SAF-HOLLAND's sales and earnings surge in the first nine months of 2015
*Group sales rise 13% in the first nine months to EUR 817.5 million
*Adjusted EBIT climbs 32% and outpaces sales growth
*Adjusted EBIT margin rises to 9%
Luxemburg, November 5, 2015 - SAF-HOLLAND, a SDAX-listed commercial vehicle
supplier, was undeterred by the continued weakness in the Brazilian,
Russian, and Australian sales markets and raised Group sales in the first
nine months of 2015 by 13.0% to EUR 817.5 million (previous year: EUR 723.5
million). Steady, robust demand for trucks and trailers from Western Europe
and the rising share of new products related to axle modules and suspension
systems led the rise as did the growth in regions outside of the core
markets of Europe and North America. Sales saw a significant benefit from
currency translation effects, particularly from the strong US dollar.
Business expanded by approx. 4% on an organic basis.
Solid overall capacity utilization together with ongoing efficiency
improvements in production caused earnings growth to outpace sales growth.
As a result, adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in the
nine-month period of 2015 climbed 32.4% to EUR 73.6 million (previous year:
EUR 55.6 million). This led to a significant improvement in the adjusted
EBIT margin to 9.0% (previous year: 7.7%).
Third quarter sales expand 7.2%
Group sales in the third quarter increased 7.2% to EUR 258.8 million
(previous year: EUR 241.5 million) despite strong year-over-year quarterly
comparisons. Sales in all three business units - Trailer Systems, Powered
Vehicle Systems, and Aftermarket - rose in comparison to the third quarter
of 2014.
The higher gross margin coupled with the slower growth in selling,
administrative, and R&D expenses compared to sales in the nine-month period
of 2015 generated a 38.2% rise in the operating result to a total of EUR
64.7 million (previous year: EUR 46.8 million).
The finance result in the first nine months of 2015 improved to EUR -2.5
million (previous year: EUR -5.1 million). The finance result for the third
quarter of 2015 amounted to EUR -3.9 million (previous year: EUR 0.9
million) and was noticeably weaker year-over-year. This mostly relates back
to the unusually high foreign exchange gains in the third quarter of the
previous year stemming from the valuation of inter-company foreign currency
loans of a net amount of EUR 4.8 million, compared with net foreign
exchange losses of EUR 0.4 million in the third quarter of 2015.
Higher operating earnings in combination with a better finance result led
to a year-over-year surge in earnings before taxes of 48.4% to EUR 63.2
million in the first nine months of 2015 (previous year: EUR 42.6
million).The result for the period jumped to EUR 42.1 million (previous
year: EUR 28.7 million). This amount corresponds to undiluted earnings per
share of EUR 0.93 (previous year: EUR 0.63) and diluted earnings per share
of EUR 0.80 for the first nine months of 2015 (previous year: EUR 0.63).
The calculation of diluted earnings per share takes into account the
potentially higher number of shares from the convertible bond issued in
2014.
Adjusted EBIT margin in third quarter at 9.3%
Adjusted EBIT in the third quarter of 2015 gained 26.2% to EUR 24.1 million
(previous year: EUR 19.1 million) placing the Company's adjusted EBIT
margin in the third quarter once again within the target range of 9 to 10%
despite sequentially seasonally weaker sales. The adjusted EBIT margin
stood at 9.3% (previous year: 7.9%). Earnings before taxes in the third
quarter of 2015 grew moderately due to the weaker finance result and
amounted to EUR 17.3 million (previous year: EUR 17.2 million). The result
for the period rose 4.4% to EUR 11.7 million (previous year: EUR 11.2
million), which is equivalent to undiluted earnings per share in the third
quarter of 2015 of EUR 0.26 (previous year: EUR 0.24) and diluted earnings
per share of EUR 0.22 (previous year: EUR 0.24).
Sales growth in all reporting regions
In Europe, SAF-HOLLAND's strongest sales region, sales in the first nine
months of 2015 grew by 4.0% to EUR 394.8 million (previous year: EUR 379.7
million). Positive business developments in Western Europe were somewhat
offset by the continued and very difficult market environment in Russia.
Sales in North America enjoyed support from favorable currency effects and
climbed 21.8% to EUR 329.1 million (previous year: EUR 270.1 million)
albeit customer orders showed signals of a normalizing demand especially in
the truck market. In other regions, SAF-HOLLAND recorded a sharp rise in
sales of an overall 27.0% to EUR 93.6 million (previous year: EUR 73.7
million). Business flourished in the ASEAN countries as well as in China.
The expanded activities in Dubai and Mexico, particularly in the
Aftermarket business, made a substantial contribution to sales growth.
There is continued weakness, however, in the Brazilian market and in the
Australian market.
All Business Units contribute to sales and earnings growth
In the first nine months of 2015, SAF-HOLLAND generated higher sales and
earnings in all Business Units. The largest Business Unit, Trailer Systems,
increased its sales 14.0% to EUR 471.9 million (previous year: EUR 414.1
million). Sound capacity utilization in our core markets and the positive
impact from measures implemented to increase efficiency led to a sharp rise
in adjusted EBIT of 76.7% to EUR 30.4 million (previous year: EUR 17.2
million). This rise resulted in an improved adjusted EBIT margin of 6.5%
(previous year: 4.2%).
During the same period, sales in the Powered Vehicle Systems Business Unit
increased to EUR 139.3 million (previous year: EUR 122.9 million) due to
relatively steady developments in the truck markets in North America and
Europe and favorable currency developments. The Business Unit's adjusted
EBIT climbed 29.6% to EUR 10.5 million (previous year: EUR 8.1 million).
Earnings in this segment were supported by flexibility measures implemented
at the production facilities in North America, the solid capacity
utilization, and the higher earnings contribution from the specialists for
bus suspension systems Corpco in China. The adjusted EBIT margin amounted
to 7.5% (previous year: 6.6%).
The Aftermarket business in the nine-month period of 2015 was influenced by
the difficult conditions in Russia and the tendency of North American fleet
operators to purchase new vehicles. In addition, the company made
investments for the international expansion of the Business Unit's sales
structures. The Aftermarket Business Unit was able to increase its sales by
10.6% to EUR 206.3 million (previous year: EUR 186.5 million). At the same
time, the adjusted EBIT climbed 7.9% to EUR 32.7 million (previous year:
EUR 30.3 million). At 15.8% (previous year 16.2%), the Unit's adjusted EBIT
margin remained in the planned range of 15 to 16%.
Favorable sales and earnings performance expected to continue - outlook for
sales, adjusted EBIT, and earnings per share confirmed
Despite the severe market downturns in Brazil, Russia, and Australia, the
successful business performance in the first nine months of 2015 provides a
solid foundation for the full year. From today's perspective, we assume
that SAF-HOLLAND's solid business development will continue throughout the
remainder of 2015 and the company will report another year of profitable
growth. The company confirms its 2015 full-year targets, which were raised
slightly in the second quarter. The steady year-to-date organic growth of
approx. 4 % together with the positive exchange rate effects already
described make us confident that full-year 2015 Group sales will reach at
least the upper end of our projected sales range of EUR 980 million to EUR
1,035 million (previous year: EUR 959.7 million) or slightly higher. Cost
discipline, combined with higher production efficiency as well as
satisfactory capacity utilization in most markets, should lead to
disproportionately high earnings growth for the full year. Therefore, the
company continues to expect a noticeable year-over-year rise in the
company's profitability and an adjusted EBIT margin at the lower end of the
9 - 10% range (previous year: 7.4%). Assuming that developments in both the
economy and industry continue to be stable, management continues to expect
adjusted EBIT for the full year of 2015 to be slightly higher than EUR 90
million (previous expectation: around EUR 90 million). Unchanged,
management expects earnings per share to grow at least 30% taking fully
into account the higher number of share equivalents due to the convertible
bonds issued in 2014.
Notes:
Adjusted EBIT was adjusted for the following items that are not
attributable to the operating business: amortization resulting from
purchase price allocation and impairment reversals on intangible assets
from impairment tests as well as one-time restructuring and integration
costs. The nine-month report of SAF-HOLLAND S.A. as of September 30, 2015
can be accessed at
http://corporate.safholland.com/en/investoren/reports/2015.html.
Company Profile:
SAF-HOLLAND S.A., located in Luxembourg, is the largest listed supplier to
the commercial vehicle market in Europe. With sales of approximately EUR
960 million in 2014 and more than 3,000 employees, the company is one of
the world's leading manufacturers and suppliers of chassis-related systems
and components primarily for trailers, trucks, buses, and recreational
vehicles. The product range comprises axle and suspension systems, fifth
wheels, kingpins, and landing gear and is marketed under the brands SAF,
HOLLAND, and Neway. SAF-HOLLAND sells its products to Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs) on six continents. The Aftermarket Business Unit sells
spare parts to the Original Equipment Service (OES) of the manufacturers
and to end customers and service centers through its own extensive global
service and distribution network. SAF-HOLLAND is one of the few suppliers
in the truck and trailer industry that is internationally positioned in
almost all markets worldwide.
Contact:
SAF-HOLLAND GmbH
Stephan Haas
Hauptstraße 26
63856 Bessenbach
Phone +49 6095 301-617
Stephan.Haas@safholland.de