Havas achieves record revenue in 2024, makes three acquisitions in 2025
Havas has recently released its latest financial results after being separated from its parent company Vivendi, showcasing a remarkable year of success with record earnings. The company reported an EBIT of €338 million (A$575 million) and made intentions clear to further advance its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) strategy, having already completed three acquisitions in the year 2025.
The acquisitions in 2025 included Spain’s CA Sports, US-based ecommerce media agency Channel Bakers, and Argentinian creative agency Don, in addition to the six acquisitions made in the previous year – Ledger Bennet, Wilderness, TED Consulting, Liquid, Hotglue, and DPMG. These acquisitions made a positive impact on net revenues, contributing +2.5% to reach €2.74 billion (A$4.67 billion), representing a 1.5% increase from the previous year. Despite organic revenues showing a decrease of 0.8% for the year, the company ended 2024 with net cash totaling €211 million (A$359 million), comfortably within the targeted range.
Looking ahead, Havas remains confident about its 2025 outlook, aiming for organic growth in net revenue exceeding 2% and an adjusted EBIT margin ranging between 12.5% and 13.5%. A proposed dividend payout of 8 cents per share is planned, offering a substantial 5.2% yield, pending approval at the upcoming General Shareholders’ Meeting.
To maximize shareholder value, Havas intends to implement a share buyback program for up to 10% of its capital and consolidate ten ordinary shares into one through a reverse share split. Havas, which was listed on Euronext Amsterdam in December 2024 post its spin-off from Vivendi SE, has seen notable client acquisitions including the Saudi Tourism Authority, LVMH Italy, Red Bull, National Association of Realtors, Diageo, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca.
The company is committed to its Converged strategy initiated in June 2024, with a planned investment of 400 million euros in data, technology, and AI from 2024 to 2027. Four new appointments, including François Laroze as Chief Operating Officer and Dan Hagen as Global Chief Data & Technology Officer, have been announced to further enhance the company’s capabilities.
Yannick Bolloré, the CEO and Chairman of Havas, expressed enthusiasm about the company’s growth potential in the evolving market landscape, emphasizing Havas’ strengths in creativity, talent, integrated services, and technology-driven solutions. He highlighted the successful financial performance and transformative initiatives undertaken in 2024, enabling Havas to maintain its position as a leading force in the marketing and communications industry.
Bolloré reaffirmed Havas’ commitment to driving profitable growth, capitalizing on emerging sectors such as digital, retail, customer experience, design, and strategic advisory services. By leveraging their core strengths and innovative solutions, Havas aims to excel as a trusted partner for clients, delivering value and driving success in line with their long-term objectives.
