Friday preview: WPP set for strong rebound

Advertising giant WPP invariably announces its results on a Friday, traditionally a quiet day for results, which ensures its figures get their share of the limelight. As an advertising company, it knows the value of getting exposure.The expectations are that the firm will be glad of the publicity, as results are set to show a sharp improvement from 2009. ITV's results earlier this week indicated that advertising revenues are on the up, and it is not just in the UK where they have been recovering; WPP is likely to see the fastest rebound in North America, followed by the UK."Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East are expected to have made good progress," according to broker Charles Stanley, but growth in western Europe may have been more pedestrian. The broker is predicting revenue of £9.20bn, up from £8.68bn in 2009, which puts it pretty much in line with market consensus of £9.24bn. Charles Stanley has pencilled in £1,030m for profit before tax, up from £812m in 2009, and comfortably ahead of the consensus figure of £979m.The broker reckons earnings per share will rise from 44.4p in 2009 to 57.0p (consensus: 56p) and the full year dividend will be bumped up to 17.8p from 15.5p."Outlook comments from chief executive, Sir Martin Sorrell, will be closely analysed. At the time of the third quarter results in late October, Sorrell was relatively optimistic about the outlook for advertising markets in 2011, with global GNP [gross national product] growth expected to be similar to the c.4% delivered in 2010. He is likely, however, to highlight risks surrounding Eurozone sovereign debt, the shape of US economic recovery and political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa,"w Charles Stanley reckons.Current guidance for 2011 is like for like revenue growth of 3-4% and a further improvement of half a percentage point in operating margin.INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEClyde Process Solutions, CPL Resources, Daejan Holdings, Latchways, Mattioli WoodsFINALSCharlemagne Capital Ltd., Just Car Clinics Group, Quadnetics Group, WPPIMSSSThreeEGMSIGas Energy, M&G Equity Inv Trust Income Shares, MeDaVinci, OptareAGMSNoventa Ltd.FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATEAsset Management Investment Co, Treatt