2009 Revenues Up at Vivendi

PARIS: Vivendi says it reached it targets for 2009, reporting revenues that were up 6.9 percent to 27.1 billion euros and an adjusted net income of 2.6 billion euros.

Jean-Bernard Lévy, the chairman of the Management Board, noted: “In 2009, we achieved our operational targets. This good performance reflects our commercial successes, strict cost control and the innovative initiatives taken by all the businesses."

Levy noted that 2008 acquisitions Activision Blizzard and SFR were key growth drivers. "These achievements have allowed us to continue with our policy of investment and innovation. We continue to invest significantly in networks and contents. We have expanded into Mali, Vietnam and North Africa. We encourage innovation everywhere and co-operation between businesses so as to strengthen our leadership positions, increase subscriber satisfaction, and improve financial performance. At the end of last year, we took two important strategic decisions: selling our stake in NBC Universal and buying GVT, the fastest-growing Brazilian telecom operator. These decisions will further enhance Vivendi’s momentum. We forecast further EBITA growth in 2010."

At Canal+ Group, revenues were relatively stable at 4.5 billion euros. In the year, Canal+ France’s portfolio (metropolitan France, French overseas territories and Africa) grew by 238,000 individual and collective subscriptions to reach 10.8 million. Canal+ Group’s total worldwide portfolio reached 12.5 million subscriptions, compared to 12.0 million at the end of 2008. Canal+ Group EBITA grew by 14.8 percent to reach 652 million euros in 2009.