AGM Statement

28 Jul 2005 12:00

Creston PLC28 July 2005 Date: 28 July 2005On behalf of: Creston Plc (the 'Company' or 'Group')Under embargo until 1200hrs Creston 2005AGM Trading Statement Today, Don Elgie, Chief Executive of Creston Plc, the marketing services group,said: "I'm pleased to tell you that trading in the first quarter is comfortably aheadof the same period last year and is in line with Directors' expectations. "The integration of DLKW has gone very well and business performance is strongwith wins like the AA and General Motors Vectra for Europe. Even though onlyacquired on 7 July, Red Door Communications has already won additional businessfrom its pharmaceutical clients and won the Best Media Relations Campaign forthe second year running at the Communique Healthcare Awards on 19 July 2005." For further information: Creston Plc 020 7930 9757Don Elgie Redleaf Communications Limited 020 7955 1410Emma Kane/Miranda Good About Creston Plc Creston is fully listed on the London Stock Exchange under CRE.LN. Additionalinformation is available on www.creston.com. Creston's audited results for theyear to 31 March 2005 were released on 22 June 2005, showing a 68% rise in PBTto £3.5million (2004: £2.1million) and a 25% rise in diluted EPS to 10.56 (2004:8.47). Creston's strategy is to build a diversified international marketing servicesgroup through a combination of organic growth and selective acquisitions. TheBoard's aim is to identify synergistic benefits between currently independentmarketing services companies offering premium services such as market research,direct marketing, advertising, PR and other areas of marketing communications. Since January 2001, when the Company was repositioned as a marketing servicesgroup, Creston has made seven significant acquisitions, which have demonstratedgrowth despite challenging market conditions: January 2001 Acquisition of Marketing Sciences Limited, an international quantitative and qualitative market research company, based in WinchesterNovember 2001 Acquisition of The Real Adventure Marketing Communications Limited, a national direct marketing and CRM company, based in BathDecember 2002 Acquisition of EMO Group Limited, a national channel marketing communications company, based in Swindon and BristolOctober 2003 Acquisition of Nelson Bostock Communications Limited, a London based public relations agencySeptember 2004 Acquisition of CML Research Limited, a London based qualitative market research businessMarch 2005 Acquisition of DLKW Group, a London based advertising and communications groupJuly 2005 Acquisition of Red Door Communications Ltd, a London based specialist healthcare PR agency This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange