By Adria Calatayud

Publicis Groupe is scheduled to report results for the fourth quarter and 2025 as a whole on Tuesday. Here is what you need to know.

REVENUE FORECAST: The French advertising company is expected to report organic net revenue growth of 5.1% for the fourth quarter, according to consensus estimates compiled by the company. It posted organic growth of 5.7% for the third quarter, and of 6.3% for the fourth quarter of 2024.

NET PROFIT FORECAST: Analysts forecast Publicis' full-year net profit at 1.71 billion euros ($2.03 billion), according to consensus estimates provided by FactSet. For 2024, it made a net profit of 1.66 billion euros.

Shares in Publicis rose 8.5% during the fourth quarter, but they gave up some of the gains in early 2026. The stock has shed nearly a fifth of its value over the past year amid investor concerns about risks posed by artificial intelligence.

WHAT TO WATCH

--OUTLOOK: AI concerns have loomed over Publicis in recent months, and investors might want to hear what the company expects of the year ahead. UBS analyst Jo Barnet-Lamb said in a note he would watch for the company's organic growth guidance for 2026, as well as for any comments on the prospects for its Sapient consulting unit and on momentum so far into the year. Publicis is typically cautious in its initial guidance at the start of the year and its outlook will likely imply a growth deceleration, which won't be seen as positive in the context of AI fears, Morgan Stanley analyst Laura Metayer wrote in a note to clients. Morgan Stanley expects Publicis to guide for organic growth of 4% to 5% this year.

--SAPIENT: Publicis' Sapient business has been under pressure in recent years after some clients paused spending due to uncertainty arising from tariffs, monetary policy and the war in Ukraine, but showed signs of stabilization in 2025. The company hopes the rise of AI will boost demand for Sapient's services as businesses seek to come up with strategies to navigate the technology shift. Analysts at Bank of America said Sapient could emerge as a source of growth this year.

--BUYBACK: Investors might want to hear from Publicis about its capital-allocation plans in light of a strong balance sheet, high cash generation and low share-price valuation, the Bank of America analysts said. Analysts at Citi said Publicis could launch a buyback ranging from 420 million to 535 million euros to offset headwinds from weakness in the U.S. dollar. Nevertheless, it seems more likely that the company will announce a buyback over the course of the year rather than with the 2025 results, Citi said.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 02, 2026 02:56 ET (07:56 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.