Latest Alamy annual financial statement (2015) now available

[M.Chapman]

Alamy's latest financial statement is available on-line here (scroll down page and click view pdf).

 

I'm not an expert at balance sheets, but I think it shows that life in the stock industry is pretty hard going with declining revenues per image (no surprises there!). Nevertheless they still made a profit, but a bit smaller than last year, even with a larger portfolio. Currency fluctuations may have had quite an effect.

 

Anyone else have any comments?

[Joseph Clemson]

The first page of the accounts refers to the costs incurred to Alamy by currency fluctuations and the way they try to hedge against such fluctuations. Given that this set of accounts refers to 2015, I can't help but wonder how the current plummeting value of the pound against the dollar is going to affect Alamy. On the face of things, it seems like good news for UK contributors as our payments in dollars translates to more pounds in our pockets. Is this tempered though if Alamy finds trading more difficult under the circumstances brought about by the Brexit vote?  I really don't know enough about these issues to understand properly and would be interested in hearing the analysis of anyone who does understand these things.

 

The accounts also sets in sharp relief the extent of Alamy's growth in library size. They reported having 66 million images at the end of 2015, up by 13 million on the previous year. The current library is just shy of 91 million images - adding 25 million images in less than 12 months -WOW.

 

I too would be  interested in what further insights into the company can be gleaned by those who have the ability to interpret company accounts such as these.

[spacecadet]

We get more pounds, but fewer dollars are billed, so there's no advantage, except for billings during the period when the collapse was actually happening.

Say the Mail was charged £5 or $7.50. After the collapse it is charged $6. That's still £5 to us. We'll only get extra money when the $7 billings are paid out at $1.20 instead of $1.50. New billings will be at $6. Ditto Euro.

It's an ill wind, as they say, but we're going to lose our hats either way.

[Phil Robinson]

Do prices charged abroad vary with currency fluctuations, I wonder? A British customer might be charged in dollars calculated from the pound's current rate, but prices to customers in USA and Europe presumable stay the same, meaning more for us at the moment. Those $180 sales stayed at $180 over a long period, despite fluctuations in the currency..

[wiskerke]

 

Do prices charged abroad vary with currency fluctuations, I wonder? A British customer might be charged in dollars calculated from the pound's current rate, but prices to customers in USA and Europe presumable stay the same, meaning more for us at the moment. Those $180 sales stayed at $180 over a long period, despite fluctuations in the currency..

 

<>

Then again it could be argued that the price of many things in the Uk has or will increase (look up Brent crude) so you'll need the extra. Depends how much brent crude you buy in your weekly shopping.

 

 

See it was a left wing green conspiracy after all: I knew it! Boris is de mol (Boris is a sleeper agent). Actually a reverse mole. (Think Snape - google "good all along")

The whole of the UK will turn to the bike. They will overtake Holland on the inside lane. The end of the congestion tax. Highways will be used for long distance bowling. Britain will lead by example again. Will be Great again.

Ah such a cunning b*t*rd.

;-)

 

wim

[dov makabaw]

 

Do prices charged abroad vary with currency fluctuations, I wonder? A British customer might be charged in dollars calculated from the pound's current rate, but prices to customers in USA and Europe presumable stay the same, meaning more for us at the moment. Those $180 sales stayed at $180 over a long period, despite fluctuations in the currency..

 

For those of us in the UK, yes. For those of us not in the UK its not so good. We see the UK go down whilst the non-uk remains for us the same.

 

Then again it could be argued that the price of many things in the Uk has or will increase (look up Brent crude) so you'll need the extra. Depends how much brent crude you buy in your weekly shopping.

 

 

 

In principle the sales are denominated in USD, a currency which has strengthened over the past 12 months. The contributors are paid a % of the revenue in USD's - so far no complications. The contributors will generally be receiving more in their local currency for the time being. The buyers will be buying images in USD's which will become increasingly less competitive in an already saturated marketplace. Thus we can anticipate increasing pressure on prices and volumes. Alamy say that they cover currency forward. This may have resulted in a reduction in the GBP value of their revenue which will further dilute their profitability. Its a tough world out there!!!

 

dov

[spacecadet]

 

 

Do prices charged abroad vary with currency fluctuations, I wonder? A British customer might be charged in dollars calculated from the pound's current rate, but prices to customers in USA and Europe presumable stay the same, meaning more for us at the moment. Those $180 sales stayed at $180 over a long period, despite fluctuations in the currency..

 

<>

Then again it could be argued that the price of many things in the Uk has or will increase (look up Brent crude) so you'll need the extra. Depends how much brent crude you buy in your weekly shopping.

 

 

See it was a left wing green conspiracy after all: I knew it! Boris is de mol (Boris is a sleeper agent). Actually a reverse mole. (Think Snape - google "good all along")

The whole of the UK will turn to the bike. They will overtake Holland on the inside lane. The end of the congestion tax. Highways will be used for long distance bowling. Britain will lead by example again. Will be Great again.

Ah such a cunning b*t*rd.

;-)

 

wim

 

That's the best explanation of an upside to Brexit I've seen. It's as plausible as any of the other wishful thinking coming from the Europhobes over here.