City has eye on Johnston Press results tomorrow

Newspaper publisher Johnston Press is set to report its interim results tomorrow, with the City looking for further progress on the group’s key objectives.

The owner of The Scotsman, Edinburgh Evening News and hundreds of local titles and news websites said in May that it was “encouraged” by improving revenue trends in the face of “challenging” conditions for the regional newspaper market.

In a trading update, it reported an 11 per cent hike in its overall digital audience to 26 million, with average page views increasing by 17 per cent.

The group, headed by chief executive Ashley Highfield, said that the i newspaper, acquired in a £24 million deal last year, “continues to perform well”.

Analysts will also be looking for news on the firm’s plans to transform its sales operations and assurances that it is managing its debt obligations successfully.

Housebroker Panmure Gordon is forecasting net debt to reduce from £204m at year end to £192m.