In 1998, N.V. Holdingmaatschappij De Telegraaf made a net profit of NLG 145.2 million, a 16.4% increase over the 1997 net result of NLG 124.7 million. Net earnings per share of NLG 0.50 par value rose from NLG 2.37 for 1997 tot NLG 2.77 for 1998.

• a 12.5% rise in operating profit from NLG 173.3 million in 1997 to NLG 195.0 million in 1998, partly owing to strong cylical growth in newspaper advertising volume. Group turnover increased by 12% to NLG 1.52 billion;
• the rise in the positive balance of financial revenue and charges, from NLG 12.9 million in 1997 to NLG 25.2 million in 1998, partly owing to the company’s share in the profit of the 30% participating interest in SBS 6 B.V. Last year, the company still bore part of the initial loss sustained in 1997;
• a decrease in the positive extraordinary result after tax from NLG 4.2 million in 1997 to NLG 0.6 million in 1998.

• the growth in advertising came to a virtual halt during the first months of 1999;
• during the first periods of 1999, the result increased beyond expectations compared to the same periods last year. This is partly attributable to the integration of De Courant Nieuws van de  Dag and De Telegraaf in February 1998. The economic advantage of this integration was reflected in the results from the second half-year of 1998 on;
• The initial costs of a free newspaper for commuters travelling by public transport, to be started in the second half of this year. This publication will be printed outside the company, at Friese  Pers in Leeuwarden.