WPP BRANDS (UK) LIMITED

• ◆

  1 PSC ceased in last 24 months

  Significant control changed hands — see the Ownership section.

1. WPP BRANDS (UK) LIMITED 2018-11-05 → present
2. YOUNG & RUBICAM GROUP LIMITED 1987-10-15 → 2018-11-05
3. YOUNG & RUBICAM HOLDINGS LIMITED 1944-11-02 → 1987-10-15

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 101

Reporting scope

Standalone (parent only)

Auditor

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.”

Group structure

1. WPP BRANDS (UK) LIMITED · parent
   1. Ogilvy Health Limited 99.94% · UK · advertising, public relations, design and marketing activities
   2. VML(UK) Limited 100% · UK · advertising, public relations, design and marketing activities
   3. Public Relations and International Sports Marketing Limited 100% · UK · advertising, public relations, design and marketing activities

Significant events

• “The Company acquired i) 99% of the share capital of VML (UK) Limited and ii) 100% of the share capital of Public Relations and International Sports Marketing Limited for a consideration of £36,970,000, satisfied by the allotment of 50,000 ordinary shares of £1 each with a share premium of £36,920,000, each acquired from immediate parent company WPP Brands Holdings (UK) Limited and each with effect from 27th March 2024.”
• “The Company subsequently transferred its divisions operating under the VML brand (formerly operating as VMLY&R and GTB) to VML (UK) Limited with effect from 1 April 2024 for a consideration of £9,938,243, transferred at book value with no gain or loss, satisfied by the allotment of 15,000,000 ordinary shares of £0.00001 each in the capital of VML (UK) Limited, recognised as the investment in VML (UK) Limited.”
• “The Company recognised the dissolution on 26 November 2024 of its fully-impaired 100% ownership interest in dormant entity Landor Associates Europe Limited.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

7

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

1

last 12 months

Officers resigned

2

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  -40.5%

  £165,388,000 → £98,440,000

• Cash

  -98.4%

  £80,289,000 → £1,308,000

• Net assets

  +26.8%

  £181,335,000 → £229,984,000

• Employees

  -30.1%

  939 → 656

• Operating profit

  -69.7%

  £24,112,000 → £7,296,000

• Profit before tax

  -59.9%

  £28,960,000 → £11,614,000

• Wages

  -33.8%

  £68,400,000 → £45,313,000

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers