RNS Number:2973I
Thomson Corporation
9 August 2001


( BW)(THOMSON-CORPORATION)(TOC.TO) Thomson Reports Second-Quarter 2001

Results


    Business Editors

    TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2001--

       (Unless otherwise stated, all amounts are in US dollars)


   The Thomson Corporation (TSE:TOC) today reported strong
second-quarter growth in revenues and operating profit, reflecting
solid core growth and the benefit of businesses acquired in 2000.

   Revenues from continuing operations, excluding disposals, were
$1.6 billion, an increase of 17% over the second quarter of 2000.
Operating profit grew 27% to $259 million.

   Earnings from continuing operations were $110 million, or $0.18
per common share, for the second quarter compared to $74 million, or
$0.12 per share, in the second quarter of 2000. These earnings reflect
a one-time gain associated with the sale of Jane's Information Group
in April 2001. Excluding one-time items, earnings from continuing
operations were $84 million, or $0.13 per share, for the second
quarter of 2001, compared with earnings of $56 million, or $0.09 per
share, for the same period a year ago.

   "As we stated in the first quarter, we are focused this year on
successfully integrating our recent acquisitions and leveraging our
expanded capabilities to generate growth. As our solid second-quarter
results demonstrate, we are delivering on these initiatives," stated
Richard J. Harrington, president and chief executive officer of The
Thomson Corporation. "While the slowing economy has begun to affect
some of the markets in which we do business, we continue to make good
progress in providing integrated workflow solutions to our customers
worldwide, helping drive both core revenue and EBITDA growth."

   Revenues from core operations, which exclude the impact of
acquisitions completed in 2000 and the first six months of 2001, grew
6% in constant currencies during the quarter, and core EBITDA
increased 11%.

   Electronic revenues accounted for 57% of revenues during the
quarter, while revenues derived from customers outside North America
accounted for 22% of sales.



   Second-Quarter Business Highlights:


       -   Double-digit growth in Westlaw online continued to drive
           core revenue gains in the Legal & Regulatory group for the
           quarter. These increases were partially offset by the
           effect of the slowing economy on the global trademark
           search business. Strong growth in core EBITDA resulted
           from overall revenue gains and leveraging initiatives
           across the business. Global expansion of the Westlaw
           service continued, featuring increased usage of Westlaw UK
           and the launch of Westlaw ES in Spain.


       -   Despite belt-tightening and job cuts in global financial
           markets, core revenue and EBITDA in the Financial group
           grew 7% in the second quarter. The integration of last
           year's acquisitions of Primark and Carson remains on track
           resulting in combined product offerings and greater
           operational synergies. In June, Thomson purchased the
           outstanding minority shares of First Call Corporation,
           allowing First Call to be fully integrated with other
           products, strengthening the group's position as the market
           leader in providing critical industry data, and
           underscoring its ability to best service the complex
           information needs of the global financial marketplace.


       -   The planned sale of non-core Financial businesses that was
           announced on February 27, 2001 is progressing on schedule
           and is on target to be completed later this year.


       -   The Learning group's second quarter revenue and EBITDA
           growth of 12% and 24% respectively was driven by strong
           core business performance. This was the result of improved
           sales in the Higher Education market and expansion of
           electronic products in the Library Reference market.


       -   The acquisition of select Harcourt businesses from Reed
           Elsevier was completed on July 13, 2001.


       -   Growth in the Scientific & Healthcare group was driven
           largely in the scientific market featuring revenue gains
           at Derwent, further expansion of the Web of Science
           portal, and the continued building of strategic alliances
           with key partners. Overall growth in revenues, EBITDA and
           operating profit for the group were offset by advertising
           revenue shortfalls in healthcare magazines due to the
           adverse economic environment and fewer new drug
           introductions in 2001.



   Six-Months Results


   Revenues from continuing operations, excluding disposals, were $3
billion, an increase of 23% over the first six months of 2000.
Operating profit grew 34% to $377 million. Earnings from continuing
operations were $261 million, or $0.42 per common share, for the
six-month period compared to $32 million, or $0.05 per share, for the
first six months of 2000. Excluding one-time items, earnings from
continuing operations were $42 million, or $0.07 per share, for the
first six months of 2001, compared with earnings of $10 million, or
$0.02 per share, for the same period a year ago.

   Seasonal cycles in many Thomson businesses, especially Learning,
typically result in performance for the first six months that is not
indicative of performance for the full year.



   2001 Financial Outlook


   The Corporation remains on track to deliver full year profit
expectations despite the more challenging market environment. EBITDA
growth, excluding Harcourt, is expected to be comparable to that
achieved in 2000 reflecting the benefits derived from leveraging
initiatives, proactive cost controls and increasing synergies from
acquired businesses. However, it is now expected that overall revenue,
excluding Harcourt, will grow about 15% versus last year.


   Dividend


   The directors of The Thomson Corporation today declared a dividend
of 17.5 cents per common share, the same rate of dividend as paid on
June 15, 2001. The dividend is payable on September 17, 2001 to
holders of common shares of record on August 23, 2001, other than
holders of related common shares of The Thomson Corporation PLC
(Thomson PLC) who have elected to receive the equivalent dividend of
12.3675 pence per related common share of Thomson PLC in lieu of
dividends from The Thomson Corporation.



   About The Thomson Corporation


   The Thomson Corporation, with 2000 revenues of approximately $6
billion, is a leading, global e-information and solutions company in
the business and professional marketplace. The Corporation's common
shares are listed on the Toronto and London stock exchanges. For more
information, visit The Thomson Corporation Internet address at
www.thomson.com.



   This news release includes forward-looking statements, which are
based on the Corporation's current expectations and assumptions, and
are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to materially differ from those anticipated. Such risks
and uncertainties include, among others, general business and economic
conditions and competitive actions.



   Note: The Thomson Corporation will audio webcast a discussion of
second-quarter results beginning at 10:30 am EDT today. To participate
in the webcast, please visit www.thomson.com and click on the
appropriate link located in the Thomson News box.

-0-

*T

                  CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS

        (millions of US dollars, except per common share data)

                              (unaudited)



                          Three months ended        Six months ended
                                June 30                 June 30
                          2001          2000      2001           2000
                          ----          ----      ----           ----

Revenues                  1,635        1,495      3,132         2,758

Cost of sales, selling,
 marketing, general and
  administrative
   expenses              (1,250)      (1,184)    (2,520)       (2,283)

                         -------      -------    -------       -------

Earnings before interest,
 tax, depreciation,
  amortization,
   restructuring charges
    and Year 2000 costs     385          311        612           475

Depreciation               (111)         (97)      (221)         (189)

                         -------      -------    -------       -------

Operating profit before
 amortization,
  restructuring charges
   and Year 2000 costs      274          214        391           286

Amortization                (97)         (77)      (199)         (144)

Restructuring charges        (2)         (13)        (7)          (21)

Year 2000 costs               -            -          -            (4)

                         -------      -------    -------       -------

Operating profit after
 amortization,
  restructuring charges
   and Year 2000 costs      175          124        185           117

Net gains on disposals of
 businesses and
  investments                22           38        295            50

Net interest expense and
 other financing costs      (50)         (62)       (96)         (109)

Income taxes                (21)         (19)       (90)          (12)

Equity in losses of
 associates                 (10)           -        (20)            -

                         -------      -------    -------       -------

Earnings before dividends
 declared on preference
  shares                    116           81        274            46

Dividends declared on
 preference shares           (6)          (7)       (13)          (14)

                         -------      -------    -------       -------

Earnings from continuing
 operations                 110           74        261            32

Earnings from discontinued
 newspaper operations         7           30         23            50

Earnings attributable to -------      -------    -------      --------
common shares               117          104        284            82

                        ========     ========    =======      ========

Basic and fully diluted
 earnings per common share:

 - from continuing
    operations            $0.18        $0.12      $0.42         $0.05

 - from discontinued
    newspaper operations  $0.01        $0.05      $0.03         $0.08

                         -------      -------   --------      --------

                          $0.19        $0.17      $0.45         $0.13

                        ========     ========   ========      ========



Supplemental earnings information:

Earnings from continuing
 operations, as above       110           74        261            32

Deduct:  one-time items,
 net of tax, resulting from:

  restructuring charges,
   net gains on disposals
    of businesses and
     investments and Year
      2000 costs            (26)         (18)      (219)          (22)

                         -------      -------     -------      -------

Adjusted earnings from
 continuing operations       84           56         42            10

                        ========     ========     =======      =======

Adjusted basic and fully
 diluted earnings per
  common share from
   continuing operations  $0.13        $0.09       $0.07         $0.02

                        ========     ========    ========      =======



                   BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION

                       (millions of US dollars)

                              (unaudited)



                     Three months ended        Six months ended
                           June 30,                 June 30,
CONTINUING OPERATIONS:  2001     2000   change   2001    2000   change

                        ----     ----   ------   ----    ----   ------

Revenues:

Legal & Regulatory      $683     $637    7.2%   $1,301  $1,142   13.9%

Financial                403      263   53.2%      816     520   56.9%

Learning                 312      279   11.8%      553     462   19.7%

Scientific & Healthcare  161      155    3.9%      318     301    5.6%

Intergroup                (7)      (7)             (16)     (7)

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total ongoing
 operations            1,552    1,327   17.0%    2,972    2,418  22.9%

Disposals (1)             83      168              160      340

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total Revenues        $1,635   $1,495    9.4%   $3,132   $2,758  13.6%

                      ======   ======           ======   ======

EBITDA: (2)

Legal & Regulatory      $206     $188    9.6%     $334     $291  14.8%

Financial                 97       72   34.7%      189      141  34.0%

Learning                  46       37   24.3%       36       29  24.1%

Scientific & Healthcare   34       33    3.0%       62       59   5.1%

Corporate and other (3)  (17)     (37)             (28)     (65)

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total ongoing operations 366      293   24.9%      593      455  30.3%

Disposals (1)             19       18               19       20

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total EBITDA            $385     $311   23.8%     $612     $475  28.8%

                      ======   ======           ======   ======

Operating profit before
 amortization, restructuring
 charges and Year 2000 costs:

Legal & Regulatory      $170     $153   11.1%     $260     $224  16.1%

Financial                 61       48   27.1%      114       93  22.6%

Learning                  16       12   33.3%      (19)    (17) -11.8%

Scientific & Healthcare   29       28    3.6%       50       47   6.4%

Corporate and other (3)  (17)     (37)             (28)     (65)

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total ongoing operations 259      204   27.0%      377      282  33.7%

Disposals (1)             15       10               14        4

                      ------   ------           ------  -------

Total Operating profit  $274     $214   28.0%     $391     $286  36.7%

                      ======   ======           ======   ======



Notes to business segment information for continuing operations


1) Disposals includes the results of businesses sold or held for
   sale.



2) EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation,
   amortization, restructuring charges and Year 2000 costs.



3) Corporate and other principally comprises corporate costs,
   minority interests and costs associated with Thomson Stock
   Appreciation Rights.

*T



    --30--rlg/mem/ny*



    CONTACT: The Thomson Corporation
             Investor Contact:
             John Kechejian, 203/328-9470
             john.kechejian@thomson.com

                or

             Media Contact:
             Janey Loyd, 203/328-8342
             janey.loyd@thomson.com

             Jason Stewart, 203/328-8339
             jason.stewart@thomson.com



END


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