Nielsen Holdings Plc (NLSN) SEC Filing 10-K Annual Report for the fiscal year ending Friday, December 31, 2021

Exhibit 99.1

Investor Relations: Sara Gubins, +1 646 654 8153; sara.gubins@nielsen.com

Media Relations: Connie Kim, +1 240 274 9999; connie.kim@nielsen.com

Nielsen Reports 4th Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results; Provides 2022 Guidance

New York – February 28, 2022 –

David Kenny, Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We delivered strong results in 2021. We successfully sold Nielsen Global Connect, hit significant product milestones, and exceeded all of our original 2021 guidance metrics despite facing some unanticipated challenges. We are strongly positioned within the media ecosystem, with growing relevance as audiences shift to streaming, and we are delivering value to clients across our three essential solutions. We made measurable progress toward becoming a digital-first company, and our strategy aligns with where growth in the industry is coming from. We are piloting the first iteration of Nielsen ONE, which we launched in January, with a representative group of clients across media buyers and sellers and feedback has been positive.”

“We also made progress on strengthening our balance sheet, reducing our net debt leverage by over half a turn in 2021. We now have the flexibility to return more capital to shareholders while continuing to invest in organic growth initiatives and pursue strategic, tuck-in M&A. Our $1 billion share repurchase authorization reflects our Board’s confidence in both our short and long-term growth prospects and enables us to deliver value to our shareholders.”

Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

Unless indicated otherwise, the results referenced in this press release relate to Nielsen’s continuing operations. Beginning in the first quarter of 2021, our former Global Connect business was sold and therefore reclassified to discontinued operations for all periods presented. For comparability, non-GAAP metrics have been adjusted to exclude certain interest costs, as if the sale of Global Connect and resulting de-levering occurred on January 1, 2020.

Our business consists of two major product categories: One Measurement Solutions (“Measurement”) and Impact Marketing Solutions/ Gracenote Content Solutions (“Impact” and “Content” respectively, and together “Impact / Content”). Previously, Measurement was referred to as “Audience Measurement” and Impact / Content was referred to as “Outcomes / Content.” The updated names are a result of Nielsen’s corporate rebranding which we believe better reflects the company’s transformation and focus on the global future of media.

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