• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, February 24, 2012

The Interpublic Group of Companies reported nearly 8% revenue growth for full year 2011 to just over $7 billion, while nearly doubling its net income to almost $552 million. For the fourth quarter, revenues were up 3.4% to nearly $2.1 billion while profits climbed 25% to more than $278 million.

For both periods, however, organic revenue growth (which excludes acquisitions, sales and currency fluctuations) was lower, the advertising holding company said.

IPG said it generated organic revenue growth (ORG) of 6.1% for the full year and 2.8% for the fourth quarter.  By comparison, Omnicom Group, which reported full year results nearly two weeks ago, reported the same amount of full year organic growth at 6.1% and a somewhat higher 5.2% ORG for Q4. And Publicis Groupe, also reporting earlier, said that it managed full year OG of 5.7% with 2.9% ORG in Q4.

IPG CEO Michael Roth characterized the agencies 2011 performance as “strong,” and sustainable. But as of now, the company does not believe it will achieve the same kind of organic growth this year as it did in 2011. Roth said the company currently is targeting 3% organic growth for the full year, while it expects to improve its profit margin by half a percentage point.