2022
Non-financial performance statement – Annual Management Report
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2021
CSR: strategy and commitments – Non-financial performance statement – Annual Management Report
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Read here the press release presenting the group’s financial results for 2020/2021.
2020
Management report
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The 2019-20 financial year is closing in the very particular context of the double crisis linked on the one hand to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic and on the other hand to the bankruptcy filing of the Presstalis company which distributes the press in newsstands in France.
For several years, Presstalis has been experiencing a very difficult economic situation in a context of a structurally declining print media market. Despite the implementation of a recovery plan in 2018, Presstalis was placed in receivership on May 15, 2020, giving rise on July 1, 2020 to the company France Messagerie, resulting from the partial takeover of its business. The Bayard Group, like all French publishers, has suffered the consequences of Presstalis’ bankruptcy filing and has borne part of the financing of the new messaging service, which has weighed heavily on the year’s exceptional income.
The advertising market was hit hard by the health crisis. Press advertising investments fell by 56% in April 2020, and by 30.9% in the first half of 2020 (-34% for Magazines, -30% for National Dailies – source Kantar). French media advertising revenues could decline by 20% in 2020 due to the containment and the economic crisis. In the medium term, the return to the economy of before is uncertain. This trend particularly impacts our senior press models.
This crisis has also had a strong impact on Bayard’s partner-places, in all the countries where the group is present: schools, parishes, dioceses, bookstores and press distributors have suffered the violent repercussions of the pandemic. In this context, Bayard Service, a parish and association press publishing company, announced at the end of June a job preservation plan.
However, the months of confinement have revealed that if readers of the news press have favored digital reading to the detriment of paper (especially for weeklies and dailies), all of the group’s magazines have shown their ability to resist and the attachment of their buyers to the paper object. This is particularly notable for all the Youth, Press and Publishing brands and labels, where
At the end of June, over a 12-month period, the Bayard group became the leading publisher of children’s comics in France, with Mortelle Adèle becoming the second most popular children’s comic book series (source GFK). In addition, La Croix recorded strong growth in its digital subscription portfolio
while La Croix L’Hebdo received the CB News Grand Prix for the best launch of the year in September 2020.
Finally, the group’s digital audiences have clearly benefited from the period of confinement. From La Croix to Notre Temps, including Prions en Église and Bayam, each of these brands has been able to convince its existing print readers to return to it digitally, while attracting new audiences.
Extra-Financial Performance Statement
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2019
Management Report
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This financial year was marked again by the vitality of the press and publishing activities of the youth sector, the growth of the digital subscription portfolio of La Croix and the pursuit of investments around the development of audiences and digital, in France and abroad.
Indeed, the activities and subscriber portfolios of the youth press of the two brands, Bayard and Milan, experienced sustained growth. On the book market, Bayard Editions sales were boosted in particular by the success of the Mortelle Adèle series, of which nearly one million copies were sold during the year, the Bayard group thus rising to second place publishers of youth comics in France (GFK ranking). Following significant editorial, commercial and technical investments, La Croix’s digital subscriptions increased significantly over the period (+ 40%). Finally, in a fragile and tense press distribution market, the group was able to maintain its positions on the newsstand sales market and reduce its unsold rates.
Extra-Financial Performance Declaration
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2018
Management report
The financial year was marked by dynamic press and children’s publication activity; continued investments to increase readership, digital operations and research into new editorial propositions at La Croix; the launch of new titles such as Tempo Santé magazine; and testing out new international markets.
In France, in September 2017, Bayard’s subsidiary Bayard Éditions became the sole owner of Éditions Tourbillon (the publisher specialises in early childhood and infant books), having previously had a 42.5% share. Tourbillon publishes about sixty new books every year, and generates a substantial part of its turnover in the US under the Twirl brand.
Following a partnership with the Chinese-American investment fund Trustbridge, initial sales of the first children’s books published in China look promising.
Elsewhere, activity was affected by lower advertising revenues and the decline in the circulation of Bayard’s Christian publications.
The press sector in France was marked by the weakness of its distribution system and the financial situation of Presstalis. In March 2018, a plan to end the crisis was finalised after discussions with public authorities and publishers in order to begin the transformation of Presstalis and the sector, and to finance the implementation of this change. The financing plan proposes that publishers contribute 2.25% of their turnover for five years. As far as Bayard Group is concerned, this represents 4 million Euros, and the entire sum was transferred in March in the form of an advance to the Cooperatives, frozen in a current account. This advance, which was totally depreciated in the accounts, weighs both on the liquidity position and the Group’s results.
CSR Report
Bayard Group publishes newspapers and magazines, books and digital products (content, sites, applications). It also provides and recommends services, and organises events related to its editorial activity. It commercialises its own products and distributes them (digital, adult books in France), but outsources manufacture (including printing) and distribution. Because it has a specific end goal, Bayard is a publisher which is very sensitive to CSR (Corporate and Social responsibility) issues and problems which it mentions regularly, precisely and at length in its different media channels in an educational approach where emphasis is placed on discussion.
Bayard’s media production (approximately 100 million newspapers, magazines and printed books sold every year and approximately 50 million webpages seen every month) which reaches several tens of millions of readers and Internet users throughout the world, the trust that these media inspire, and certain stances which Bayard takes in the public debate (see below) or in a professional context make it a unique and active participant in its approach to CSR.
In addition, Bayard has long been a supporter of initiatives put forward by men and women who are trying to create a fairer and ecologically responsible world. Each year, Bayard creates a large number of partnerships and shows its support in all shapes and forms in this field. The only people mentioned in the 2017-2018 financial year are those who started their ‘campaigns’ several years ago which have continued to gain support (for example, the prize winners of the ‘Héros de Notre temps’ award and the ‘J’aime ma planète – Mois vert’ operation for young readers), and those who, due to specific circumstances, strongly encouraged teams and/or enlisted significant resources.
2017
Management report
The 2016-17 financial year was marked by a dynamic commercial approach at Bayard Éditions after it changed its distributor in January 2016; the launch in January of the new version of BayaM (the multimedia platform for 3 to 10-year-olds); and a continued policy of research and development and technological investment.
On June 1st, 2017, the Group finalised a partnership agreement with Éditions CRER aimed at bringing the publishing and catechism distribution activities closer together, and this led to the creation of a joint company, CRER-BAYARD.
CSR Report
Bayard publishes newspapers and magazines, books and digital products (content, sites, applications) and also provides services related to its editorial activity. It commercialises its own products and distributes them (digital, adult books in France), but outsources manufacture (including printing) and distribution.
Because it has a specific end goal, Bayard is a publisher which is very sensitive to CSR (Corporate and Social responsibility) issues and problems which it mentions regularly, precisely and at length in its different media channels in an educational approach where the emphasis is placed on discussion.
Bayard’s media production (approximately 100 million newspapers, magazines and printed books sold every year and approximately 50 million webpages seen every month) which is able to reach several tens of millions of readers and Internet users throughout the world, the trust that these media inspire, and stances which Bayard takes in the public debate (see below) or in a professional context make it a unique and active participant in its approach to CSR. In addition, Bayard has long been a supporter of initiatives put forward by men and women who are trying to create a fairer and ecologically responsible world.
Each year, Bayard creates a large number of partnerships and shows its support in all shapes and forms in this field. The only people mentioned in the 2016-2017 financial year are those who started their ‘campaigns’ several years ago which have continued to gain support (for example, the prize winners of the ‘Héros de Notre temps’ award and the ‘J’aime ma planète – Mois vert’ operation for young readers), and those who, due to specific circumstances, strongly encouraged teams and/or enlisted significant resources.
2016
Management Report
On January 1st, 2016, the Group ended its logistic operations with Sofedis, a subsidiary of the Madrigall Group which distributed Bayard Éditions publications, and chose instead to work with Hachette Livre which already commercialised the Éditions Milan catalogue.
The Group created a department focussed on the Christian market in France, with the aim of ‘reconquering’ the regions by reaffirming its presence and proximity to the Christian population and organising different sales channels. This department is in charge of marketing and distributing Bayard’s books to religious bookshops.
At the end of July 2015, Bayard and La Française REM, owner of the Minéralis building in Montrouge where Bayard Presse and Bayard Éditions have their offices, agreed to renew the lease for a further 7 years.
In March 2016, Milan moved to a new location in Toulouse. On June 30th, 2016, the Group announced a stable turnover and operating margin, and a positive net result of 3.1 M€ (compared to 1.4 M€ for the 2014-15 financial year).
CSR Report
Because it has a specific end goal, Bayard is a publisher which is very sensitive to CSR (Corporate and Social responsibility) issues and problems which are mentioned regularly, precisely and at length in different media channels in an educational approach where the emphasis is placed on discussion.
Bayard’s media production (approximately 100 million newspapers, magazines and printed books sold every year and approximately 50 million webpages seen every month) which is able to reach several tens of millions of readers and Internet users throughout the world, the trust that these media inspire, and certain stances which Bayard takes in the public debate (see below) or in a professional context make it a unique and active participant in its approach to CSR. In addition, Bayard has long been a supporter of initiatives put forward by men and women who are trying to create a fairer and ecologically responsible world.
Each year, Bayard makes a large number of partnerships and shows its support in all shapes and forms in this field. The only people mentioned in the 2015-2016 financial year are those who started their ‘campaigns’ several years ago which have continued to gain support (for example, the prize winners of the ‘Héros de Notre temps’ award and the ‘J’aime ma planète – Mois vert’ operation for young readers), and those who, due to specific circumstances, strongly encouraged teams and/or enlisted significant resources (for example, heightening the public’s awareness of the COP 21 Summit ‘Sommet des consciences’ in December 2015).
Management Report
The Bayard Group is growing in a newspaper and magazine sector which is still economically fragile, especially in Europe.
The financial year was marked by the acquisition in the US (via the Bayard Inc subsidiary) of the assets of Peter Li, a company which publishes educational material for catechism classes for young children (Pflaum) and religious magazines. This acquisition is part of an international development strategy of Bayard’s religious catalogue collection.
Elsewhere the Group has continued its growth strategy in the digital sector by purchasing the parent- and family-oriented website Notrefamille.com. This follows on from the acquisitions of the Enfant.com and Familiscope.fr websites. Bayard has also taken a stake in Tralalère, the creator of digital resources for educational networks, thereby strengthening its digital teaching product range. There were other initiatives during 2014-15, including the launch of several publications such as Notre Temps Santé and Prions en Église Afrique, the appearance of new characters for young readers, and the proposal of new digital services such as Urbi&Orbi.
In May 2015, the group announced its decision to end its logistic operations with Sofedis on January 1st, 2016. Sofedis is a subsidiary of the Madrigall Group which distributed Bayard Éditions publications. The Group chose to work with Hachette Livre which already commercialised the Éditions Milan catalogue.
On June 30th, 2015, the Group announced a growth in turnover and operating margin, as well as a positive net result of 1.4 M€, following a loss of 0.9 M€ in the 2013-14 financial year. Increase in single-issue sales, good advertising sales, a less-marked decline in distribution subscriptions, the consolidation of publishing profits, the development of digital activities as well as attempts at rationalisation and external growth all contributed to this positive result, despite higher postal costs, restructuring costs and other exceptionally significant costs.