Havas today said it was raising its growth outlook for the full year after achieving a  net organic revenue increase for the third quarter of 3.8%. That’s a significant improvement versus Q3 2024 when Havas (then still part of Vivendi) posted a 2.3% organic decline.   

The company said the gains were attributable “to underlying business development in each division [Media, Creative, Health] ...notably in the Healthcare division.”  

The firm is the second holdco to report Q3 earnings, following Publicis Groupe, which this morning said it grew 5.7% in the period. It also raised its full-year outlook.  

Havas said full-year growth will be in the range of 2.5% and 3%. The previous outlook guided to +2%. Organic growth (which excludes M&A and currency impact) for the first nine months was 2.8%. The firm attributed year-to-date gains in part to “robust growth recorded with the Group’s top 30 clients,” the result of a strategy focused on “boosting service cross-fertilization with existing clients.”  

The firm said it has also benefited from its “bolt-on” acquisition strategy, which included the purchase of Spanish performance marketing agency Tidart in Q3. In its investor presentation, Havas said it expects to complete two to four additional M&A deals in the fourth quarter.   

Q3 net revenue totaled 656 million euros (about $761 million), up nearly 1% from a year ago. The nine-month net revenue total was 2 billion euros (about $2.32 billion).  

By region in Q3, growth in North America was 7.4%, driven by Havas Health which posted double-digit growth in the period.  

Europe was up 1.9%, Asia Pacific and Africa combined were up 8.2% and Latin America was down 4.6%. Less client spending in Brazil and Chile was cited as part of the reason for the shortfall in the region.  

CEO Yannick Bollore said that during Q3 the company gained "impressive commercial momentum with notable new business wins both during the period and more recently, establishing a strong foundation for the future." Wins in the quarter included Domino's, and the retention of the BBC's media assignment after a review. Earlier this month it won the $190 million Emirates airline media account. 

Late last month the company announced a joint venture with Horizon Media.  

Last week it announced a 10-to-1 reverse stock split that will take effect on Nov. 18. The transaction was approved at the company’s annual meeting in May.