Tous Actualités
Suivre
Abonner AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG

AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG

EANS-News: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
Good start to 2010|11 financial year

Wien (euro adhoc) -

  Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
  responsible for the content of this announcement.
quarterly report
The business of the sugar, starch and fruit group
AGRANA continued to prosper in the first quarter of 2010|11. Amid the
macroeconomic recovery, demand grew in all three business segments. 
The increases in sales volumes made up for the simultaneous slight 
easing in prices. Driven by the better market environment, the 
Group´s revenue grew by 6.8% from the prior year´s first quarter, to 
EUR 540.5 million. AGRANA´s largest revenue gain occurred in the 
Fruit segment, as  a result of volume growth both in fruit 
preparations and fruit juice concentrates.
Group operating profit before exceptional items (EBIT) expanded from 
EUR 20.0 million to EUR 34.3 million thanks largely to better 
capacity utilisation and the cost optimisation measures taken, with 
earnings improving significantly in all segments. (Note: there were 
no exceptional items in the current reporting period, the first 
quarter of 2010|11)
"With these results we have picked up where we left off in the very 
good quarters before the economic crisis. Especially our Fruit 
segment has returned to a very positive trend. With help also from 
the growing earnings in Sugar and Starch, our Group used the 
gradually stabilising environment (despite some lower product prices)
to generate a good operating profit," says AGRANA Chief Executive 
Officer Johann Marihart.
AGRANA Group results for the first quarter ended 31 May (IFRS)
Q1 2010|11       Q1 2009|10
Revenue                           EUR 540.5 m      EUR 506.2 m
Operating profit before            EUR 34.3 m       EUR 20.0 m
exceptional items
Profit before tax                  EUR 28.0 m       EUR 21.0 m
Profit for the period              EUR 19.9 m       EUR 16.7 m
Earnings per share                 EUR 1.39         EUR 1.19
Staff count                           8,116          7,989
Net financial items amounted to a net expense of EUR 6.2 million, which
reflected the current exchange rate volatility especially in the Polish zloty,
Romanian leu and Hungarian forint. After a tax expense of EUR 8.1 million
(representing a tax rate of 29%), the Group´s profit for the period was EUR 19.9
million. Earnings per share attributable to AGRANA shareholders grew from EUR
1.19 to EUR 1.39.
Revenue by segment for the first quarter ended 31 May
Q1 2010|11        Q1 2009|10
Sugar segment                EUR 181.2 m         EUR 175.5 m
Starch segment               EUR 135.4 m         EUR 125.6 m
Fruit segment                EUR 223.9 m         EUR 205.2 m
AGRANA Group revenue         EUR 540.5 m         EUR 506.2 m
Sugar segment
Revenue in the Sugar segment increased by 3.2% in the first quarter to EUR 181.2
million on higher sales quantities. Quota sugar prices were lower 
than one year earlier, but in exports of non-quota sugar AGRANA 
benefited from the higher world market prices. Thanks to cost relief,
the segment was able to expand its margins on quota and non-quota 
sugar from its own production; this made itself felt in a 56% 
improvement in pre-exceptionals operating profit to EUR 6.1 million.
Starch segment The revenue growth in the first quarter of 2010|11 
from EUR 125.6 million to EUR 135.4 million was attributable mainly 
to higher sales volumes in all core product groups and in 
by-products. The rise of 37.8% in operating profit was driven by 
volume growth and by savings in raw materials and energy costs. The 
operating profit margin improved from 8.8% to 11.3%. The higher 
margin reflects the stronger Austrian bioethanol business and an 
earnings improvement in the Hungarian joint-venture activities.
Fruit segment Positive trends in the relevant markets translated into
revenue growth of 9.1% and an increase of 156.0% in operating profit 
before exceptional items. Higher sales volumes of fruit preparations 
and fruit juice concentrates more than offset the lower average sale 
prices. The rapid recovery in pertinent markets in Eastern Europe led
to very good volume growth in fruit preparations.
Outlook Based on the positive patterns in the first quarter of 
2010|11, coupled with rising raw material prices, AGRANA is 
projecting a slight increase in full-year Group revenue compared to 
the prior year. The Sugar and Starch segments are expected to have 
similar revenue as in 2009|10, while the good performance in the 
Fruit segment will result in higher Fruit revenues.
The operating profit improvement in the Sugar and Fruit segments 
should lead to an increase in the AGRANA Group´s operating profit 
before exceptional items and lift the Group operating margin above 
that of the 2009|10 financial year.
In the Sugar segment, 2010|11 will be the first financial year where 
the regulatory environment created by the EU sugar regime reform will
apply in the form that is effective until 2015. The temporary strain 
from the sugar market restructuring phase is now eliminated. Despite 
possible crop losses due to flooding, AGRANA continues to expect a 
high volume of sugar production in the 2010 campaign that should 
match the year-earlier level.
AGRANA anticipates further sales volume growth in the Starch segment.
For the bioethanol activities, revenue growth is forecast as a result
of the volume of production and sales. Local market conditions will 
determine bioethanol prices in Europe, as demand depends on the 
national political measures concerning biofuel blend requirements.
In the Fruit segment, the 2010|11 financial year is seeing a recovery
in the market that will lead to rising sales quantities. The 
short-term outlook for the coming months indicates sustained growth 
in sales volumes of fruit preparations. AGRANA´s diversification of 
fruit preparations for the baking and ice cream industries continues.
In apple juice concentrates, AGRANA expects the year to bring 
weather-related smaller crops at higher purchasing prices.
end of announcement                               euro adhoc

Further inquiry note:

Investor Realtions:
Mag. Maria Fally
Tel.: 01-21137-12905
maria.fally@agrana.com

Public Relations:
Mag. Ulrike Pichler
Tel.: 01-21137-12084
ulrike.pichler@agrana.com

Branche: Food
ISIN: AT0000603709
WKN: 779535
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
Börsen: Berlin / Präsenzhandel
Frankfurt / Präsenzhandel
Stuttgart / Präsenzhandel
Wien / official market

Plus de actualités: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
Plus de actualités: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG
  • 14.07.2010 – 08:01

    EANS-Adhoc: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG / AGRANA growth continues in first quarter of 2010|11

    ad-hoc disclosure transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 3-month report 14.07.2010 6.8% revenue growth through volume gains in all segments Operating profit before exceptional items up 71.0% from EUR 20.0 million to EUR 34.3 million Increase in operating ...

  • 02.07.2010 – 14:10

    EANS-Adhoc: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG / AGM approves unchanged dividend

    ad-hoc disclosure transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. 02.07.2010 The 23rd Annual General Meeting of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG today voted to pay a dividend unchanged from the prior year - of EUR 1.95 per share for the completed 2009|10 financial year. The members of the Management Board, Johann Marihart (CEO), ...

  • 12.05.2010 – 08:11

    EANS-News: AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG / Operating profit more than doubled in 2009|10

    Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. annual result Wien (euro adhoc) - The 2009|10 financial year (ended 28 February 2010) of AGRANA, the sugar, starch and fruit group, was marked by a combination of volume growth and lower sales prices. As the increase of 16.7% in sales ...