WPP CEO Mark Read Says 'Work Remains to Be Done' Despite Shares Soaring on Improving Revenue

Fourth-quarter and full-year results better than expected

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WPP shares rose more than 7 percent at the open of the U.S. stock market on Friday morning after the world’s largest agency holding company posted revenues for the fourth quarter and full year that appear to be improving, if slowly.

For 2018, WPP reported like-for-like revenue, excluding pass-through costs, declined only 0.4 percent to 12.8 billion pounds ($17 billion). Its billings were up 3.2 percent to $74 billion. WPP noted business performed “strongly” in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, while pressures persisted in North America, which saw like-for-like net sales decline 4.2

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