WPP sees ‘Even Steven’ sales in spite of sports event, vote

WPP Plc, the world’s largest advertising company, expects 2010 revenue to be little changed from this year, in spite of events including the soccer World Cup in South Africa and Congressional elections in the U.S.

Although the company forecast a better second half this year after sales in the first six months dropped more than it anticipated, “part of it is we will be cycling easier like-for- like comparatives,” Chief Executive Officer Martin Sorrell said in an interview today. “Our objective it to get our margins to where they were last year at 14, 15, 16 percent,” Sorrell said. Revenue in 2010 will be “even Steven,” according to a company statement today.