YouGov seeks to capitalise on upcoming US and UK elections

Unlock the Editor’s Digest without spending a dime

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favorite tales on this weekly publication.

YouGov is in search of to capitalise on elections in international locations together with the US and UK subsequent yr, in keeping with Steve Hatch, the newly appointed chief govt of the London-listed information analytics and polling group.

Shares in YouGov jumped greater than 20 per cent on Tuesday, taking its worth to greater than £950mn after it reported a 77 per cent rise in pre-tax revenue to virtually £45mn for the yr to July. Income rose 17 per cent yr on yr to £258.3mn, consistent with consensus estimates.

Hatch stated the group would goal the US for the subsequent stage of progress within the enterprise, including that the corporate at current had lower than 1 per cent of the potential market within the nation. 

YouGov works with shopper and tech manufacturers in addition to offering detailed political protection within the US and UK of voting intentions. 

“We’ve a second in time over the subsequent few months with the US presidential election — that’s clearly nice for our income potential but it surely’s additionally nice for our model within the market. There are over 2bn folks voting over the subsequent 12 months, lots of which can flip to our platform to know the world.”

Within the UK, YouGov’s polling of voting intentions exhibits that the clear lead held by Labour didn’t change after the Conservative get together convention final week, with a spot of 45 per cent desiring to vote for the opposition get together versus 24 per cent for the Tories. 

Stephan Shakespeare, co-founder and a number one shareholder in YouGov, earlier this yr instructed the Monetary Instances that the corporate was contemplating itemizing within the US to assist assist its progress within the nation. Hatch on Tuesday stated YouGov was all the time reviewing its choices however he declined to remark additional. 

Hatch added that the corporate’s deliberate €315mn acquisition of GfK’s shopper panel enterprise would additionally assist the US technique, with the deal anticipated to be accomplished this yr after scrutiny by EU competitors authorities. 

YouGov — as with corporations in promoting and advertising and marketing — has skilled a fall in demand from expertise purchasers over the previous yr. Nonetheless, Hatch stated these purchasers had been now returning, with “a rise within the variety of assignments we’re receiving”. YouGov on Tuesday stated it remained assured in assembly present market expectations for its 2024 monetary yr.

Hatch, who was an govt at Fb proprietor Meta till becoming a member of YouGov this summer season, stated: “While you’ve obtained essentially the most refined information organisations on the earth appointing and increasing with YouGov, I believe it’s signal of confidence concerning the providing that we now have.”

He’ll use his first yr within the position to work on the standard of its shopper panels, which offer its core information units, corresponding to focusing on under-represented teams and increasing into totally different product classes.

YouGov carries out “panels” of shopper behaviour for manufacturers, and Hatch stated that GfK would add further information on shopping for decisions to go alongside its current perception into intentions and attitudes.

YouGov can also be constructing a distinct segment in offering information on viewing information for streamers corresponding to Netflix and Disney+, which can grow to be more and more necessary as these teams roll out promoting choices.