CONTENTS
1 | ACTIVITY REPORT | 6 |
1.1 | Message from the founders | 7 |
1.2 | Activity report | 8 |
1.2.1 Group business and strategy | 8 | |
1.2.2 Activities in research and development | 13 | |
1.2.3 Main risks and uncertainties to which the Company is exposed | 13 | |
1.2.4 Reworld Media SA results | 15 | |
1.2.5 Situation of subsidiaries and shareholdings | 17 |
2 | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | 22 | |
2.1 | Reworld Media's corporate purpose | 23 | |
2.2 | Share capital | 23 | |
2.2.1 | Share capital and number of shares | 23 | |
2.2.2 | Exceeding declared statutory thresholds | 23 | |
2.2.3 | Concerted action | 24 | |
2.2.4 | Change in capital | 24 | |
2.2.5 | Treasury stock and treasury shares | 25 | |
2.2.6 | Other securities giving access to the capital | 25 | |
2.2.7 | Delegations concerning capital increases | 26 | |
2.2.8 | Employee share ownership social | 27 | |
2.3 | Share price | 27 | |
2.4 | Capital transactions | 27 | |
2.5 | Forms of shares | 27 | |
2.6 | Double voting rights | 28 | |
2.7 | Crossing thresholds | 28 | |
2.8 | Pledge of the issuer's shares | 28 | |
2.9 | Dividend distribution | 28 | |
2.10 | Group Management | 28 | |
2.11 Board of Directors of the Company | 32 | ||
2.11.1 | List of offices and positions held in the Company | 32 | |
2.11.2 | List of offices and duties of directors of the Company outside the Company | 34 | |
2.11.3 | Renewal of director offices | 36 | |
2.11.4 | Appointment of directors | 36 | |
2.11.5 | Remuneration of members of the Board of Directors | 36 | |
2.11.6 | Attendance of Board members | 36 | |
2.11.7 | Changes in the composition of the Board during the year | 37 | |
2.12 | Directors' remuneration | 37 |
2.13 | Agreements concluded directly or indirectly between an executive or a shareholder | |
owning more than 10% of the Company and a subsidiary of which the Company owns | ||
more than 50% | 38 | |
2.14 | Corporate governance regime in force in France AFEP- MEDEF | 39 |
3 | DECLARATION OF NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE | 40 |
3.1 | Introduction | 41 |
3.1.1 | Joint editorial | 41 |
3.1.2 | The Group's activities | 41 |
3.1.3 | The business model | 43 |
3.1.4 The Group's values and strengths | 44 | |
3.1.5 The challenges facing the information and communication sectors | 45 | |
3.1.6 | Main non-financial risks | 46 |
3.2 | Governance to support ambition | 52 |
3.2.1 Managing CSR strategy effectively | 52 | |
3.2.2 | Ensuring data security | 52 |
3.2.3 Acting ethically in its activities | 53 | |
3.3 | Defining the ambitions of the TOP CSR strategy | 54 |
3.3.1 Rolling out the CSR strategy | 54 | |
3.3.2 Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | 55 | |
3.3.3 Ensuring dialogue with stakeholders | 57 | |
3.4 | Transmit | 60 |
3.4.1 As a media company, enlightening readers and consumers | 60 | |
3.4.2 As a company, passing on our expertise and values | 63 | |
3.5 | Optimising | 66 |
3.5.1 As a media company, acting in favour of eco-publishing | 66 | |
3.5.2 As a company, taking action on a daily basis to ensure a responsible working environment | 71 | |
3.6 | Promoting | 76 |
3.6.1 | Promoting employee loyalty | 76 |
3.6.2 Promoting inclusion and diversity | 80 | |
3.7 | Methodological notes | 82 |
3.7.1 Methodology for compiling the Non-Financial Performance Declaration | 82 | |
3.7.2 Table of priority indicators | 83 | |
3.7.3 Report of the independent third party on the declaration of non-financial performance | 91 |
4 | CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | 96 |
4.1 | Consolidated balance sheet | 97 |
4.2 | Consolidated income statement | 98 |
4.3 | Cash flow statement | 99 |
4.4 | Change in shareholders' equity | 100 |
4.5 | Key facts | 100 |
4.5.1 | Capital increase | 100 |
4.5.2 | Taking control | 100 |
4.5.3 | Financing | 101 |
4.6 | Group activities and organisation chart | 101 |
4.6.1 | Activities | 101 |
4.6.2 | Group organisation chart at 31 December 2023 | 101 |
4.6.3 | List of consolidated companies | 103 |
4.6.4 | Companies excluded from the scope of consolidation | 107 |
4.7 Accounting terms of reference, consolidation methods, assessment methods and rules
.................................................................................................................................................... | 108 | |
4.7.1 | Accounting standards | 108 |
4.7.2 | Consolidation methods | 108 |
4.7.3 | Assessment methods and rules | 110 |
4.8 | Explanation of balance sheet and income statement accounts and changes therein | 113 |
4.8.1 | Intangible fixed assets | 113 |
4.8.2 | Property, plant and equipment | 115 |
4.8.3 | Financial assets | 115 |
4.8.4 | Inventories and work-in-progress | 116 |
4.8.5 | Other receivables and accruals | 116 |
4.8.6 | Cash assets | 117 |
4.8.7 | Share capital | 117 |
4.8.8 | Provisions for liabilities and charges | 118 |
4.8.9 | Financial liabilities | 119 |
4.8.10 | Operating and non-operating liabilities | 120 |
4.8.11 | Off-balance sheet commitments | 121 |
4.8.12 | Sales | 121 |
4.8.13 | Details of operating expenses | 121 |
4.8.14 | Financial result | 122 |
4.8.15 | Exceptional result | 122 |
4.8.16 | Deferred tax | 122 |
4.8.17 | Other information | 123 |
4.9 | Statutory auditors' report on the consolidated financial statements | 124 |
5 | CORPORATE ACCOUNTS | 129 |
5.1 | Company income statement | 130 |
5.2 | Company Balance Sheet | 131 |
5.3 | Company business and significant events | 133 |
5.3.1 | Company activity | 133 |
5.3.2 | Key events of the year | 133 |
5.3.3 | Comparability of financial statements | 133 |
5.4 | Material events since the end of the financial year | 133 |
5.5 | Accounting principles and methods | 133 |
5.5.1 | General rules | 133 |
5.5.2 | Use of estimates | 134 |
5.5.3 | Deviations from general principles | 134 |
5.6 | Information on the balance sheet - assets | 134 |
5.6.1 | Fixed assets | 134 |
5.6.2 | Statement of receivables | 136 |
5.6.3 | Cash and cash equivalents | 137 |
5.6.4 | Marketable securities | 137 |
5.6.5 | Accrued income | 137 |
5.6.6 | Prepaid expenses and translation adjustments | 137 |
5.7 | Information on the balance sheet -liabilities | 138 |
5.7.1 | Equity | 138 |
5.7.2 | Statement of provisions | 139 |
5.7.3 | Statement of debts | 140 |
5.7.4 | Accrued expenses | 140 |
5.8 Information on the income statement | 141 | |
5.8.1 Breakdown of net turnover | 141 | |
5.8.2 | Other operating income | 141 |
5.8.3 | Financial result | 141 |
5.8.4 | Exceptional income | 142 |
5.9 | Miscellaneous information | 142 |
5.9.1 Identity of the consolidating parent company | 142 | |
5.9.2 List of subsidiaries and equity interests | 143 | |
5.9.3 Remuneration of the administrative bodies | 144 | |
5.9.4 Information about related parties | 144 | |
5.9.5 | Advances to executives | 144 |
5.9.6 | Off-balance sheet commitments | 144 |
5.9.7 | Tax consolidation | 144 |
5.10 Results and other key information for the past five financial years | 145 | |
5.11 Statutory auditors' report on the annual financial statements | 146 | |
5.12 | Statutory auditors' report on regulated agreements and commitments [French only]... | 151 |
6 | APPENDIX | 163 |
6.1 Cross-reference table with the management report | 163 |
1 ACTIVITY REPORT
1.1 | Message from the founders | 7 |
1.2 | Activity report | 8 |
1.2.1 Group business and strategy | 8 | |
1.2.2 Activities in research and development | 13 | |
1.2.3 Main risks and uncertainties to which the Company is exposed | 13 | |
1.2.4 Reworld Media SA results | 15 | |
1.2.5 Situation of subsidiaries and shareholdings | 17 |
ACTIVITY REPORT | 1 |
1.1 Message from the founders
Reworld Media has set record sales for 2023, close to €550m. Our main challenge this year has been to integrate Unify's 14 digital media brands acquired at the end of 2022, including major brands such as Marmiton or Doctissimo. Our teams have worked successfully, these brands are now fully absorbed and synergies with the historical businesses have been put in place. The deal was a strategic one, making Reworld Media one of the biggest players on the French digital market.
It is also an advantage to have been able to launch our media activities internationally through the acquisition in January of the top-of-the-range brands Grazia and Icon. Led by two new subsidiaries set up during the year in Italy and the United States, Grazia is opening the way to more than twenty countries around the world. As for Icon, it's a brand that has made a name for itself in the men's world in Italy and Spain, and we've decided to launch it in France in the spring of 2024.
With these changes in scope, the Group's growth reached 8.6%, and was particularly marked outside France, where our business grew by 36%. Almost a third of the Group's sales for the year came from international markets.
Our model, which is based on two complementary business segments, has proved its worth against a backdrop of continuous inflation over the last two years and a downturn in household consumption. The momentum of the BtoB segment, in which corporate customers seek out our media brands' audiences, has largely offset the slowdown in the BtoC segment.
In terms of profitability, EBITDA rose again in the 2nd half (+1.5%), with a margin of 13%, close to the level seen over the whole of last year. This convincing rebound at the end of the financial year shows the first fruits of the plan to integrate the Unify brands, which were previously heavily loss-making. 2023 is a year of integration, which is reflected in a temporary increase in exceptional income.
The Group is investing in its growth, its brands and its technologies so that it is in a position to innovate and support its customers in their digital transition. It is evolving in line with an ever-increasing trend towards the digitisation of uses, which is spreading universally across the daily lives of individuals and businesses.
Our Group boasts an exceptional portfolio of over 80 media brands, as well as market-leading expertise and digital technologies. As France's No. 1 magazine publisher, No. 1 media group on social media - a fast-growing market segment - and No. 3 media group on the web, it now enjoys dominant strategic positions.
These recent developments have opened up new prospects. Reworld Media is also set to enter a new phase in its Corporate Social Responsibility programme, with the first carbon audit to be carried out in 2023 enabling the company to begin work on defining a genuine decarbonisation pathway.
In 2024, our Group will continue to develop actively, focusing on where growth is strongest, in a very buoyant digital market. Our priority is to combine growth and profitability, and to develop in a way that is accretive to shareholders, both in France and inter- nationally, where our aim is to apply the model that has made the Group successful.
Pascal Chevalier, Chairman and CEO and co-founder of Reworld Media
Gautier Normand, Deputy CEO and co-founder of Reworld Media
REWORLD MEDIA 2023 FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL REPORT | 7 |
1
1.2 Activity report
1.2.1 Group business and strategy
ACTIVITY REPORT
Reworld Media is an independent player positioned at the heart of the digital revolution. Its activities are based around two segments: a BtoC segment, which is taking part in the digitisation of consumer habits and patterns, and a BtoB segment, which is taking part in the digitisation of the communications market. The Group has developed a unique business mix, based on the wealth of its assets and its strong technological and digital expertise. It addresses growth markets that are driven by deep-rooted and lasting digitalisation trends.
Highlights of the 2023 financial year
The Group rolls out a range of content, products and services across 12 thematic universes, with more than 80 strong, iconic media brands to its credit, including Marie France, Auto Plus, Marmiton, Top Santé, Science & Vie, Télé Magazine, Aufemi- nin and Grazia.
In France, it reaches 7 out of 10 French people, i.e. almost 38 million readers, through multi-media and multi-format distribution channels (editorial, videos, podcasts, television, events), both print and digital1.
Source: Group ranking by theme based on Médiamétrie//Netratings measurement, Overall Internet Audience in France,
annual average 2023 vs. similar period the previous year, in unique monthly visitors, in France.
BtoC Segment
The Group is France's leading magazine publisher. In 2023, its paid circulation will amount to 94.1 million copies 2 for 122 ti- tles. Its magazines have 1.7 million paid subscriptions, including 329,000 subscriptions to diversification offers (paywall, tel- evision, services). Three of its
titles - Marmiton, Top Santé and Science & Vie - are among the top 20 press brands read by the French.
In addition to its domestic market, in 2023 the Group became a magazine publisher in Italy and the US. Since January it has published the Grazia and Icon brands in Italy, and took over the US edition of Grazia magazine during the summer.
Throughout the year, the Group continued to enhance its magazine offering with the launch of:
- New versions of magazines such as Closer Stars and Faits Divers or Grazia Food;
- New titles such as 1 000 Jeux pour les Cu- rieux, Tout Savoir, J'apprends en m'amu- sant;
1 Source : ACPM -OneNext Global S12 2023 study- Press audiences- In millions individual of 15 years + over 30 days.
- Special issues, such as Science & Vie's special issue on the occasion of the Salon de l'Agriculture, "Agriculture, what solu- tions for the future?".
As consumer habits move towards new digital media, the Group is accompanying the transformation of its thematic magazine offer-
ing, which is reflected in a gradual and parallel trend towards lower magazine sales volumes and higher selling prices. The magazine press in France is following the trends already seen in the US and UK markets, where the interest-based magazine press is holding up better than the news press, and where circulation volumes are concentrated in a smaller pool of readers who are passionate about a theme and inclined to pay more for a quality magazine in tune with their interests.
The Group is supporting the development of its magazine offering through a diversification strategy. By capitalising on its flagship brands, it offers its readers other content and other services related to their passions. This diversification takes several forms:
2 DSH 2023 ACPM, 15 Feb. 2024.
8 | 2023 FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL REPORT REWORLD MEDIA |
ACTIVITY REPORT | 1 |
- Publishing: this is a major area of diversification for the Group, as a continuation of its magazine publishing busi- ness. Through its subsidiary Reworld Media Edition, the Group sold 169 publishing products in 2023, a volume 32% higher than in 2022;
- Paywall: on 4 of its websites - Science & Vie, Science & Vie Junior, Auto Plus and Gamekult - the Group offers exclusive content by subscription;
- Television: through its subsidiary Reworld Media TV, the Group produces 11 television channels, available free of
BtoB Segment
Growth in the French communications market, at +3.7% in 2023 and +1.0% a year on average since 2015, is being driven by growth in the digital segment. As content consumption (re)shifts more and more towards digital uses, advertisers are adapting to reach consumers "where they are"3. Spending on digital media, which represented 6% of the total market in 2012, will account for more than 28% of investment in 2023. In 2023, given the macroeconomic context, these investments will grow at a more moderate rate of 6.1%, compared with average annual growth of 11.2% since 2015 (including the covid period). The most dynamic levers over the year, excluding Search, were social, which grew by 11.5%, and video (web and social), which grew by 17.8%4.
This market trend is accompanied by a new use of advertising, centred on performance. Digital advertising enables advertisers to convert to a purchase more directly, by generating a link from the advert to the advertiser's own digital spaces, or even a purchase tunnel, thanks to the targeting of online consum- ers. Covid has helped to accelerate this shift towards a "perfor- mance" strategy, by speeding up online purchasing practices.
Against this backdrop, the Group is positioning itself in the digital communication market
with its BtoB segment, both as a media group that monetises its proprietary audiences (maga- zines, web, social media) and as an intermediary or agency that supports its advertiser customers in the design, execution and dig- italisation of their communication and marketing strategy.
Its service offering is multi-lingual and international. It is constantly
3 Evolution of the communication market and impact on media financing through advertising, 2024, Ministry of Culture, ARCOM, PMP Strategy.
charge or by IPTV subscription, most of which are distributed by Internet Service Providers as part of themed channel packages;
- Other products and services: the Group has developed a complementary range of services and products in line with its thematic universes, in particular by subscription, such as legal or IT assistance with Allo Pleine Vie, or on a fee-for- service basis, such as readers' trips or insurance products.
evolving to adapt to changes in the market and the needs of its customers. It combines branding and performance solu- tions, based on solid digital and technological expertise.
In France, the Group is one of the leading players in the digital market. In terms of audiences, it is the No. 3 media group on the web, with 32.3 million unique visitors, up 18.1% over 1 year due to the integration of Unify's publisher activities, and the No. 1 media group on social media, with 81.1 million subscrib- ers, up 10.4% over 1 year on a like-for-like basis. More than 620 million videos are viewed every month on the Group's digital media, including 270 million on our websites and 350 million on our social media.
Source: Médiamétrie//Netratings, Overall Internet Audience in France, annual average 2023, in unique monthly visitors, comparison vs. similar period last year..
In France and abroad, the Group is positioning itself as a key player in adtech, with a diversified range of services, including a performance-based offering that it is continuing to develop. Today, this offering addresses more than 3,000 customers worldwide, connects more than 180,000 affiliate sites in 80 countries, generates more than 5.5 billion in sales for its cus- tomers, and includes influence marketing solutions based on more than 100,000 active influencers.
4 The 2023 advertising and communications market and forecasts for 2024, BUMP.
REWORLD MEDIA 2023 FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL REPORT | 9 |
1 | ACTIVITY REPORT |
Events subsequent to the closing
None.
1.2.1.1 Income statement by activity
In €m | 31/12/2023 | 31/12/2022 | Change (€m) | Change (%) | |||||||
BtoC revenue | 243.1 | 249.8 | (6.7) | -2.7% | |||||||
BtoB sales | 306.2 | 256.1 | 50.2 | 19.6 | |||||||
Sales | 549.3 | 505.8 | 43.5 | +8.6% | |||||||
BtoC EBITDA | 19.8 | 26.5 | (6.6) | -25.0% | |||||||
BtoC EBITDA margin | 8.2% | 10.6% | -2.4 pts | ||||||||
BtoB EBITDA | 39.5 | 41.0 | (1.5) | -3.7% | |||||||
BtoB EBITDA margin | 12.9% | 16.0% | -3.1 pts | ||||||||
EBITDA5 | |||||||||||
59.3 | 67.4 | (8.1) | -12.1% | ||||||||
EBITDA margin | 10.8% | 13.3% | |||||||||
Note: The activities of Unify and Reworld Media Italia, consolidated respectively since 1 October 2022 and 10 January 2023 respectively.
Consolidated sales for the Group came to €549.3m, up 8.6% on 2022 (-1.0% organically6).
Reworld Media records consolidated EBITDA of €59.3 million in 2023, down -12.1% (-€8.1 million) compared to the previous year, i.e. an EBITDA margin of 10. 8% (2022: 13.3%). Operating profitability increased significantly during the financial year, with the EBITDA margin increasing from 8.4% in the 1st half to 13.0% in the 2nd half. In the 2nd half, EBITDA increased by +1.5% (€0.6 million) compared to the 2nd half of 2022.
1.2.1.2 Income statement by activity: BtoC
Sales for the BtoC segment fell slightly by 2.7% (-€6.7m) to €243.1m. This fall comes against a backdrop of persistent inflation (+4.8%7) and a downturn in household consumption. It reflects the Group's strategy of rationalising magazine distribution volumes in order to contain the impact of rising industrial costs on its profitability, while preserving its market share and subscriber base.
The BtoC segment recorded EBITDA of €19.8m, down 25.0% (-€6.6m) on 2022. This segment's EBITDA margin rose by 3.3 points year. In the 2nd half, the BtoC segment is benefiting from an encouraging fall in its industrial costs compared with the 1st half of 2023.
Note : The activities of Unify and Reworld Media Italia, consolidated respectively
since 1 October 2022 and 10 January 2023. Org: organic excluding activities of Unify and Reworld Media Italia
- EBITDA excluding charges relating to free share plans presented under Exceptional items.
- Organic: excluding the acquisitions of Unify and Reworld Media Italia, consolidated from 1 October 2022 and 10 January 2023 respectively.
- Source INSEE, variation in consumer prices, annual averages excluding tobacco; in 2022, this rate was +5.3%.
10 | 2023 FINANCIAL AND NON-FINANCIAL REPORT REWORLD MEDIA |
