Acquisitions Keep Vivendi On Track

The revenue streams from BMG Music Publishing and Sanctuary Music Group, which Vivendi purchased in 2007, helped its business grow 3 percent.

The figures for Universal Music Group aren’t as bad as they look at first. Sales dropped 5.3 percent in the quarter ending June 30, from euro 1.07 billion (US$1.67 billion) to euro 1.02 billion, but on constant currency exchange rates it’s actually a 3 percent gain.

Revenues at Canal Plus, the media giant’s premium pay TV channel, grew 5 percent on the back of higher ad rates.

Vivendi expects full-year net income to grow at a similar pace as in 2007, when it rose 8.3 percent – not counting what it paid for BMG and Sanctuary.