Ad Giant WPP Stock Sinks on Weak Revenue Outlook

Core Insights - U.S.-listed shares of WPP Plc fell 15% following a decline in revenue and soft guidance, particularly in North America and China [1][5] Financial Performance - WPP reported a 2.3% year-over-year decline in fourth-quarter like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs, with North America down 1.4% and the U.K. down 5.1% [2] - Revenue less pass-through costs in China dropped significantly by 21.2%, while Western Continental Europe saw a modest gain of 1.4% [2] Management Commentary - CEO Mark Read indicated that sales were affected by weaker client discretionary spending and expressed caution regarding the macro environment [3][5] - Despite the challenges, the CEO remains confident in medium-term targets, emphasizing a focus on innovation and operational excellence to support growth [3] Guidance and Market Reaction - WPP's full-year guidance for like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs is expected to be flat to down 2%, which is below the Visible Alpha estimate of a 0.35% increase [3] - The disappointing guidance has resulted in U.S.-listed shares of WPP entering negative territory for the past year [4]