Top 20 acquisition prospects set to be revealed
The Drum is to publish a list of the Top 20 Hottest Acquisition Prospects outside of London in its next issue.
However, its research has already identified several companies that are certainly hot in terms of their ability to reward founders and directors.
Brilliant – the Leeds-based media independent – for example report in its accounts for the year ended 31 March that its highest paid director, thought to be Steve Lane, received remuneration of £1,023,554. His previous year’s remuneration was £161,702.
The year saw Brilliant post a profit of £1.7million on a turnover of £118million. The performance was significantly better than the year before when a £300,000 loss was reported.
Meanwhile, in the Midlands, the accounts of Rees Bradley Hepburn report that shareholders split an interim dividend of £1.5m for the year to December 31 2006. The company reported a profit of £180,000, down from £272,000 on the year before, on a turnover of £15.5m.
Both of these companies have made the Top 20 list, while the other included companies have made the grade because of a strong expertise in a tightly defined market, good succession management and a strong brand profile.