Varie
Wavin 2011 revenue up 7.8% to EUR 1.3 billion
Full Year 2011
H2 2011
" After a strong start of 2011, supported by a mild winter, we saw a gradual deterioration of market circumstances in some of our key countries. Scandinavia and Eastern Europe performed well, while results in the UK, France and Italy were disappointing. As already announced, we have taken measures to address this and will reduce total staff in 2012 with 150 FTEs, saving EUR 5 million annually at a one-off cost of EUR 3.5 million.
G ood progress was made with the Wavin 2015 strategy. We expanded in Sweden and Czechia, divested continental clay and our French irrigation activities and closed our small business in Spain. We reduced net debt and have extended our financing facility until April 2015, with relaxed covenants, while margins and other conditions remained unchanged."
We re main cautious for 2012. Sentiment differs in our key countries. While the situation in Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Turkey looks positive, market expectations in the UK and the Netherlands are less encouraging. In 2012 we will grasp the opportunities for growth and pursue local leadership in line with the Wavin 2015 plan. Joining forces with Mexichem, should allow us to further accelerate our strategy.
Following a good start of the year - supported by a mild winter - the European construction market was adversely affected by weakening con sumer confidence. This was fuelled by unrest in the financial markets, cuts in government spending and further mortgage restrictions.
There were notable differences between countries and regions. The markets in Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Turkey were strong, whereas those in the UK, Italy, the Netherlands and Ireland remained challenging. New residential building activities recovered somewhat in most Western European countries but were weak in Eastern Europe. Residential repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) was stable, while the non-residential markets did not show signs of recovery. Developments in the civil engineering sectors in various European countries were positive, boosted by infrastructure investments like construction for the Olympic Games in London and the European Football Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Wavin recorded a 7.8% revenue growth in 2011. Scandinavia, Germany and Poland grew double digit, but performance in Italy, the UK, France and Ireland was disappointing. Operational issues in the South West Europe region, which were addressed in the course of the year, impacted the results negatively.
The Above Ground business benefitted from a slight recovery in several Western European residential markets, our continued focus on Hot & Cold systems (including Surface Heating & Cooling) and the further roll-out of low-noise soil and waste systems.
Our Below Ground activities performed well , due to our strong market positions and the high level of infrastructure investments in especially Poland. The consolidation of our sales joint venture in Czechia and the water business acquired from KWH Pipe Sverige AB further contributed to this positive development.
Revenue was EUR 1,327 million up 7.8% compared to 2010. On a like-for-like basis, revenue rose by 8.3%. As we generated 60% of our revenue outside the Eurozone, the appreciation of non-Euro currencies had a positive effect of 1.2% on reported revenue. The consolidation of the water business in Sweden, acquired in 2010, contributed 1.2% towards revenue growth.
H2 revenue was up 1.3% (4.4% on a like-for-like basis).
Gross profit amounted to EUR 288.6 million, 1.3% below 2010. Raw material costs rose sharply, only levelling off towards the end of the year. The general economic climate, combined with overcapacity in the industry, caused delays in passing on higher input cost to the market. This put pressure on margins. Price competition was noticeably fiercer in the more generic product ranges and in markets lacking clear market leadership. Our focus on complexity reduction and manufacturing optimisation contributed to further reduction of production costs.
The Ebitda - operating result before depreciation, amortisation and non-recur ring items - decreased 5.9% to EUR 98.0 million, from EUR 104.1 million in 2010. The increased operational leverage from volume growth partly compensated higher raw material costs and operational challenges in the UK and France. The Ebitda margin fell to 7.4%, from 8.5% in 2010. The H2 Ebitda margin came in at 8.1% (2010: 8.8%).
Non-recurring items in the operating result were EUR 5.8 million (2010: EUR 6.4 million). Non-recurring costs of EUR 7.8 million (2010: EUR 7.2 million) related mainly to restructuring measures. Non-recurring income of EUR 2.0 million was recorded on sale of assets and the realised negative goodwill related to the acquisition in Sweden.
The drop in Ebitda was partly compensated by lower depreciation and non-recurring expenses. The 2011 operating result was EUR 35.5 million, a decrease of EUR 2.4 million or 6.3%, compared to 2010.
Net finance costs were reduced to EUR 28.2 million in 2011, from EUR 34.1 million in 2010. Interest costs were EUR 31.1 million compared to EUR 34.8 million in 2010, due to lower interest margins and a lower average debt. In 2011, the average interest rate paid was 6.4% compared to 7.4% the previous year. The weakening of the Euro against most other currencies resulted in exchange rate losses of EUR 0.4 million (2010: EUR 1.0 million).
An income tax benefit of EUR 6.2 million was booked, compared to a benefit of EUR 1.1 million in 2010. This included the release of a tax provision of EUR 6.8 million related to the sale of associates in 2006.
Wavin's 40% stake in a joint venture that specialises in pressure fittings for gas and water applications contributed EUR 2.4 million to the results almost equal to last year.
Net profit rose to EUR 18.0 million in 2011 from EUR 7.1 million in 2010. Adjusted for one-off charges and benefits, recurring net profit amounted to EUR 10.7 million (2010: EUR 8.9 million). Profits attributable to shareholders increased from EUR 5.8 million in 2010 to EUR 17.1 million in 2011. Earnings per share were EUR 0.34, compared to EUR 0.11 in 2010.
Given the limitations on paying dividend sunder the terms of the Finance Facility, the Boards of Wavin have decided to add the 2011 profit attributable to shareholders to the reserves.
Working capital decreased by EUR 21.7 million to EUR 98.2 million. Although input costs were substantially higher, inventories were reduced from EUR 171.9 million to EUR 153.2 million. Accounts receivable were in line with last year, despite revenue growth in emerging markets with longer payment terms. Cash flow from operating activities improved to EUR 101.1 million (2010: EUR 59.3 million), largely due to the working capital reduction. Depreciation and amortisation decreased slightly to EUR 59.0 million, well above the net investment level. Net investments were EUR 50.1 million, compared to EUR 37.6 million in 2010, which included substantially higher divestments of assets.
Net debt at year-end was down EUR 28.2 million to EUR 227.9 million, compared to EUR 256.1 million at year-end 2010. The decrease was primarily related to the working capital reduction. The company operated well within the bank covenants. At year-end the leverage ratio (net debt/last twelve months Ebitda) was 2.4, well below the threshold of 3.0. The interest coverage ratio (Ebitda/net interest expense) was 4.2 against a minimum of 2.8. Wavin's main source of funding was a syndicated loan facility of EUR 500 million, which expired in October 2011 and was replaced with a EUR 475 million syndicated loan facility expiring in April 2013. Early 2012 we agreed with our main lending banks to amend and extend the facility to April 2015. The facility was reduced to EUR 440 million and covenants were relaxed, but margins and other conditions remained unchanged. The amended and extended facility provides Wavin with sufficient headroom and flexibility to respond to uncertain market conditions and offers a solid base for executing the Wavin 2015 strategy.
Year-end 2011 , the Wavin Group had a workforce of 6,221 employees, compared to 6,448 the previous year. The decrease is partly due to the divestment of activities in France and the sale of the Euroceramic continental clay operations.
Wavin is organised in s ix business units that cover the Above Ground and Below Ground building segments.
Hot & Cold water systems are plastic and metal-plastic systems for the distribution of tap water in the house, connections to radiators and systems for surface heating and cooling. Reven ue from Hot & Cold systems was EUR 275.8 million, slightly higher than in 2010. Revenue development varied throughout Europe. Solid growth was achieved in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Turkey, but new residential markets in the UK and Italy as well as export sales from Turkey, were difficult. In 2011 the new generation Hep2O push-fit fitting system was rolled out in the UK. After a slow start, when the full range of fittings was not yet available, sales recovered well.
Revenues of the Surface Heating & Cooling business grew 9.2 % in 2011. Increased awareness for building sustainability - further supported by international certifications - boosted the demand for our energy efficient solutions.
The Soil & Waste business - which addresses indoor waste water discharge - saw revenue increase by 6.4% to EUR 170.1 million. Growth was realised across Europe and is mainly driven by residential and RMI activities, which were relatively stable. Our low-noise systems are used for both residential and non-residential construction and are marketed across Europe.
Products in this segment (such as roof gutters and electrical conduit pipes) complete the above ground offering in some of Wavin's European markets. Revenue in this segment decreased 8.5% to EUR 45.2 million.
Foul Water Sys tems' revenue rose by 12.7% to EUR 420.0 million, excluding the divestment of the continental clay activities growth was 15.3%. Wavin particularly benefited from its strong position in the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Poland and Turkey. Our complete range of inspection chambers continued to substitute those made of concrete. We increased the use of recycled material in our PVC multi-layer pipes, making these products even more sustainable. A good example of our commitment to this is the introduction of Recycore® technology in the UK for the manufacturing of multi-layer, solid-core pipes, made with over 50% recycled content.
Wavin offers intelligent solutions for managing rain water runoff from hard surfaces, such as roofs and roads to ground water. As in recent years, most European countries were again faced with the challenges of storm water management in urban areas, with flooding following heavy rainfall causing severe problems. Because of this - and despite the economic situation - the Water Management business expanded in both the residential and non-residential sectors. Despite the divestment of irrigation activities in France, Water Management revenue grew by 3.6% to EUR 147.2 million, from EUR 142.1 million in 2010.
Within this business, the Intesio rainwater management segment grew almost 13%. This successful concept is now available in nine countries and combines a full range of products, with project design and calculation tools for civil engineers and investors
Revenues in Water & Gas increased by 15.7% to EUR 180.8 million. The acquisition of the Swedish water business of KWH contributed significantly to this result.
The cable ducting business experienced strong growth, driven by the development of microduct-based solutions for the telecom industry. Revenue increased to EUR 60.4 million, 13.3% above 2010. A recovery of the telecom market was driven by large projects in Eastern Europe and increasing investments by established companies in 'fibre to the home'.
The North West Europe regi on's revenue rose by 20.5 % to EUR 489.0 million. Ebitda came in at EUR 36.8 million, from EUR 30.7 million in 2010. The Ebitda margin was 7.5%, almost equal to 2010.
After a decline of nearly 30% in the previous two years, the construction market in the Netherlands showed little growth. With consumer confidence remaining low Residential new build and renovation segments stabilised, but the non-residential segment continued to decline. Under these difficult market conditions Wavin maintained its leading position and market share.
In Germany all sectors showed market growth. With its good position in Below Ground applications Wavin benefited from the growth in infrastructure investments, especially in the (bio) gas and water segment. With the completion of the range of fittings for metalplastic pipes system for hot and cold water distribution, Wavin's Hot & Cold business achieved strong revenue growth.
In Belgium the cancellation of tax advantages to stimulate the residential segment and low consumer confidence, resulted in a drop in applications for new building permits and a gradual weakening of the residential demand. This was compensated by increased activity in the non-residential segment. Wavin Belgium performed strongly in the public sector, where demand for projects to separate rainwater from foul water was strong.
In Denmark the residential new build market showed strong growth while RMI residential and infrastructure markets improved. In both Above Ground and Below Ground systems, Wavin Denmark has a market leading position and improved its market share.
In Sweden we successfully integrated the water business acquired from KWH and upgraded the production facility to comply with Wavin's standards. We now have a stronger overall market position and are number two in the Below Ground segment.
In Norway, where market conditions were stable, we increased our revenues. We are the market leader in the growing water management segment, in cable ducting and in soil & waste.
In Finland, the heating and plumbing market grew strongly, and we retained our leading position in tanks and separators.
The performance in the South West Europe region was disappointing due to a combination of challenging market conditions and operational issues that were addressed in the course of the year. Revenue declined by 3.8% to EUR 356 million. In 2011 we divested the Euroceramic continental clay business, the irrigation and geocomposite business (completed in 2012) in France. Excluding these divestments revenue increase was 0.6%. Ebitda was EUR 5.7 million, compared to EUR 25.7 million in 2010. The margin was 1.6%, compared to 6.9% in 2010.
In the UK, the construction market slowed down, with output 2% lower than in 2010. Spending on residential building showed a decline of almost 3% whilst non-residential building declined as cuts in government funding started to take effect. After showing encouraging growth in 2010, the number of new housing starts fell slightly in 2011. Wavin UK's performance was also impacted by the effects of the slow introduction of the next generation Hep2O fittings and the related cost inefficiencies. The full Hep2O range was available as of the second half of the year and market acceptance is good. At the end of the year, we signed a contract to supply Hep2O to British Gas's network of 10,000 installers.
In France, markets slowed down in the second half of the year. Existing housing sales declined sharply, while new build activity declined after a change in tax legislation for investment in rental properties.
Wavin France faced delivery problems at the beginning of the year as a result of the introduction of a new barcode system. These issues were resolved in the course of 2011.
In Ireland, after several difficult years during which GDP shrunk by a cumulative 11.6% in three years, the economy started to stabilise. We maintained our number one position in the market and managed to increase our market share within some categories, including Hot & Cold.
Revenue in the Central & Eastern Eu rope region rose by 14.0% from EUR 199.0 million in 2010 to EUR 226.9 million in 2011. Ebitda for the year ended at EUR 29.1 million, slightly above the EUR 28.8 million achieved the previous year. The Ebitda margin dropped to 12.8% mainly due to the full year consolidation of the sales joint-venture in Czechia.
In 2011 Poland recorded a relatively high and well-balanced e conomic growth. The non-residential market increased by nearly 4%. The infrastructure business showed strong growth, partly due to the EU subsidised programs and investments related to the European Football Championships in Poland and the Ukraine.
Wavin Poland saw an increase in demand in below ground systems supported by the mild winter. After two strong quarters, however, infrastructure demand leveled off. This was compensated by accelerated growth in, amongst others, the residential Hot & Cold segment.
The Czech market remained weak in 2011. We transferred the responsibility for domestic sales to Wavin Osma, a commercial joint venture 65 % owned by Wavin and 35% by Osma, a German manufacturer of plastic pipe systems. With an improved product portfolio and a stronger organisation, Wavin Osma has successfully maintained its leading overall market position in the Czech market.
The Baltics (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and Belarus enjoyed economic growth, predominantly due to increased exports to EU partners and Russia. In 2011 Wavin, the number two in the region, improved its market positions in Latvia and Lithuania.
In the South East Europe region, revenue was almost the same as in 2010 at EUR 196.8 million. Ebitda increased to EUR 10.1 million from EUR 9.0 million.
The construction sector in Italy declined for the fourth consecutive year. Both residential and non-residential output dropped by more than 6% in 2011. Under these market conditions credit control is extremely important. In this fragmented market with no clear market leader, raw material cost increases were difficult to pass on.
In Turkey, a key growth market for Wavin, the construction market grew by 10% in 2011. We have a strong positi on in Below Ground and are now focusing to grow our market position in the Above Ground segment. In 2011 good progress was made in this segment. The important export business from Turkey to neighbouring countries was affected by strict credit control. We implemented a number of initiatives to reduce costs and align the organisation to the 2015 strategy.
Hungary's economic climate remained challenging, and construction output dropped for the sixth year in a row. We hold strong market positions in both the Above Ground and Below Ground sectors and were able to increase our overall market share during the year. In December, the Hungarian Competition Authority started an investigation of Hungarian pipe producers suspected of forming a price fixing cartel. We are co-operating actively with the authorities, providing any information required and have no reason to believe that we violated anti-trust rules.
A number of entities of the Wavin Group are not included in the regional structure, including Wavin Overseas, Wavin China, Wavin Technology & Innovation and Group holding companies.
Wavin Overseas is responsible for our commercial activities outside Europe and sells Wavin products and technologies globally through a network of 120 agents and licensees. In 2011, growth was particularly strong in the Middle East and Asia. Wavin Overseas expanded its licensing base of the proprietary Biax technology for PVC pipe systems. This technology enables pipes to be manufactured with less raw material and with better properties than pipes manufactured using traditional methods. In Asia, sales of our patented Compact Pipe system for trenchless pipe rehabilitation grew.
Wavin is the leading supplier of plastic pipe systems and solutions in Europe. The company provides essentials: plastic pipe systems and solutions for tap water, surface heating and cooling, soil and waste, rain- and storm water, distribution of drinking water and gas and telecom applications. Wavin is headquartered in Zwolle (The Netherlands) and has a presence in 25 European countries. The c ompany employs approximately 6,200 people and reported revenue of approximately EUR 1.3 billion for 2011. Outside Europe, it has a global network of agents, licensees and distributors. Wavin is listed on the NYSE Amsterdam stock exchange (WAVIN). More details about Wavin can be found at www.wavin.com
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not based on historical fact, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. Any statement in this announcement that expresses or implies our intentions, beliefs, expectations or predictions (and the assumptions underlying them) is a forward-looking statement. Such statements are based on plans, estimates and projections as currently available to the management of Wavin. Forward-looking statements therefore speak only as of the date they are made and we assume no obligation to publicly update any of them in the light of new information or future events.
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