Overview
- Future lowered guidance, saying second-half underlying revenue will fall by a low single-digit percentage and that full-year margins will be 25% to 27%, down from 30%.
- The company reported about a 20% drop in online audience in the six months to 31 March linked to AI Overviews, more zero-click results, and weaker placement for publisher links on Google.
- The stock fell about 28%, leaving the group valued near £267 million and trading around levels last seen in 2017.
- CFO Sharjeel Suleman said e-commerce and programmatic advertising will decline in the second half, while direct-sold ads are growing.
- Management is pushing a response that includes a faster £30 million share buyback, cost cuts through automation, and new products such as Google Zero, Future Optic, and Future Collab to draw audiences and revenue beyond search.