PALFINGER continued its growth and recorded satisfactory operating profitability in the first quarter of 2018

• Revenue rose by 8.9 per cent to EUR 394.2 million
• EBITn margin: 10.1 per cent
• Consolidated net result decreased due to an increase in restructuring costs, a higher share attributable to non-controlling interests and lower financial result
• Further increase in incoming orders in the first quarter of 2018

1) These figures were normalized (n) by restructuring costs.
2) Starting in 2018, balance sheet date figures of consolidated Group companies excluding equity shareholdings and excluding contract workers are being presented; the previous years’ figures are average figures.

Bergheim, 30 April 2018

PALFINGER AG continued on its growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2018: Revenue rose by 8.9 per cent to EUR 394.2 million, a new record high. The development of operating profitability was satisfactory as well. EBITDAn increased by 6.2 per cent to EUR 54.0 million and EBITn soared by a remarkable 9.1 per cent to EUR 39.9 million. PALFINGER thus recorded a double-digit EBITn margin of 10.1 per cent.

In the reporting period, restructuring costs came to EUR 6.3 million (Q1 2017: EUR 5.0 million). EBIT (operating result) increased by 6.2 per cent year on year to EUR 33.6 million. However, due to the lower financial result, a higher tax rate and the strong increase in earnings attributable to non-controlling shareholders, the consolidated net result was EUR 17.9 million in the first quarter of 2018, 7.7 per cent lower than the previous year’s figure. Earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.48, as compared to EUR 0.52 in the first quarter of 2017.

“The development of operating profitability shows us that we are on the right track to achieve and sustain our goals. From today’s perspective, not least due to our full order books, the financial year 2018 may well be another record year in terms of revenue and operating profitability,” commented Felix Strohbichler.

Performance by segment
In the first quarter of 2018, the LAND segment’s revenue increased by 13.6 per cent year on year to EUR 337.8 million. The segment’s normalized EBITDA (EBITDAn) grew to EUR 58.4 million, corresponding to an increase of 13.0 per cent. The EBITDAn margin of this segment thus decreased marginally from 17.4 per cent to 17.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2018. The restructuring costs allocated to this segment amounted to EUR 2.5 million in the reporting period, as compared to EUR 3.6 million in the first quarter of the previous year.

The growth achieved in the LAND segment was based on the significant expansion of business in the regions EMEA and Americas. In Europe, the acquisition of the Danish distribution partner Palfinger Danmark AS, which took place at the end of January 2017, generated positive momentum as well. In North America, PALFINGER recorded pleasing increases in business in recent months. It is anticipated that the restructuring can be completed in the first half of 2018. In Asia, particularly in China, the good partnership with SANY has proved to be the foundation for continued business expansion. In Russia/CIS, local value creation facilitated additional growth in the first quarter of 2018, despite the challenging economic environment. 

In the first quarter of 2018, the SEA segment’s revenue decreased to EUR 56.4 million, which corresponds to a decline of 12.7 per cent. The contribution of the segment to PALFINGER’s consolidated revenue thus shrank from 17.9 per cent to 14.3 per cent. The segment’s normalized EBITDA (EBITDAn) decreased from EUR 2.1 million in the first quarter of 2017 to EUR 0.9 million; the EBITDAn margin came to 1.6 per cent, as compared to 3.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2017. The restructuring costs incurred by this segment were EUR 3.7 million, as compared to EUR 1.2 million in the same period of the previous year.

The business environment of the SEA segment remained extremely challenging as a result of the strained situation of the oil and gas industry. There are signs of a slight stabilization of the market situation, but no substantial recovery is yet to be expected from today’s point of view. The restructuring of this segment will be intensively continued in 2018 and will probably only be completed in 2019.

Outlook
In the first quarter of 2018, the PALFINGER Group again recorded an increase in incoming orders, which indicates that for the rest of the financial year 2018, business performance will continue to be satisfactory overall, albeit heterogeneous. It is expected that the restructuring measures in North America will be completed in the first half of 2018, and the ongoing restructuring measures in the marine business may continue to depress earnings in 2019. The management foresees new record levels of revenue and EBIT for 2018. The consolidated net result in 2018 is expected to approximate the successful results recorded in 2015 and 2016.