDA in HY24 and post period-end in
H2, the first earnout payment of $4m was made.
We are increasingly excited by the
opportunity that lies ahead in the US market, with significant
launches such as Betches Sports in H2, a subsector in which we
already have significant experience through SPORTbible, a Group
brand. Our refined sales approach seeks to build deeper client
relationships and an offering that presents brands with a 'one stop
shop' to access our young adult audience.
Events & Awards
Recognising the opportunity UEFA
Euro 2024 presented for the Group, and as part of our ongoing
programme to build out relationships with new and existing clients,
we hosted two events in February which sought to showcase our
sporting expertise and ability to place brands at the heart of the
action. An intimate client lunch, followed by an agency showcase
featuring a Q&A with ex-England footballer Joe Cole, were both
a success in kickstarting conversations and securing partnerships
with a number of brands as the UEFA Euro 2024 countdown
began.
In April, we held our annual client
conference which gave brands and agencies the chance to learn more
about our commercial capabilities. The event involved a series of
tailored presentations shining a light on building cultural
relevance through our original programming, transforming news and
culture for the social generation and how we found success with The
AA on a campaign that helped inject cultural capital into the
brand. Feedback was very positive, with partners commenting on the
deeper understanding of our commercial capabilities they had
obtained as part of the event.
During the first half of the year,
we were proud to have been shortlisted for 13 awards recognising
the quality of work we produce. Our campaigns with The AA, Jacamo
and McDonald's won in the Campaign Media Awards, ensuring we
retained our position as the 'most awarded media owner' for the
second year in a row, whilst our VISA campaign also won a silver
award at the Drum Marketing Awards in the Finance category. Our
Studios team's LADbible TV, which recently hit three million
subscribers, was nominated for Best Factual Channel and Channel of
the Year at the Broadcast Digital Awards.
Purpose Driven Work
LBG Media has a powerful global
platform to pursue socially responsible agendas, and we continue to
recognise the importance of using our platform as a force for good
having run several awareness campaigns in the period. Most
recently, we launched our 'You're On Mute' campaign, designed to
inspire young people across the country to vote in the general
election. We partnered with creators Grime Gran, Star Holroyd and
Aydan Alsaad to spread the message to vote and boost election
awareness among young adults with the campaign beginning with an
out-of-home creative that appeared at sites around Glastonbury
festival.
This year we also worked with the
charity Stamp Out Spiking to launch our 'End Spiking, Now'
campaign, which sought to raise awareness of the severity of the
drink spiking problem in the UK, and exert pressure on the UK
government to enact legislation changes. The campaign utilised the
Group's consumer youth panel, LADnation, and involved an original
four-part mini-series titled 'Survivors of Spiking: Our Stories'.
This was supported by work with Capital XTRA radio host Jourdan,
additional social content and the launch of out-of-home advertising
in Manchester, all designed to raise campaign awareness. On 17 July
2024, the UK government announced that drink spiking is to be made
a specific offence.
Finally, LBG Media was selected as
The Prince's Trust's first ever official social partner for its
annual awards that celebrate the achievements of young people who
have overcome barriers. We delivered content activation in the
build-up to the awards and were present on the red carpet to
interview and showcase those in attendance.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
|
HY24
|
HY23
|
|
(£m)
|
(£m)
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
42.3
|
27.2
|
Net operating expenses
|
(35.0)
|
(28.5)
|
Operating profit/(loss)
|
7.3
|
(1.3)
|
|
|
|
Adjusted
EBITDA1
|
10.2
|
3.0
|
Adjusted EBITDA margin2
|
24%
|
11%
|
|
|
|
Depreciation
|
(1.2)
|
(0.9)
|
Amortisation
|
(1.2)
|
(0.5)
|
Share based payments
|
(0.5)
|
(2.2)
|
Adjusting items
|
-
|
(0.7)
|
Operating profit/(loss)
|
7.3
|
(1.3)
|
|
|
|
Net finance costs
|
(0.6)
|
-
|
|
|
|
Share of joint ventures
|
0.4
|
0.1
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation
|
7.1
|
(1.2)
|
|
|
|
Corporation tax
credit/(expense)
|
(2.3)
|
(0.5)
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) for the period
|
4.8
|
(1.7)
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
26.6
|
32.7
|
1 Adjusted EBITDA, which is
defined as profit before net finance costs, tax, depreciation,
amortisation, share based payment charge and adjusting items is a
non-GAAP metric used by management and is not an IFRS
disclosure.
2 Adjusted EBITDA % is
Adjusted EBITDA divided by Group Revenue represented as a
percentage.
FINANCIAL REVIEW (continued)
Key
performance indicators ('KPIs')
The Board monitors progress of the
Group by reference to the following KPIs:
|
HY24
|
HY23
|
Change
|
Change
|
|
(£m)
|
(£m)
|
£m
|
%
|
Financial
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
42.3
|
27.2
|
15.1
|
55%
|
Adjusted EBITDA
|
10.2
|
3.0
|
7.2
|
240%
|
Adjusted EBITDA as a % of
revenue
|
24%
|
11%
|
|
13ppts
|
Profit/(loss) before tax
|
7.1
|
(1.2)
|
8.3
|
703%
|
Cash conversion
%1
|
152%
|
182%
|
|
|
Non-Financial
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Global audience2
(m)
|
494
|
410
|
84
|
20%
|
Brief conversion
|
33%
|
29%
|
|
4ppts
|
Daily web sessions3
(m)
|
5.2
|
5.1
|
0.1
|
2%
|
Web yield per 1k
sessions3 (£)
|
9.3
|
4.9
|
4.4
|
90%
|
1 Cash conversion is
calculated as operating cash flow divided by adjusted
EBITDA.
2 Global Audience reflects
social followers, unique podcast listeners and average monthly
website users in the 6 months to June 2024.
3 Daily web sessions reflect
unique individual interactions with our website.
Revenue
|
HY24
|
HY23
|
Change
|
|
(£m)
|
(£m)
|
%
|
Revenue
|
|
|
|
Direct
|
22.0
|
11.4
|
92%
|
Indirect
|
19.7
|
15.3
|
28%
|
Other
|
0.6
|
0.5
|
36%
|
Total Group Revenue
|
42.3
|
27.2
|
55%
|
Total Group revenue reached £42.3m
(HY23: £27.2m), marking a substantial 55% increase despite the
expected seasonal variation between H1 and H2. The 55% growth
included 29% from organic growth, with the remaining portion
attributed to the acquisition of Betches.
Direct revenues increased by 92% to
£22.0m (HY23: £11.4m), with 33% organic growth being achieved,
driven from the Group's growing reputation, quality of work and
depth of relationships with global brands. The Group benefited from
a number of successful campaign activations across the UEFA Euro
2024 tournament, including Euros-themed editions of the hugely
popular original series of "Snack Wars", sponsored by Uber Eats.
Significant joint-wins in the US highlight the complementary nature
of Betches and LADbible US, enabling the Group to continue to build
market share within the territory. A high brief conversion rate is
being maintained and is tracking 4ppts higher than the prior
period.
Indirect revenue increased by 28% to
£19.7m (HY23: £15.3m). Organic growth accounted for 27% of this
increase, with improving web yields (up 90%) supporting the Group's
strategy of driving specialist content to our audiences that
provides contextual relevancy for our advertising partners,
enhancing broader revenue diversification.
Net
operating expenses
Net operating expenses increased by
23% to £35.0m (HY23: £28.5m) driven by the acquisition of Betches.
Excluding Betches, net operating expenses increased by 1%
(£0.2m).
Share based payment costs were by
£1.6m lower at £0.6m (HY23: £2.2m) due primarily to the
Non-Executive Director scheme vesting fully in the prior year. The
reduction in share-based payment costs were offset by a 32% (£1.6m)
increase in media and production costs correlating to the organic
direct revenue growth of 33% achieved within the period. Staff
costs excluding Betches remained consistent year on
year.
Amortisation of £1.2m (HY23: £0.5m)
was up by 135%. The increase is mainly a result of the amortisation
arising on intangible assets acquired through the Betches
acquisition in October 2023, including brand and
relationships.
Depreciation of £1.2m (HY23: £0.9m)
was up by 33%, mainly driven by new property lease agreements in
the UK and Dublin.
Adjusting items were £nil (HY23:
£0.7m). The prior period adjusting items included costs associated
with business reorganisations, a one-off retention payment and
acquisition related fees.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA was £10.2m (HY23:
£3.0m) representing a 240% increase in comparison to the prior
year, driven by operational leverage, the Betches acquisition and a
more efficient ANZ operating model that is delivering benefits as
planned. On an organic basis adjusted EBITDA has increased by 190%.
Adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 24% (HY23: 11%).
Betches contributed £7.1m of revenue
and £1.5m of adjusted EBITDA in HY24 as integration continues to
progress well.
Adjusted EBITDA is used for internal
performance analysis to assess the execution of our strategies.
Management believe that this adjusted measure is an appropriate
metric to understand the underlying performance of the
Group.
More information on Alternative
Performance Measures (APMs) can be found on page 20.
Net
finance costs
Net finance costs of £0.6m (HY23:
£0.0m) were incurred during the year, mainly due to the unwinding
of discount on contingent consideration liability in relation to
the acquisition of Betches.
Share of JV
Share in joint ventures was £0.4m
profit (HY23: £0.1m) representing our percentage share in the
results of Pubity Group Ltd.
Profit/(loss) before tax
Profit before tax was £7.1m (HY23:
loss of £1.2m) representing a significant improvement in comparison
to the prior year.
Taxation
The tax charge for the period
was £2.2m (HY23: £0.6m).
The effective tax rate for the period is 32% as a result of
permanent and temporary differences.
Cash flow and cash position
Cash and cash equivalents at the
period end amounted to £26.6m (FY23: £15.8m, HY23:
£32.7m).
The increase in cash of £10.8m in
comparison to the year-end includes net cash generated from
operating activities of £12.8m, and outflows relating to investing and financing activities
of £2.0m.
More information on the cash flow
can be found on page 12.
Solly Solomou
Chief Executive Officer
|
Richard Jarvis
Chief Financial Officer
|
UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION - LBG MEDIA
PLC
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE
INCOME
|
|
Period
ended
|
Period
ended
|
|
|
30 June
2024
|
30 June
2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
Note
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Revenue
|
3
|
42,275
|
27,247
|
Net operating expenses
|
4
|
(35,002)
|
(28,499)
|
Operating profit/(loss)
|
|
7,273
|
(1,252)
|
|
|
|
|
Analysed as:
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA1
|
|
10,243
|
3,013
|
Depreciation
|
|
(1,212)
|
(911)
|
Amortisation
|
8
|
(1,193)
|
(507)
|
Share based payments
charge
|
10
|
(565)
|
(2,178)
|
Adjusting items
|
4
|
-
|
(669)
|
Group operating profit/(loss)
|
|
7,273
|
(1,252)
|
|
|
|
|
Finance income
|
5
|
190
|
55
|
Finance costs
|
5
|
(812)
|
(58)
|
Net
finance costs
|
|
(622)
|
(3)
|
|
|
|
|
Share of post-tax profits of equity
accounted joint venture
|
|
411
|
84
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation
|
|
7,062
|
(1,171)
|
|
|
|
|
Income tax expense
|
6
|
(2,247)
|
(553)
|
Profit/(loss) for the financial year attributable to equity
holders of the
company
|
|
4,815
|
(1,724)
|
Currency translation differences (net
of tax)
|
|
(65)
|
(78)
|
Profit/(loss) and total comprehensive income for the financial
year attributable to equity holders of the
company
|
|
4,750
|
(1,802)
|
|
|
|
|
Basic earnings/(loss) per share
(pence)
|
7
|
2.3
|
(0.8)
|
Diluted earnings/(loss) per share
(pence)
|
7
|
2.2
|
(0.8)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
1 Adjusted EBITDA, which is
defined as profit before net finance costs, tax, depreciation,
amortisation, share based payment charge and adjusting items is a
non-GAAP metric used by management and is not an IFRS
disclosure.
All results derive from continuing
operations.
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL
POSITION
|
|
As at 30
|
As at
30
|
As at
31
|
|
June 2024
|
June
2023
|
December
2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current assets
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill and other intangible
assets
|
8
|
39,037
|
15,707
|
39,782
|
Property, plant and
equipment
|
|
5,620
|
3,203
|
5,982
|
Investments in equity-accounted joint
ventures
|
|
1,101
|
443
|
690
|
Other receivables
|
|
220
|
124
|
198
|
Deferred tax asset
|
|
37
|
651
|
24
|
Total non-current assets
|
|
46,015
|
20,128
|
46,676
|
Current assets
|
|
|
|
|
Trade and other
receivables
|
|
27,893
|
19,500
|
28,765
|
Current tax asset
|
|
-
|
--
|
62
|
Inventory
|
|
25
|
-
|
27
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
26,582
|
32,708
|
15,800
|
Total current assets
|
|
54,500
|
52,208
|
44,654
|
Total assets
|
|
100,515
|
72,336
|
91,330
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity
|
|
|
|
|
Called up share capital
|
|
209
|
207
|
207
|
Share premium reserve
|
|
28,993
|
28,993
|
28,993
|
Accumulated exchange
differences
|
|
(1,118)
|
(49)
|
(1,053)
|
Retained earnings
|
|
42,393
|
32,453
|
37,006
|
Total equity
|
|
70,477
|
61,604
|
65,153
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Non-current lease
liability
|
9
|
2,291
|
1,428
|
2,975
|
Provisions
|
|
479
|
502
|
446
|
Non-current contingent
consideration
|
11
|
3,849
|
-
|
6,523
|
Deferred tax liability
|
|
1,003
|
445
|
556
|
Total non-current
liabilities
|
|
7,622
|
2,375
|
10,500
|
Current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
Current lease liability
|
9
|
2,555
|
1,334
|
2,507
|
Trade and other payables
|
|
13,112
|
6,077
|
8,906
|
Contingent consideration
|
11
|
6,423
|
-
|
3,016
|
Current tax liabilities
|
|
326
|
946
|
1,248
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
22,416
|
8,357
|
15,677
|
Total liabilities
|
|
30,038
|
10,732
|
26,177
|
Total equity and liabilities
|
|
100,515
|
72,336
|
91,330
|
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN
EQUITY
|
Share
capital
|
Share
premium
|
Accumulated exchange
differences
|
Retained
earnings
|
Total
Equity
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
Balance as at 1 January 2023
|
206
|
28,993
|
29
|
31,998
|
61,226
|
Loss for the financial
period
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(1,724)
|
(1,724)
|
Currency translation differences (net
of tax)
|
-
|
-
|
(78)
|
-
|
(78)
|
Total comprehensive loss for the period
|
-
|
-
|
(78)
|
(1,724)
|
(1,802)
|
Issue of shares in the
period
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
Share based payments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2,178
|
2,178
|
Deferred tax on share
options
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
Total transactions with owners, recognised directly in
equity
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
2,179
|
2,180
|
As
at 30 June 2023 (unaudited)
|
207
|
28,993
|
(49)
|
32,453
|
61,604
|
Profit for the financial
period
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3,390
|
3,390
|
Currency translation differences (net
of tax)
|
-
|
-
|
(1,004)
|
-
|
(1,004)
|
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the
period
|
-
|
-
|
(1,004)
|
3,390
|
2,386
|
Share based payments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1,675
|
1,675
|
Equity settled share options switched
to cash settled
share
options
-
|
-
|
-
|
(494)
|
(494)
|
Deferred tax on share
options
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(18)
|
(18)
|
Total transactions with owners, recognised directly in
equity
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1,163
|
1,163
|
As
at 31 December 2023 and 1 January 2024
(audited)
|
207
|
28,993
|
(1,053)
|
37,006
|
65,153
|
Profit for the financial
period
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4,815
|
4,815
|
Currency translation differences (net
of tax)
|
-
|
-
|
(65)
|
-
|
(65)
|
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the
period
|
-
|
-
|
(65)
|
4,815
|
4,750
|
Issue of shares in the
period
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
Share based payments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
565
|
565
|
Deferred tax on share
options
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
7
|
Total transactions with owners, recognised directly in
equity
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
572
|
574
|
Balance as at 30 June 2024 (unaudited)
|
209
|
28,993
|
(1,118)
|
42,393
|
70,477
|
UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH
FLOWS
|
Period ended 30 June
2024
|
Period
ended 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Net
cash flow from operating activities
|
|
|
|
Profit/(loss) for the financial
period/year
|
4,815
|
(1,724)
|
1,666
|
Income tax
|
2,247
|
553
|
4,271
|
Net interest expense
|
622
|
3
|
459
|
Share of post-tax (profits)/losses of
equity accounted joint venture
|
(411)
|
(84)
|
(331)
|
Operating profit
|
7,273
|
(1,252)
|
6,065
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciation charge
|
1,212
|
911
|
2,088
|
Amortisation of intangible
assets
|
1,193
|
507
|
1,369
|
Asset impairment and release of
related liabilities
|
-
|
-
|
318
|
Share based payments
|
565
|
2,178
|
3,853
|
Gain on disposal of property, plant
and equipment
|
-
|
-
|
(30)
|
Provisions
|
9
|
(38)
|
-
|
Decrease/(increase) in trade and
other receivables
|
1,055
|
1,394
|
(4,151)
|
Increase in trade and other
payables
|
4,206
|
1,786
|
588
|
Cash
generated/(used) from operations
|
15,513
|
5,486
|
10,100
|
Tax paid
|
(2,666)
|
(192)
|
(2,898)
|
Net
cash generated from/(used in) operating
activities
|
12,847
|
5,294
|
7,202
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
flows from investing activities
|
|
|
|
Purchase of intangible
assets
|
(356)
|
(798)
|
(1,045)
|
Purchase of property, plant and
equipment
|
(327)
|
(191)
|
(954)
|
Stamp duty paid
|
-
|
-
|
(26)
|
Acquisition of subsidiary, net of
cash acquired
|
-
|
-
|
(17,580)
|
Net
cash used in investing activities
|
(683)
|
(989)
|
(19,605)
|
Cash
flows from financing activities
|
|
|
|
Shares issued
|
(2)
|
-
|
-
|
Lease payments
|
(1,294)
|
(750)
|
(1,323)
|
Lease deposits paid
|
-
|
-
|
(23)
|
Lease deposits received
|
-
|
-
|
544
|
Proceeds from share issue
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
Interest received
|
140
|
-
|
-
|
Interest paid
|
(134)
|
(50)
|
(142)
|
Net
cash used in financing activities
|
(1,290)
|
(800)
|
(943)
|
Net
increase/ (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
10,874
|
3,505
|
(13,346)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at the
beginning of the period
|
15,800
|
29,268
|
29,268
|
Effect of exchange rate changes on
cash and cash equivalents
|
(92)
|
(65)
|
(122)
|
Cash
and cash equivalents at the end of the period
|
26,582
|
32,708
|
15,800
|
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
1.
General Information
The principal activity of LBG Media
plc ('the Company') is that of a holding company and the principal
activity of the Company and its subsidiaries ('the Group') is that
of an online media publisher. The Company was incorporated on 20
October 2021 and is a public company limited by shares registered
in England & Wales. The registered office of the Company is 20
Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1EZ. The Company registration number is
13693251. The Company is listed on the AIM of the London Stock
Exchange.
A copy of the audited annual
statutory accounts for the Group and the Half Yearly report can be
found on the Company's website: https://lbgmedia.co.uk.
2.
Basis of preparation
The interim financial information of
the Group for the six months ended 30 June 2024, which is
unaudited, has been prepared in accordance with the recognition and
measurement principles of International Financial Reporting
Standards ('IFRS') and the accounting policies adopted by the Group
and set out in the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the
year ended 31 December 2023. The Directors do not anticipate any
changes in these accounting policies for the period ended 30
September 2024.
The unaudited interim financial
information has been prepared on a going concern basis under the
historical cost convention. The unaudited interim financial
information is presented in pounds sterling and all values are
rounded to the nearest thousand pounds (£'000), except where
otherwise indicated. The interim financial information, including
for the year ended 31 December 2023, does not constitute statutory
accounts for the purposes of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006.
The statutory accounts for the year ended 31 December 2023 have
been delivered to the Registrar of Companies and the auditor's
report on those accounts was unqualified, did not draw attention to
any matters by way of emphasis, and did not contain a statement
under 498(2) or 498(3) of the Companies Act 2006.
This unaudited interim financial
information has been prepared in accordance with the requirements
of the AIM Rules for Companies and in accordance with this basis of
preparation.
3.
Revenue
The trading operations of the Group
are in the online media publishing industry and are all
continuing.
Analysis of revenue
The Group's revenue and operating
profit relate entirely to its principal
activity.
The analysis of revenue by stream
is:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Direct
|
21,984
|
11,464
|
Indirect
|
19,662
|
15,321
|
Other
|
629
|
462
|
|
42,275
|
27,247
|
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
4.
Net operating expenses
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Employee benefit expense
|
18,167
|
15,839
|
Amortisation
|
1,193
|
507
|
Depreciation
|
1,212
|
911
|
Auditor's remuneration
|
233
|
155
|
Legal and professional
|
1,336
|
911
|
Media costs
|
3,649
|
2,854
|
Production costs
|
3,607
|
2,152
|
Travel and expenses
|
691
|
672
|
Establishment costs
|
4,073
|
3,136
|
Foreign currency (gain) /
loss
|
16
|
238
|
Adjusting items
|
-
|
670
|
Other expenses
|
825
|
454
|
Total net operating expenses
|
35,002
|
28,499
|
A breakdown of adjusting items has
been provided below:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Costs associated with business
reorganisations
|
-
|
273
|
One-off retention payment in
2023
|
-
|
272
|
Acquisition related fees
|
-
|
124
|
Total adjusting items
|
-
|
669
|
During the prior period, the Group
incurred £0.3m in redundancy costs from business reorganisations,
made a one-off retention payment to employees following a
reorganisation in late 2022 to address retention risks, and
incurred £0.1m in legal and advisory fees related to acquisition
activity.
5.
Net finance costs
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Unwinding of discount on
provisions
|
(10)
|
(8)
|
Unwinding of discount on contingent
consideration liability
|
(667)
|
-
|
On lease liabilities
|
(135)
|
(50)
|
Finance costs
|
(812)
|
(58)
|
|
|
|
Unwinding of discounts on
deposits
|
5
|
55
|
Bank interest received
|
185
|
-
|
Finance income
|
190
|
55
|
Net
finance costs
|
(622)
|
(3)
|
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
6.
Income tax expense
Tax expense/(credit) included in
consolidated statement of comprehensive income:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Current year tax:
|
|
|
Current taxation charge for the
period
|
1,822
|
856
|
Adjustments in respect of prior
periods
|
(15)
|
72
|
Total current tax
|
1,807
|
928
|
Deferred tax:
|
|
|
Current period
|
444
|
(506)
|
Effect of change in tax
rates
|
-
|
13
|
Adjustments in respect of prior
periods
|
(4)
|
118
|
Total deferred tax
|
440
|
(375)
|
|
|
|
Total tax on profit on ordinary activities
|
2,247
|
553
|
Equity items
|
|
|
Current tax
|
-
|
-
|
Deferred tax
|
(7)
|
(1)
|
Total tax recognised in equity
|
(7)
|
(1)
|
Reconciliation of tax charge
The tax assessed for the year is
higher (2023: higher) than at the standard rate of corporation tax
in the UK. The differences are explained below:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
Profit/(loss) before taxation
|
7,062
|
(1,171)
|
Tax on profit/(loss) multiplied by
standard rate of corporation tax in the UK at 25% (2023: 22%)
|
1,766
|
(258)
|
Effects of:
|
|
|
Adjustments in respect of prior
periods
|
(19)
|
190
|
Expenses not deductible
|
209
|
558
|
Non-taxable income
|
(103)
|
(14)
|
Effect of change in UK tax
rates
|
-
|
13
|
Effects of overseas tax
rates
|
78
|
(117)
|
Exempt items
|
-
|
19
|
Amounts not recognised
|
121
|
175
|
FX
|
-
|
(12)
|
Share valuation
|
195
|
(1)
|
Total taxation charge/(credit)
|
2,247
|
553
|
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
7.
Earnings per share
There is no difference between
profit as disclosed within the statement of comprehensive income
and earnings used within the earnings per share calculation for the
reporting periods.
Basic earnings per share
calculation:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Earnings per share from continuing
operations
|
|
|
|
Earnings, £'000
|
4,815
|
(1,724)
|
1,666
|
Number of shares, number
|
209,079,740
|
206,458,742
|
206,542,642
|
Earnings per share, pence
|
2.3
|
(0.8)
|
0.8
|
Diluted earnings per share
calculation:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Diluted earnings per share from continuing
operations
|
|
|
|
Earnings, £'000
|
4,815
|
(1,724)
|
1,666
|
Number of shares, number
|
219,145,721
|
217,777,464
|
217,710,005
|
Diluted earnings per share, pence
|
2.2
|
(0.8)
|
0.8
|
Reconciliation from weighted average
number of shares used in basic earnings per share to diluted
earnings per share:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Number of shares in issue at the start of the
period
|
206,542,642
|
205,714,289
|
205,714,289
|
Effect of shares issued in
period
|
2,537,098
|
744,453
|
828,353
|
Weighted average number of shares
used in basic earnings per share
|
209,079,740
|
206,458,742
|
206,542,642
|
Employee share options
|
10,065,981
|
11,318,722
|
11,167,363
|
Weighted average number of shares used in diluted earnings per
share
|
219,145,721
|
217,777,464
|
217,710,005
|
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
8.
Goodwill and other intangible assets
|
Trade-marks &
licenses
|
Software
|
Relation-ships
|
Brand
|
Content
library
|
Goodwill
|
Social media
pages
|
Total
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
Cost
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1
January 2023
|
28
|
1,183
|
1,300
|
4,694
|
300
|
10,094
|
1,074
|
18,673
|
Additions
|
-
|
340
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
458
|
798
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(11)
|
-
|
-
|
(14)
|
(25)
|
At
30 June 2023
|
28
|
1,523
|
1,300
|
4,683
|
300
|
10,094
|
1,518
|
19,446
|
Additions
|
-
|
184
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
63
|
247
|
Acquired through business
combinations
|
-
|
-
|
3,850
|
6,744
|
-
|
15,197
|
-
|
25,791
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
(164)
|
(283)
|
-
|
(646)
|
(7)
|
(1,100)
|
At
31 December 2023
|
28
|
1,707
|
4,986
|
11,144
|
300
|
24,645
|
1,574
|
44,384
|
Additions
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
356
|
356
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
90
|
-
|
90
|
At
30 June 2024
|
28
|
1,707
|
4,986
|
11,144
|
300
|
24,735
|
1,930
|
44,830
|
Accumulated Amortisation
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 1
January 2023
|
27
|
359
|
550
|
1,949
|
298
|
-
|
54
|
3,237
|
Charge for the year
|
-
|
90
|
65
|
256
|
2
|
-
|
94
|
507
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(4)
|
-
|
-
|
(1)
|
(5)
|
At
30 June 2023
|
27
|
449
|
615
|
2,201
|
300
|
-
|
147
|
3,739
|
Charge for the year
|
-
|
176
|
160
|
386
|
-
|
-
|
140
|
862
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
(1)
|
1
|
At
31 December 2023
|
27
|
625
|
775
|
2,589
|
300
|
-
|
286
|
4,602
|
Charge for the year
|
-
|
166
|
65
|
860
|
-
|
-
|
102
|
1,193
|
Exchange adjustments
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(2)
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
(2)
|
At
30 June 2024
|
27
|
791
|
840
|
3,447
|
300
|
-
|
388
|
5,793
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net
book value
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At 30 June 2023
|
1
|
1,074
|
685
|
2,482
|
-
|
10,094
|
1,371
|
15,707
|
At 31 December 2023
|
1
|
1,082
|
4,211
|
8,555
|
-
|
24,645
|
1,288
|
39,782
|
At
30 June 2024
|
1
|
916
|
4,146
|
7,697
|
-
|
24,735
|
1,542
|
39,037
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
9.
Borrowings
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Current
|
|
|
|
Lease liabilities
|
2,555
|
1,334
|
2,507
|
|
2,555
|
1,334
|
2,507
|
Non-current
|
|
|
|
Lease liabilities
|
2,291
|
1,428
|
2,975
|
|
2,291
|
1,428
|
2,975
|
Total borrowings
|
4,846
|
2,762
|
5,482
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Amount repayable
|
|
|
|
Within one year
|
2,555
|
1,334
|
2,507
|
In more than one year but less than
two years
|
1,144
|
1,131
|
1,678
|
In more than two years but less than
three years
|
738
|
297
|
580
|
In more than three years but less
than four years
|
331
|
-
|
484
|
In more than four years but less than
five years
|
78
|
-
|
233
|
|
4,846
|
2,762
|
5,482
|
During the period to 30 June 2024,
£1,294k (HY23: £750k) was paid by the Group in relation to lease
payments and £134k (HY23: £50k) of interest paid in relation to
leases.
10.
Share based payments
The Group operates a number of Share
Option Schemes under which Executive Directors, Non-Executive
Directors, managers and team members of the Group are granted
options over shares. The Group did not enter into any share based
payment transactions with other parties other than employees during
the current or prior period.
The charge recognised from
equity-settled share-based payments in respect of employee services
received during the year is £539k (HY23:
£2,178k).
The charge recognised from
cash-settled share-based payments in respect of employee services
received during the year is £26k (HY23: £nil).
NOTES TO THE UNAUDITED INTERIM FINANCIAL
INFORMATION (continued)
11.
Contingent consideration
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
At beginning of the period
|
9,539
|
-
|
-
|
Recognition on the acquisition of
subsidiary undertakings
|
-
|
-
|
9,634
|
Unwinding of
discount1
|
668
|
-
|
314
|
Exchange adjustment
|
65
|
-
|
(409)
|
At
period end
|
10,272
|
-
|
9,539
|
|
|
|
|
Analysed as:
|
|
|
|
Amounts falling due within 12
months
|
6,423
|
-
|
3,016
|
Amounts falling due after one
year
|
3,849
|
-
|
6,523
|
At
period end
|
10,272
|
-
|
9,539
|
1 The discount rate used for
the unwinding of the contingent consideration is
17.6%.
The contingent consideration is in
respect of the acquisition of Betches Media, LLC on 17 October
2023. Refer to the 2023 annual report for further
details.
Since the contingent consideration
is payable in stages, it was discounted to fair value on the
acquisition date and subsequently unwound to profit and loss.
Contingent consideration of $4m for the first tranche of Earnout 1
was paid in July 2024 as a result of the 2023 performance target
being achieved.
12.
Related party transactions
The following transactions were
carried out with related parties:
|
6 months to 30 June
2024
|
6 months
to 30 June 2023
|
Year ended
31 December 2023
|
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
£'000
|
|
(unaudited)
|
(unaudited)
|
(audited)
|
Entity controlled by key management
personnel
|
|
|
|
Purchase of services (1)
|
242
|
135
|
161
|
Tax settlement on behalf of Director
(2)
|
-
|
-
|
(67)
|
|
242
|
135
|
94
|
1) Services are
purchased from Kamani Commercial Property Ltd (an entity controlled
by a significant shareholder) on normal commercial terms and
conditions. Kamani Commercial Property Ltd is a firm belonging to
Mahmud Abdullah Kamani, a former Director of the Group. The Group
leases the Manchester Dale Street properties from Kamani Commercial
Property Ltd. The 'purchase of services' in the table above relates
to the payments made in the year for the Dale Street properties for
both rent and service charges. Payments made to 30 June 2024
totalled £242k (31 December 2023: £161k, 30 June 2023: £135k). The
amount outstanding of the lease liability as at 30 June 2024 is
£1,258k (31 December 2023: £1,296k, 30 June 2023: £nil). The
outstanding service charge balance at 30 June 2024 is £17k (31
December 2023: £17k, 30 June 2023: £nil) and outstanding property
insurance is £nil (31 December 2023: £nil, 30 June 2023:
£nil).
2)
In 2022, the Group agreed to pay a £224k PAYE liability relating to
an undisclosed benefit in kind. In 2023, after an agreement with
HMRC, the liability was reduced by £67k and fully settled within
the year.
ALTERNATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES (APMs) and GLOSSARY OF
TERMS
Introduction
In the reporting of financial
information, the Directors have adopted various Alternative
Performance Measures (APMs) of financial performance, position or
cash flows other than those defined or specified under
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). These measures
are not defined by IFRS and therefore may not be directly
comparable with other companies' APMs, including those in the
Group's industry. APMs should be considered in addition to IFRS
measures and are not intended to be a substitute for IFRS
measurements.
Purpose
The Directors believe that these
APMs provide additional useful information on the underlying
performance and position of LBG Media plc. APMs are also used to
enhance the comparability of information between reporting periods
by adjusting for non-recurring or uncontrollable factors which
affect IFRS measures, to aid the user in understanding LBG Media
plc's performance. Consequently, APMs are used by the Directors and
management for performance analysis, planning, reporting and
incentive-setting purposes and have remained consistent with prior
year.
The key APMs that the Group has
focused on this period are as follows:
Adjusted
EBITDA
|
This profit measure shows the
Group's Earnings before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and
Amortisation adjusted for asset gains and losses, share based
payments (including employers NIC as appropriate) and adjusting
items.
Adjusted EBITDA is used for
internal performance analysis to assess the execution of our
strategies. Management believe that this adjusted measure is an
appropriate metric to understand the underlying performance of the
Group.
|
A glossary of other terms used in
the interim financial information can be found below:
Web sessions
|
Web sessions are unique
interactions with our website in the six months to the end of June
2024.
|
Organic Growth
|
Organic growth excludes the impact
of the Betches acquisition.
|
Global audience
|
Includes global social media
platform followers, unique podcast listeners and global monthly
online users to LBG Media websites.
|
Repeat client revenue
|
Repeat client revenue represents
percentage of HY24 Direct revenue from clients that ran campaigns
with us in 2022 and 2023.
|
AIM
|
The Alternative Investment Market
(AIM) is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange.
|
Bookings
|
Bookings represents year-on-year
movement in future value of contracts won
|
Multi-channel
|
Refers to the Group's portfolio of
brands.
|
Reach
|
Reach is the total number of people
who viewed our content within a particular time period.
|
Engagements
|
The measurement of a like, share or
comment on social media platforms.
|
Web yield
|
Daily web sessions reflect unique
individual interactions with our website. Yield per session is per
1,000 sessions.
|
Cash conversion
|
Cash conversion is calculated as
operating cash flow divided by adjusted EBITDA.
|
ANZ
|
Refers to the Group's operations in
Australia and New Zealand.
|