Update on Ipsos activity during Covid-19 pandemic
26 Mai 2020 - 7:42PM
Update on Ipsos activity during Covid-19 pandemic
May 2020
Update on Ipsos activity during Covid-19
pandemic
Paris, 26 May 2020 – At the general meeting of shareholders, to
be held on the morning of Thursday May 28th in Paris, the General
Management of Ipsos will present the company’s activity as it has
been developing since March 2020.
On April 23rd, Ipsos published its First Quarter revenue, which
recorded a total growth of 1.5%, while indicating that it has been
"operating since the third week of March in a very different
market", marked by a steep decline in orders. The latter was
explained by an unprecedented and significant wave of postponements
and cancellations and the drop of new orders. In April 2020, the
net contract balance decreased year-on-year by more than 60%,
illustrating the brutal and massive consequences on the economic
activity of the pandemic and the lockdown.
May 2020 marks the beginning of the lockdown easing, at least in
the strictest form. Ipsos’ new orders, fueled partly by specific
projects linked to Covid-19, are close to last year's level even if
they will most likely remain slightly lower. Compared to April, the
book of orders is less impacted by cancellations and postponements
and should drop around 15% overall, a decrease 4 times lower than
that observed in April.
For the first five months of 2020, the book of orders shows a
decrease slightly above 10%. Over the same period, turnover has
followed a very similar trend, which is consistent with the outlook
at the beginning of the lockdown last March. It is too early to
measure what will be Ipsos' activity in 2020.
It is however encouraging to note that, beyond the specific
Covid-19 contracts won with public or private institutions, the
dialogue has continued between Ipsos teams and our main 25
international clients managed through the program “Ipsos Global
PartneRing”. With those clients, this resulted in orders higher for
the past two weeks than in the same weeks of the previous year.
This positive development follows a consecutive ten-week period of
decline.
Many of the companies Ipsos works with wish to strengthen their
innovation plans, have a better understanding of new customers’
behaviours and develop new communications. The market in which
Ipsos operates wakes up as the reopening progresses. Every
organisation, every institution needs to have fresh, relevant,
accurate, understandable information on what is happening in
Society, the new market developments and, ultimately, establish new
connections with people and various audiences.
The second quarter is of course difficult. Despite the
improvement of Ipsos’ performance in May, sales, income and margin
will be lower than in 2019. However, if continued in June, the
improvement of the activity in recent weeks should allow Ipsos to
improve its performance in the second half.
ABOUT IPSOS
Ipsos is the third largest market research company in the world,
present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and
scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that
provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions,
opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients,
customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on
primary data coming from our surveys, social media monitoring, and
qualitative or observational techniques.
“Game Changers” – our tagline – summarizes our ambition to help
our 5,000 clients navigate with confidence our world of rapid
change.
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris
since July 1, 1999.The company is part of the SBF 120 and the
Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service
(SRD).ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP
www.ipsos.com
- 26 May 2020 - Ipsos activity during Covid-19 Pandemic