SW Umwelttechnik Stoiser & Wolschner AG
euro adhoc: SW Umwelttechnik Stoiser & Wolschner AG
quarterly or semiannual
financial statement
SW Umwelttechnik announces results for first quarter of
2008
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
3-month report
08.05.2008
* Record order backlog of E52.1 million * First quarter revenue up by 15% * Forecast for 2008: revenue up by 20%, EBIT by 30%
SW Umwelttechnik posted highly satisfactory results for the first quarter of 2008. And the Vienna listed Carinthian family business is predicting revenue growth of about 20% and a 30% increase in EBIT for 2008 as a whole. Order backlog stood at a record EUR 52.1 million (m) as of 30 April 2008.
Revenue for the first quarter of 2008 advanced to E18.4m from E16m in the like period of 2007. The improvement was largely driven by a strong performance from the group's booming Infrastructure business, which lent weight to the upbeat revenue forecast for 2008. Meanwhile the percentage revenue contribution from SW Umwelttechnik's Romanian operations doubled year on year.
The largest geographical market during the period was Hungary at 62.1% (Q1 2007: 71.4%) of total revenue, ahead of Romania at 16.8% (Q1 2007: 9.4%). The share of revenue attributable to Austria was also up, from 15.3% to 16.7%.
The segmental revenue breakdown in the first quarter showed a marked shift towards the Infrastructure business sector, which accounted for 65.2% of the total (Q1 2007: 56%), followed by Water Conservation on 26.8% (Q1 2007: 31.3%) and Engineering on 8% (Q1 2007: 12.6%).
First quarter EBIT was negative by EUR E1.6m (Q1 2008: negative by E1.3m), in line with the normal seasonal pattern. The loss on ordinary activities of E3.8m (Q1 2007: E1.4m) was inflated by E1.2m in book losses on exchange rate movements (Q1 2007: exchange gains of E0.7m); the exchange losses had already narrowed to E0.4m by 30 April 2008.
Order backlog Order backlog was at an all-time high of E52.1m at the end of the first quarter. The increase was largely fuelled by order intake in Hungary and Romania. SW Umwelttechnik won a E3.0m contract for reinforced concrete and jacking pipes for a wastewater treatment plant currently under construction in Budapest. The group also received a E2.0m order for products for a sewer network rehabilitation and upgrading project in Suceava, eastern Romania.
Employees As at 31 March 2008 SW Umwelttechnik employed 831 people - 90 more than a year earlier. The increase was largely due to expansion in Romania and the group's positive trading performance there.
Capital expenditure Capital expenditure of E2.6m in the first quarter of 2008 (Q1 2007: E5.6m) was largely channelled into the completion of expansion projects in Hungary and Romania.
Balance sheet Non-current assets rose to E75.6m (31 March 2007: E62.1m) as a result of the large-scale investment programme carried out in the previous financial year. The group succeeded in trimming current assets from E44.9m to E41.8m. Total assets ended the first quarter 10% up year on year, at E117.4m (31 March 2007: E107.0m).
Financial liabilities climbed from E58.6m to E75.5m due to borrowing to finance expansion. Equity edged down from E25.7m to E23.0m, in line with expectations.
Share price performance Shareholders' confidence in SW Umwelttechnik's successful strategy remains strong. Following an outstanding share price performance in 2007 and the company's return to the prime market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange during year, the price held its ground well in the first quarter of 2008. SW Umwelttechnik will be paying a dividend of E0.30 for the 2007 financial year.
Outlook Management's expectation of a 20% increase in revenue for 2008 reflects order intake in Romania, SW Umwelttechnik's uncontested market leadership in Hungary, the success of the current export drive, and innovative product developments. The disproportionate 30% year-on-year increase in EBIT projected for 2008 is based on the anticipated positive contribution to earnings of the new Romanian operations.
- In Romania the Timisoara and Bucharest works have now reached full production. The second development phase involving the installation of capacity for water conservation products at the Bucharest site is scheduled for completion by mid-2009. Work on the construction of the Targu Mures plant in central Transylvania is due to commence in mid-2009.
- In Austria SW Umwelttechnik has consolidated its market shares, and expects to post a significant year-on-year increase in revenue for 2008 as a whole.
- In Hungary the fall-off in the revenue contribution of the Engineering sector because of current public spending cuts is being more than offset by sales to industrial and commercial customers, and exports to Slovakia.
- SW Umwelttechnik is going ahead with plans to export from Romania and Hungary to Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. Meanwhile steps are also being taken to acquire land for additional factories.
Financial highlights
|E m |Q1 2008 |Q1 2007 | |Revenue |18.4 |16.0 | |EBIT |-1.6 |-1.3 | |EBITDA |-0.4 |-0.2 | |POA |-3.8 |-1.4 | | | | | | | | | |E m |Q1 2008 |Q1 2007 | |Non-current |75.6 |62.1 | |assets | | | |Current assets |41.8 |44.9 | |Total assets |117.4 |107.0 | | | | | |Equity |23.0 |25.7 | |Debt |94.4 |81.3 | |whereof bank |75.5 |58.6 | |loans | | |
Founded in 1910, SW Umwelttechnik remains a family business, though it has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1997. The group is widely identified with sustainable enterprise and rapid expansion in Central and Southeastern Europe (CSE). Its innovative environmental technology products are contributing to infrastructure renewal in CSE.
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Dr. Bernd Wolschner
Vorstand der SW Umwelttechnik AG
Tel.: +43/7259/31 35 0
Fax: +43/463/37 667
Romed Lackner
Investor Relations & Marketing
Tel.: +43/664/811 76 70
Fax: +43/463/37 667 170
E-Mail: romed.lackner@sw-umwelttechnik.com
Website: www.sw-umwelttechnik.com
Branche: Technology
ISIN: AT0000808209
WKN: 910497
Index: WBI
Börsen: Börse Berlin / free trade
Börse Frankfurt / free trade
Wiener Börse AG / Regulated free trade