WPP sales growth slows a touch

LONDON, June 9 (Reuters) - Britain's WPP (LSE: WPP.L - news) , the world's biggest advertising company, posted a slight slowdown in sales growth in the first four months of the year due to weaker trading from some parts of the business in April.

The firm said on Tuesday like-for-like net sales up were up 2.3 percent in the period.

That compares with first-quarter growth of 2.5 percent.

"The pattern of net sales growth in 2015 is generally the same as the final quarter of 2014 and first quarter of 2015, with April marginally softer, as parts of the group's advertising, data investment management and branding and identity businesses were slightly slower," it said.

As in the first quarter, WPP, which counts the likes of Ford, Unilever (NYSE: UL - news) and Microsoft (NasdaqGS: MSFT - news) among its clients, saw like-for-like revenue growth in all regions and business sectors, except data investment management. Growth was particularly strong in the UK and Asia Pacific.

The trading update coincided with WPP's annual shareholders meeting, at which it is expected the firm's boss Martin Sorrell will face a revolt over his pay. (Reporting by James Davey; editing by Kate Holton)