Five Year Summary
Part A
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
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| Sales | |||||
| Continuing operations | 1,193.8 | 1,413.3 | 1,687.1 | 2,048.9 | 2,293.1 |
| Discontinued operations | 676.3 | 136.8 | 143.3 | 137.1 | - |
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| 1,870.1 | 1,550.1 | 1,830.4 | 2,186.0 | 2,293.1 | |
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| Profits* | |||||
| Information | 28.9 | 54.7 | 67.6 | 88.2 | 107.0 |
| Education | 53.6 | 43.8 | 22.9 | 60.2 | 60.5 |
| Entertainment | 66.5 | 128.7 | 108.5 | (41.6) | 112.6 |
| Investment Banking | 36.4 | 30.2 | 39.9 | 40.8 | 43.1 |
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| Continuing operations | 185.4 | 257.4 | 238.9 | 147.6 | 323.2 |
| Discontinued operations | 30.7 | 15.0 | 20.7 | 33.7 | - |
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| Operating profit | 216.1 | 272.4 | 259.6 | 181.3 | 323.2 |
| Profit/(loss) on sale of fixed assets | 4.4 | 26.4 | 123.4 | (14.1) | 23.0 |
| Profit/(loss) on sale of businesses | (68.4) | 15.2 | 6.0 | 229.4 | (180.3) |
| Provision on investment in BSkyB | 71.4 | - | - | - | - |
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| Profit before interest | 223.5 | 314.0 | 389.0 | 396.6 | 165.9 |
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| Net interest payable | (14.9) | (16.2) | (23.9) | (29.5) | (37.3) |
| Loan stock redemption premium | - | - | - | (10.3) | - |
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| Profit before taxation | 208.6 | 297.8 | 365.1 | 356.8 | 128.6 |
| Taxation | (60.3) | (74.3) | (92.8) | (108.6) | (88.6) |
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| Profit after taxation | 148.3 | 223.5 | 272.3 | 248.2 | 40.0 |
| Equity minority interests | (0.3) | (0.6) | (11.3) | (7.7) | (1.7) |
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| Profit for financial year | 148.0 | 222.9 | 261.0 | 240.5 | 38.3 |
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| Earnings per equity share | 27.0p | 40.4p | 47.1p | 42.9p | 6.7p |
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| Adjusted earnings per equity share** | 27.9p | 34.1p | 28.8p | 30.6p | 34.9p |
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| Dividends per equity share | 13.0p | 15.0p | 16.5p | 18.0p | 19.5p |
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Note:
* 'Corporate expenses less other incomes have been allocated to profit
centres and, accordingly, prior year figures have been restated (see note
note 2)
** Adjusted in accordance with "Consolidated
Profit and Loss Account"
Part B
| 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | |
| Capital employed | |||||
| Net assets | 1,00.1 | 1,051.9 | 855.4 | 392.3 | 156.0 |
| Deferred tax and other provisions | 67.6 | 233.8 | 134.4 | 189.4 | 211.8 |
| Net debt | 1.3 | 146.4 | 63.4 | 430.4 | 707.1 |
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| 1,069.0 | 1,432.1 | 1,053.2 | 1,012.1 | 1,074.9 | |
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| Culmulative goodwill written off | 700.2 | 1,042.5 | 1,437.8 | 1,896.4 | 2,161.9 |
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| Gearing | |||||
| Debt / equity | N/A | 14% | 7% | 110% | 453% |
| Debt / adjusted equity (including goodwill) | N/A | 7% | 3% | 19% | 31% |
| Interest cover | 15 times | 17 times | 11 times | 6 times | 9 times |
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| Share statistics | |||||
| Equity shares - weighted average | 547.6m | 551.6m | 554.4m | 560.8m | 573.1m |
| Share price - year end | 608p | 555p | 624p | 750p | 791p |
| Share price - high | 614p | 725p | 684p | 760p | 849p |
| Share price - low | 356p | 554p | 543p | 601p | 665p |
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| Average number employed | |||||
| Continuing operations | 11,823 | 13,562 | 16,008 | 17,383 | 18,306 |
| Discontinued operations | 15,453 | 3,653 | 3,414 | 2,564 | - |
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| 27,276 | 17,215 | 19,422 | 19,947 | 18,306 | |
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