Elcoteq SE
Stock Exchange Release
October 24, 2007 at 9.00 am (EET)
July - September
Third-quarter net sales amounted to 1,059.7 million euros (1,169.1 in July - September 2006)
Operating income was -0.1 million euros (16.6). Operating income included restructuring costs amounting to 1.8 million euros, excluding which operating income was 1.7 million euros.
Income before taxes was -7.5 million euros (10.1)
Earnings per share (EPS) amounted to -0.19 euros (0.19)
Rolling 12-month return on capital employed (ROCE) was -12.0% (12.1%)
Cash flow after investing activities was 28.9 million euros (-4.7)
Gearing was 0.7 (0.6)
January - September
Net sales in January - September were 2,980.5 million euros (3,179.7 million euros in January - September 2006)
Operating income was -71.5 million euros (37.0). Operating income included restructuring costs of 34.9 million euros, excluding which operating income was -36.5 million euros.
Income before taxes was -91.6 million euros (20.0)
Earnings per share (EPS) were -2.30 euros (0.40)
Cash flow after investing activities was -33.0 million euros (-62.0)
Interest-bearing net debt amounted to 164.0 million euros (169.9)
This interim report has been prepared using IFRS recognition and measurement principles. The tables have been prepared in compliance with the IAS 34 requirements approved by the EU. The comparative figures presented in the body of the report are the figures for the corresponding period of the previous year, unless stated otherwise.
July - September
The Group's net sales in the third quarter were up about 10% on the second quarter of 2007, amounting to 1,059.7 million euros (1,169.1 million euros in the third quarter of 2006 and 968.3 million euros in the second quarter of 2007). Compared to the second quarter of 2007, the net sales of the Terminal Products business area grew by some 12% thanks to higher demand from numerous customers, and totaled 842.9 million euros. Net sales of the Communications Networks business area remained on par with the second quarter, amounting to 216.8 million euros. However, consolidated third-quarter net sales fell short of the company's expectations, mainly because mobile phone deliveries to Nokia underperformed forecasts.
Operating income was -0.1 million euros (16.6). Operating income includes restructuring costs of 1.8 million euros associated with the action plan, excluding which operating income was 1.7 million euros positive. Operating income excluding restructuring costs improved substantially on the second quarter, when it was 15.9 million euros negative. Major factors behind this improvement are the cost-savings achieved through the action plan, but also the improvement in operational efficiency. In addition, the company made progress in rectifying the production problems encountered earlier in Mexico.
The Group's net financial expenses amounted to 7.3 million euros. Income before taxes was -7.5 million euros (10.1) and net income was -6.3 million euros (5.9). Earnings per share were -0.19 euros (0.19).
The Group's gross capital expenditures on fixed assets in the third quarter totaled 14.8 million euros (38.5) or 1.4% of net sales. A large proportion of investments was allocated to testing equipment, particularly in Terminal Products. Depreciation was 20.4 million euros (21.8).
Cash flow after investing activities in the third quarter amounted to 28.9 million euros (-4.7). In the third quarter, the Group received value-added tax returns that had been postponed to the third quarter and which had increased the Group's net debt by close to 23 million euros in the second quarter. The Group's net debt was 164.0 million euros (192.1 million euros at the end of June 2007). The solvency ratio was 19.4% (22.0%) and gearing was 0.7 (0.6). The cash flow received by the Group from sold accounts receivable amounted to 207.4 million euros at the end of September (190.9 million euros at the end of June 2007).
At the end of September, Elcoteq had unused but immediately available credit limits totaling 296.1 million euros (295.8 million euros at the end of June 2007), which included a syndicated loan with a committed credit facility of 230 million euros. Commercial papers issued by the Group had a total nominal value of 5.0 million euros on September 30, 2007 (19.0 million euros at the end of June 2007).
January - September
Net sales between January and September declined slightly on the same period last year, standing at 2,980.5 million euros (3,179.7). Operating income was -71.5 million euros (37.0). Operating income includes restructuring costs of 34.9 million euros, and therefore operating income excluding restructuring costs was -36.5 million euros. Income before taxes was -91.6 million euros (20.0). Earnings per share were -2.30 euros (0.40).
Gross capital expenditures on fixed assets between January and September amounted to 39.4 million euros (84.6), or 1.3% of net sales. Depreciation was 60.3 million euros (60.7).
Personnel
At the end of September, Elcoteq employed 24,986 people (24,814): 359 (768) in Finland and 24,627 (24,046) elsewhere. The geographical distribution of the workforce was as follows: Europe 11,217 (12,264), Asia-Pacific 8,378 (7,696) and the Americas 5,391 (4,854). The average number of Elcoteq employees on the company's direct payroll between January and September was 19,359 (16,415).
Business Areas
Elcoteq has two business areas: Terminal Products and Communications Networks. In the third quarter, Terminal Products contributed 80% (83%) and Communications Networks 20% (17%) of the Group's net sales.
Balancing the company's customer portfolio has proceeded. In the third quarter, the largest customers (in alphabetical order) were Ericsson, Nokia Mobile Phones, Nokia Siemens Networks, Philips, Research in Motion (RIM), Sony Ericsson and Thomson.
Net sales of the Terminal Products business area between July and September amounted to 842.9 million euros (967.9), down about 13% on the corresponding period of the previous year, but approximately 12% higher than in the second quarter of 2007. The segment's operating income was 6.0 million euros (18.6), representing 0.7% of its net sales. Operating income excluding restructuring costs was 8.1 million euros.
Net sales of the Communications Networks business area between July and September were 216.8 million euros (201.2), an increase of about 8% on the same period last year, but on par with the second quarter of 2007. The segment's operating income was 2.4 million euros (8.8), or 1.1% of its net sales. Operating income excluding restructuring costs was 2.1 million euros.
Geographical Areas
Elcoteq has three geographical areas: Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. Elcoteq's third-quarter net sales were derived from these areas as follows: Europe 50% (57%), Asia-Pacific 30% (26%) and the Americas 20% (17%).
Europe's net sales declined by roughly 20% compared to the corresponding period of last year and totaled 530.2 million euros (659.4). Asia-Pacific's net sales showed slight growth, amounting to 313.7 million euros (307.2). Net sales in the Americas were also slightly up on the year-ago figure, having risen to 215.7 million euros (202.4).
Compared to the second quarter, Europe's net sales increased by about 10% and Asia-Pacific's by about 15%. Net sales in the Americas remained at the same level as in the second quarter. Net sales growth in Europe was primarily attributable to the increase in seasonal deliveries by Terminal Products. The increase in Asia-Pacific's net sales was due to growth in the production volumes of both Terminal Products and Communications Networks.
Progress with the Action Plan
Elcoteq launched an action plan early in the year to improve cost-effectiveness, profitability and competitiveness, and it proceeded as planned. The action plan focuses particularly on the company's operations in Europe and the Americas with a view to achieving annual savings of about 20 million euros. The estimated one-time restructuring costs related to the action plan total approximately 35 million euros, of which 34.9 million euros were recognized in the January - September accounts. Measures geared towards upgrading production efficiency have continued in the entire service network.
As part of the action plan, production at the Lohja plant, in Finland, ceased at the end of June, with production being transferred to other plants. In addition, production at the Juarez plant was wound up at the end of the third quarter, and production was transferred to the Monterrey plant in Mexico and to China.
Decision on New Actions
Elcoteq has today announced a new action plan that has three focuses: adoption of a customer-oriented organization model, turning around loss-making operations into profit or downsizing them and additional savings in operations.
The new action plan will lead to one-time costs that the company will seek to recognize in the last quarter of 2007. The company will release information on the specifics of the program during the final quarter.
Shares and Shareholders
At the end of September, the company had 32,602,919 shares divided into 22,025,919 series A shares and 10,577,000 series K shares. All the series K shares are owned by the company's three principal owners.
According to the Shareholder Register, Elcoteq had 10,709 shareholders on September 30, 2007. There were a total of 7,823,803 nominee-registered and foreign-registered shares, or 24.0% of the share capital and 6.12% of the votes outstanding.
Events after the end of the Review Period
Kiinteistö Oy Piiharju, an Elcoteq SE Group company, sold its manufacturing facility in Gunnarla in Lohja, Finland, to Sponda Kiinteistörahasto. The contract was signed on October 12, 2007. The transaction price is 6.3 million euros. The transaction will be carried out as a sale of real estate, with ownership being transferred to Sponda by October 31, 2007, at the latest.
In October, Elcoteq announced that it had partnered up with the US company Telsima Corporation as well as started the box-build manufacture of WiMaX systems at the Bangalore plant in India.
Elcoteq's Board of Directors has approved in its meeting on October 23 an incentive plan for the motivation and commitment of the company's key personnel by means of a share subscription plan. The potential reward from the plan is based on reaching the targets set by the Board of Directors for the Group's consolidated income before taxes for the full year 2008. Based on the achieved targets the company would issue a maximum of 1,500,000 new series A shares of which 50% would be issued during March 2009 and the remaining 50% during November 2009.
IEMS Strategy
Negotiations on partnerships and M&A arrangements are further ongoing with other parties in order to implement the company's IEMS strategy (IEMS = Integrated Electronics Manufacturing Services). The company intends to implement the IEMS strategy measures by the end of 2008.
The main thrust of the IEMS strategy is to further upgrade the company's electronics manufacturing and product development services by introducing mechanics into the mix. As competition tightens and product lifecycles shorten, the rising trend is that customers need to partner up with companies capable of offering broader service portfolios globally. This is particularly true in Terminal Products. Partners are expected to take on a larger role in the management of complex product structures and in the entire product supply chain. There are a limited number of players offering such extensive service portfolios.
Short-term Risks and Uncertainties
The most important short-term challenges in Elcoteq's business operations concern the company's ability to further improve its cost structure and profitability. Meeting these challenges hinges on the company's provision of services that satisfy customer demand and needs as rapidly as possible.
Prospects
Elcoteq forecasts that its full-year net sales will fall slightly below the previous year and that its operating income excluding restructuring costs will be negative.
The new action plan will lead to one-time costs that the company will seek to recognize in the last quarter of 2007. The company will release information on the specifics of the program during the final quarter. The company believes that the cost-savings and higher operational efficiency achieved from the new action plan will enable it to reach operating income level of about two percent in 2008.
Espoo
October 23, 2007
Board of Directors
Further information:
Jouni Hartikainen, President and CEO, tel. +358 10 413 11
Mikko Puolakka, CFO, tel. +358 10 413 1287, mobile +41 79 618 0302
Tuula Hatakka, SVP, Treasury, Communications and Investor Relations, tel. +358 10 413 1808, mobile +358 50 340 5478
Press Conference and Webcast
Elcoteq will hold a combined press conference, conference call and webcast in English for the media and analysts at 2.30 pm (EET) on Wednesday, October 24, in the Akseli-Gallen Kallela Room of Hotel Kämp (address: Pohjoisesplanadi 29, Helsinki, Finland).
The press conference can also be followed as a live webcast or later as a recording via Elcoteq's website www.elcoteq.com.
To participate by phone, please call 5 - 10 minutes before the start of the press conference on +44 20 7162 0025 (Europe) or +1 334 323 6201 (the USA). The code is Elcoteq.
Elcoteq will publish its 2007 financial statements bulletin on Wednesday, February 6, 2008.
Enclosures:
1 Income statement
2 Balance sheet
3 Cash flow statement
4 Calculation of changes in shareholders' equity
5 Calculation of key figures
6 Key figures
7 Writedowns of non-current assets
8 Business areas
9 Assets pledged and contingent liabilities
10 Quarterly figures
Links:
Interim Report January - September 2007