Feb 20 (Reuters) - DECEUNINCK NV DECB.BR :
* FOLLOWING A STRONG 2018, 2019 PROVED TO BE MUCH MORE
CHALLENGING, WITH NET RESULT AMOUNTING TO A LOSS OF EUR 14.7M
(FY 2018: PROFIT OF EUR 15.6M)
* SALES DECREASED 6.0% MAINLY BECAUSE OF LOWER VOLUMES IN
TURKEY
* THESE LOWER SALES VOLUMES ARE MAIN REASON FOR DECREASE IN
ADJUSTED EBITDA TO EUR 60.6M OR 9.6% ON SALES (FY 2018: EUR
81.9M(*) OR 12.1% ON SALES), AS GROSS PROFIT MARGIN REMAINED
RELATIVELY STABLE AT 28.7% (FY 2018: 30.0%)
* FINANCIAL EXPENSES REMAINED HIGH AT EUR 22.5M AS TRY
INTEREST
RATES REMAINED AT PEAK LEVELS THROUGHOUT MOST OF 2019 WITH ONLY
SINCE JANUARY 2020 A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE
* STRATEGIC REPOSITIONING OF EUROPE IS WELL ON TRACK, BUT
SOME
LARGER PROJECTS CURRENTLY GENERATE TRANSITION COSTS WHILE
BENEFITS WILL GRADUALLY MATERIALIZE IN NEXT 18 MONTHS
* NET FINANCIAL DEBT INCREASED BY EUR 14.4M(*) TO EUR 140.2M
PRIMARILY DUE TO TIMING DIFFERENCES AND DECISION TO PAY CERTAIN
SUPPLIERS FASTER
* BOARD PROPOSES TO AGM TO MAINTAIN DIVIDEND AT EUR 0.03 PER
SHARE
* THE FREE CASH FLOW DECREASED FROM € 32.2M IN FY 2018 TO €
21.7M
IN FY 2019
* SALES € 633.8M (-6.0%)
Source text : https://bit.ly/328BGBE
Further company coverage: DECB.BR
(Gdansk Newsroom)
((gdansk.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; +48 58 7785110;))