Havas reported an 18 percent drop in first-half operating income to $80 million on a 3 percent revenue gain to $915 million, compared to the first six months of last year. Havas also reported a 40
percent drop in net profit for the first half to $27 million. The Paris-based holding company cited hiring new talent as the main reason for the decline. On the plus side, Havas reported net new
business of $1.1 billion for the first half of 2006--almost as much as it generated in all of 2005.
