Interim report January-June 2011
Johan Lindgren, Eniro’s President and CEO, comments on the Interim report Jan-Jun 2011
Eniro is now half way through the turnaround plan that was set in fall 2010. Similar to other media companies, Eniro finds itself in a process of change caused by the transition from printed to digital media. However, compared with similar companies, we have made significant progress in that printed media currently accounts for a low percentage of our revenues.
Our overall objective continues to be to turn around the negative revenue trend by increasing the attractiveness of our core services, broadening the offer and improving our sales efficiency, while implementing cost adjustments. We continued our work according to this plan in the second quarter. The organic revenue decline during the second quarter amounted to 8 percent, an improvement compared with the first quarter. Profitability was also improved and in Voice the EBITDA margin increased to 36 percent after a price increase in the Swedish operation.
Online revenues reported growth for the first time since 2009, organically online increased by 10 percent. The order intake for online services is also increasing. Mobile services remain the product with the highest growth rate for both sales and usage, and we have strong positions in the growing Scandinavian mobile advertising markets.
During the second quarter we made several improvements of our core services, resulting in higher usability and better quality of search, We have further introduced Proff in all of Scandinavia, differentiated the mobile offering and improved our online service in Poland. A key strategic move was made in May with the launch of Deals, signaling Eniro’s first ever participation in the transaction between buyer and seller. With our large and diversified customer base, high usage, strong brands and large sales force, we have an excellent starting point in the growing coupon market and we are very pleased with the Deals venture to date.
We are working on the challenge of improving our sales efficiency at the same time as the complexity of our product range is increasing. Several efficiency-enhancing measures have been taken. For example, our Swedish customer service center, which receives more than 1,000 calls a day, has started conducting sales activities, and the sales process in relation to certain customer segments has been partly automated.
The rate of saving has exceeded plans and we increase the target for this year’s savings by SEK 50 M. In view of our current attractive product portfolio and good market conditions, we have at the same time decided to increase investments in additional sales personnel to enhance our sales activities during the second half of the year, primarily in search word marketing. We also expect increased costs for third party collaborations and increased investment in the mobile channel.
In line with our strategy of focusing on profitable core operations, Findexa Forlag, an operation in Norway that publishes a number of niche publications and has not been reporting profitability in recent years, was sold. The divestment will not have a significant impact on our operations.
The revenue forecast remains unchanged while the cost target for 2011 is increased. For 2011, a single-digit organic revenue decline is expected. We estimate an organic improvement in the third quarter and a decline in the fourth quarter, which has more scheduled print publications. A turnaround to organic revenue growth is expected in 2012. Cost reductions are expected to total SEK 250 M in 2011. In 2012, the cost base is estimated to be reduced by an additional SEK 200 M.
Johan Lindgren,
President and CEO
Last updated:2011-07-15