35pc of top 1000 UK PR companies have increased levels of debt in last 3 years: Plimsoll

Stephen Waddington's comment on my earlier post re: the slump in PR new business reminded me of the Plimsoll survey of the UK PR industry. According to Plimsoll: "35% of the Top 1000 companies in the UK Public Relations Consultants industry have spent the last 3 years gradually increasing their levels of debt. These companies are now faced with severe commercial disadvantage: debt is threatening their survival in the industry and exposing them as potential acquisition opportunities."

The report also notes that:

Debt is eroding profits throughout the industry.
235 companies are ranked as Danger.
208 companies are overtrading and selling at a loss
£1.1 billion profit is lost every year.
44 companies are 'ripe' for acquisition.
26% of companies are loss making.
92 companies enjoyed over 20% growth.
50 companies are aggressively attacking the market share of others

So here's another feature that I'm sure we'd all like to see PR Week write - who are the 235 companies in danger? Who are the 208 companies selling at a loss? And which 44 are ripe for acquisition?

As I said in my comment to Stephen, perhaps some of us should club together and pay a journalist to write this story if PR Week won't?