Merit Group

Merit Group plc is a British publishing holding company founded in 2001.[2] Its largest shareholder is the Conservative politician and businessman Lord Michael Ashcroft. It was formerly known as Huveaux plc (from 2001 to 2010) and then as Dods Group plc (2010–2021).[3]

Merit Group plc
FormerlyHuveaux plc and Dods Group plc
Typepublic limited company
AIM: MRIT
Industrypublishing
Founded2001
HeadquartersThe Shard, London SE1
Area served
  • United Kingdom
  • Germany
  • France
Key people
  • Munira Ibrahim, MD, Dods Intelligence[1]
  • Cornelius Conlon, MD, Merit Data and Technology[1]
BrandsDods
RevenueDecrease UK£ 24.7 million (to 31st March 2021)
OwnerLord Michael Ashcroft (42%)
Number of employees
Increase 1,158 (2021)
Websitemeritgroupplc.com

Its ordinary shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange.[4]

Subsidiaries

A subsidiary, Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd, publishes The House Magazine, a fortnightly publication for peers and MPs in Westminster; the annual Dod's Parliamentary Companion; and The Parliament Magazine, aimed at Members of the European Parliament. Publication of Dods Parliamentary Companion began in 1832.[5]

In 2011, the company bought the PoliticsHome website from Lord Ashcroft for £2m. PoliticsHome had been founded in 2008 as a sister site to ConservativeHome and was then edited by Paul Waugh.[6]

In 2012, it bought Biteback Media Ltd, publisher of Total Politics, for £795,000 in cash, and Holyrood Communications, publisher of Holyrood, for £416,806 cash plus a further £250,000 if profit targets are met.[7]

As of March 2022, Politics Home and The House Magazine had a combined one million monthly readers online.[8]

References
  1. Merit Group plc: Company number 04267888: Officers. Companies House - officers. Accessed June 2021.
  2. "MERIT GROUP PLC overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  3. Merit Group plc: Company number 04267888. Companies House. Accessed June 2021.
  4. Merit Group plc. London Stock Exchange. Accessed June 2021.
  5. Michael Stenton (editor). (1976). Who's who of British Members of Parliament: a biographical dictionary of the House of Commons based on annual volumes of 'Dod's Parliamentary Companion' and other sources, volume 1: 1832-1885. Hassocks: Harvester Press. ISBN 9780855272197.
  6. "Ashcroft cashes in on PoliticsHome". Media Week. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  7. "Dods buys Biteback Media, Holyrood Comms for total £1.46m". Business Desk. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  8. Silvera, Ian. "PoliticsHome ties digital offering together with podcast push". www.news-future.com. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
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