Kantar announces record Q1 revenue

The results, which cover the first three months of 2022, show that revenue rose 6% year-on-year, with five of Kantar’s six divisions growing their revenue based on 2021’s figures.

However, Kantar’s operating loss rose to $60m from $42m in the same quarter in 2021, which the company blamed on events in Ukraine and Kantar’s suspension of its Russia operation, and also higher amortisation related to Numerator, which was purchased by Kantar last year.

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) margin was at 15.8% versus 14.5% in the first quarter of 2021 and are almost double that seen in the first quarter of 2019.

The latest quarter has also seen the proposed sale of Kantar Public and the acquisitions of artificial intelligence and analytics firms in Blackwood Seven and Qmee.

Chris Jansen, chief executive at Kantar, said: “We carried 2021’s momentum in to the first quarter of 2022. Top line results, with growth in all our core businesses, illustrates the value our clients find in partnering with us.

“This is a strong start to the year. We remain firmly on the path to making Kantar a much more focused, agile business increasingly capable of delivering better, differentiated solutions for our clients.”