Report on operations
Class Editori S.p.A.
and subsidiaries
Registered office, 5, Via Marco Burigozzo, Milan
Notes to the consolidated accounts for the period ending
31 March 2007
The quarterly report is drawn up on a consolidated basis since the company is obliged to produce consolidated accounts.
ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES
The accounting principles adopted when drawing up the consolidated quarterly financial statements and figures are the same as those used when drafting the consolidated financial statements for the previous financial period. The current consolidated quarterly financial position is drawn up using the historical-cost convention, except for financial instruments classified as available for sale that are carried at fair value.
Figures for the comparative period are also stated in accordance with IFRS. The quarterly report as at March 2007 has been prepared in accordance with Article 82 of Consob Regulations no. 11971/1999 (as modified by resolution no. 14990 of 14 April 2005) and annex 3D of the Regulation itself.
All the information, both for the consolidated financial statements of the group and that the parent company Class Editori S.p.A., has been published in when preparing the quarterly report for 2006 and the annual financial statements as at 31.12.2006, to which reference is made.
SCOPE OF CONSOLIDATION
'The scope of consolidation includes the Parent Company Class Editori S.p.A. and the companies in which it holds a controlling interest, i.e. the power to decide the financial and management policies of a business in order to obtain benefits from its activities.
Subsidiaries are consolidated with effect from the date on which control is actually handed over to the Group and stop being consolidated as from the date on which control passes to a party not belonging to the Group.
Subsidiaries are consolidated using the line-by-line consolidation method. Consolidated figures were calculated by using the balance sheets and profit and loss accounts of associated and subsidiary companies, prepared by the individual companies as at the accounting reference date having been suitably reclassified and adjusted in order to reflect the application of uniform accounting principles implemented by the Group.
In drawing up the consolidated quarterly financial statements all intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated, as have unrealised losses and gains on intercompany transactions.
Subsidiaries that are dormant or undergoing liquidation are consolidated using the net equity method. In any event, they have a minimal effect on the Group result.
Investments in associates, i.e. in which the Group has significant influence, are valued using the net equity method as defined by IAS 28. Gains or losses attributable to the Group appear in the consolidated financial statements with effect from the date on which the significant influence began up until the date on which it ceases.
Details follow of the Publisher's scope of consolidation as at 31 March 2007: Global integration method
Percentage of
Ownership - Milano Finanza Editori S.p.A.
and subsidiaries:
87.827 % - Milano Finanza Servizi Editoriali S.r.l. 99.00 %
- MF Editori S.r.l. 100.00 %
- Lombard Editori S.r.l. 50.10 %
- PMF News Editori S.p.A. (formerly Capitale Sud Editori S.p.A.)
89.00 %
- Campus Editori S.r.l. 70.00 %
- Milano Finanza Service S.r.l. 75.01 %
- Edis S.r.l. 99.50 %
- MF Conference S.r.l. 51.00 %
- DP Analisi Finanziaria S.r.l. 94.73 %
- EX.CO S.r.l. 100.00 %
- Class Editori Service S.p.A. (formerly MF Interactive TV S.p.A.) 100.00 % - (directly 80%) - (through E-Class 20%) - Classpi S.p.A. and subsidiaries: - Class Click S.p.A.
51.00 100.00
% % - E-Class S.p.A. (formerly Tenfore Italia S.p.A.) 100.00 %
- Global Finance Media Inc. 73.52 %
- Class CNBC S.p.A. * 3.69 %
- CFN/CNBC B.V. 68.43 %
- Radio Classica S.r.l. 99.00 %
- Fainex S.p.A. 99.89 %
MF Dow Jones News S.r.l. α 50.00 %
Telesia S.p.A. α
and subsidiaries:
- Telesia Pubblicità S.r.l. (ex. Italnetwork S.r.l.)
50.00 100.00
% %
- Country Class Editori S.r.l. 90.00 %
- New Satellite Radio S.r.l. 67.66 %
- Fashion Work Business Club S.r.l. 80.00 %
* Consolidated using the line-by-line method as it is 63.34% controlled by CFN CNBC Holding B.V.
Net equity method
The following Class Editori S.p.A. associated companies have been consolidated using the equity method
- Italia Oggi Editori - Erinne s.r.l. and subsidiaries
44.20 %
- Italia Oggi S.r.l. 100.00 %
- Class Professionale S.r.l (formerly BOL S.r.l.), through Erinne S.r.l
80.00 % directly as Class Editori S.p.A 20.00 %
--- Total 100.00 %
- WorldSpace Italia S.p.A.* 35.00 %
* the stake is held by New Satellite Radio S.r.l., in which Class Editori S.p.A. has 67.66% control.
There are no significant changes to the scope of consolidation compared to 31 December 2006.
COMMENTS REGARDING INCOME STATEMENT ITEMS
The main factors indicated in the financial statements that have characterised performance and contributed to the operating result in the first quarter of 2007 can be summarised as follows:
A slight increase in value of production for the period was registered (+1%) with respect to the same period for the previous year, with more than € 26 million in revenues.
Compared to the same period in 2006, a small decrease in sales at newsagents was also noted, due exclusively to the fact that the Milano Finanza series "I Grandi Classici dell'Economia" was launched during the first quarter of 2006, while in 2007 the launch of a series in conjunction with a newspaper has been scheduled for the following quarter this year. A slight decrease was also registered with respect to subscriptions financial information, due to a slight fall in turnover in the e-class area for the more mature products in the area.
A positive trend in advertising turnover - an increase of approximately 5% with respect to the same quarter in the previous year - allowed for a full recovery in revenues and a noteworthy consolidation of positive results for the Publisher.
A positive result was also registered in terms of a reduction in operating costs (which decreased in spite of the growth in revenues), resulting in an increase in EBITDA with respect to 2006 being entered into accounts.
Consolidated results for the group remain positive and have seen an improvement compared to the previous year, standing at € 539 thousand, equal to +8.4%.
MAIN ECONOMIC/FINANCIAL EVENTS DURING 2007
- During the financial year Class Editori communicated a decrease in its shareholding in New Satellite Radio S.r.l., (NSR) from 71.3% to 67.66%. It sold 3.64% of its share capital in Nsr to Telecom Italia S.p.A. The sale took place at price of € 2 million.
This was accompanied by the signing of a shareholders' agreement which, among other things, looks at a possible dilution of Class Editori holdings in NSR (provided it maintains absolute majority holdings), as a result of an increase in share capital reserved to the new shareholder, Telecom Italia.
Marketing activities for the satellite radio service, based on the model used by two NASDAQ-listed American giants - Xm and Sirius - will begin in 2008. Class Editori, apart from its shareholding in the World Space Italia through Nsr, will also be operating as a content provider for the radio channels; expected to be approximately 50 during this first phase.
- MF/Milano Finanza registered an average circulation for the period of approximately 113,000 copies (mobile ADS average) against 110,900 copies for the same period in 2006.
- The Publisher reconfirmed its leadership position in the sector for male periodicals with Class, with circulations figures of 84,000 copies, and Capital, which had a circulation of approximately 85,000 copies (ADS figures).
- On February 17 the English language paper, MF Fashion, was launched. It is the only daily English language newspaper on fashion to be published in Europe. The paper, entirely translated and with a layout expressly designed for electronic distribution, is sent each morning to a select mailing list of 4,500 internationally renowned operators in the sector.
As such, MF Fashion has become an ideal vehicle for companies seeking to communicate information on an international level, without dispersion and with the guarantee of reaching their target audience - comprised of some of the most important and influential professionals in the sector.
MF Fashion therefore allows companies to create individually based forms of communication, with the certainty of accessing a niche of clients with high added value as a result of the newspaper's mixed distribution: electronic, both for the English and Italian editions, and at newsagents.
- As of February 16, a new monthly magazine by Class Editori targeting a feminine readership and dedicated to "Women who Love Choosing", LUNA can be found at newsagents.
LUNA is aimed at upper middle class and upper class women between the ages of 28 and 48, who are unsatisfied with current magazines offers - incapable of fulfilling their needs in terms of tastes and information.
LUNA has returned to newsagents after a two month hiatus. It has been specifically designed to offer its readership all the information and opportunities it needs to make its own choices, with an approach to contents and investigative reports which is much more similar to magazines with a male readership. The magazine is ensured coverage of its target because it is sold in conjunction with ItaliaOggi - a newspaper for professional men and women, managers, and workers in the legal and economic sectors. It has a circulation of 90 thousand copies and a female readership of more than 35%.
- As of March 6 a new version of Campus - magazine enjoyed by university students for almost 20 years - can be found at newsagents in its free quality press version, with new graphics, a tabloid layout and wider distribution, which has been extended to cover universities in 10 of the largest cities in Italy.
- Class Editori and Thomson Financial, operative unit of The Thomson Corporation and leading company in the supply of technological and computerised solutions for the international financial community, have signed a strategic agreement for the creation of an MF/Thomson platform specifically focusing on the Italian financial community.
The work platform offers Italian and institutional investors and trading desks the most complete platform currently available, and was expressly studied to satisfy their needs. The new MF/Thomson workstation combines: analytical contents specifically developed for Italy and supplied by E-Class, with a global data offer by Thomson Financial, supplying an accurate and in-depth picture of figures in the most important international markets.
The first MF/Thomson platform is currently undergoing testing at a leading Italian bank. The workstation was chosen because, apart from its completeness and usability, it allows for significant economic advantages.
- In the first three months of the year, internet websites belonging to the Publisher registered a strong increase in single visits, totalling 430,000 visits by the end of March, +58% with respect to December 2006; proof of growing public interest in the multimedia contents of Class Editori.
- As of March of this year, the subsidiary Telesia started transmitting its own video-information services within the Rome metropolitan area, with the objective of covering 20 stations by the end of June of this year.
Revenues for period can be broken down as follows:
(amounts in thousands of euros)
31.03.2007 31.03.2006
. Revenues from newsagents 3,397 3,574 . Subscription revenues 7,171 7,383 . Advertising revenues 13,866 13,193 . Other revenues 1,790 1,822
Total 26,224 25,972
BALANCE SHEET
The balance sheet as at 31/03/2007 shows improved indebtedness of € 14.9 million that is broken down as follows:
(amounts in thousands of euros)
31.03.2007 31.03.2006 31.12.2006
Net long/medium-term indebtedness
(5,324) (4,910) (5,520)
Net short-term indebtedness / net short-term cash flows
(9,607) (3,827) (9,159)
Of which:
Borrowings (16,712) (9,160) (14,763)
Cash on hand and receivables 7,105 5,333 5,604
Net financial position:
Net indebtedness/net cash flows
(14,931) (8,737) (14,679)
Comments regarding the net financial position
The publisher's financial position set out in the statements for the period ending 31.3.2007 shows net indebtedness of € 14.9 million, mainly in line with the situation
Medium- and long-term indebtedness includes two long-term subsidised loans granted by Centrobanca with maturity in 2008 and 2011, whilst borrowings include stand-by loans and a hot money loan, used for less than half of the overall sum.
Short-term cash flows consist of bank overdrafts and shares in bond funds amounting to € 800 thousand .
STAFF
Averages for the period in question
31.03.2007 31.03.2006 31.12.2006 Managers 24 22 23 Journalists and FRT 135 122 131 Clerical staff 161 155 155 TOTAL 320 299 309 During the financial year the containment of staff continued through a rationalisation process that permitted targeted reinforcements in new development areas and maximum containment in mature business areas. The apparent overall increase was due to the transformation of coordinated and continuous collaboration contracts, projects and work experience contracts, excluded from previous counts, into fixed-term employment contracts and apprenticeships, included in the current count, as well as the effect of the inclusion in the consolidation area of County Class Editori S.r.l., which took place during the second half of 2006 and resulted in an increase in the labour force of 10 units. Apprenticeship contracts as at 31 March 2007 totalled 20 units while fixed-term contracts were equal to 66 units.
Significant post-balance sheet events
In April, Gentleman - a magazine by Milano Finanza - was sold at newsagents with a double number, together with Gentleman Real Estate. This is the first Italian magazine entirely dedicated to houses, homes, villas, offices and prestigious designs. Gentleman Real Estate offers a selection of properties on sale in Italy and around the world, acting as a sensible guide for all those looking to invest in bricks and mortar.
Generally speaking, current forecasts for 2007 see a moderately positive trend in advertising revenues as well as continued attention being paid to costs.
For the Board of Directors The Chairman Victor Uckmar
CLASS EDITORI S.p.A. and subsidiaries
Quarterly report 01.01.2007- 31.3.2007 Consolidated financial results
(Euros x 000)
PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT 31/03/06 31/03/07
REVENUES
Revenues from sales 25,350 25,477
Other operating revenues 622 747
Total revenues 25,972 26,224
COSTS
Operating costs 23,884 23,775
Gross operating profit - EBITDA 2,088 2,449
Amortisation, depreciation and
write-downs 1,940 2,149
Operating result - EBIT 148 300
Net financial income (charges) 39 (82)
Pre-tax profit 187 218
Third party (profit) losses before taxes 310 321
