US Edition Mr Freud – who last month acquired 2m shares in M&C Saatchi when the shares were trading at about 24½p – on Thursday watched the shares climb a further 8 to 43p, as full-year pre-tax profits rose 32pc to £10.5m. The boost comes despite the recession and the advertising downturn.
The advertising agency founded by the Saatchi brothers said it is looking to start up agencies in new markets, after client wins in continental Europe lifted profits.
However, the London-listed media company, whose motto is "brutal simplicity", said it would rein in costs as clients are reluctant to commit long-term advertising campaigns. It said it remained cautious despite revenues up 19pc to £104.4m for the year ending December 31.
M&C Saatchi, which recently opened offices in Sao Paolo and Geneva, increased revenue from European agencies by 70pc – with particular success in Paris and Berlin. In the UK, revenue grew by 14pc on new business wins such as Change4Life, the Department of Health's new anti-obesity campaign.
However, the US business saw revenue decline marginally to £4m, with a trend for clients to take their work in house and cut budgets.
David Kershaw, the chief executive of M&C Saatchi, said the company was looking at more organic start-ups in markets that are less gloomy.
"We have seen in consulting that time frames have shortened dramatically and brand equity building over the long-term has been sacrificed to driving consumer spend right now," he said.
Markets where there was a property fuelled boom and bust, like the US and Spain, have had the toughest fourth quarter, he added. The final dividend rises 13pc to 2¾p, payable on July 10.