First quarter report for January - March 1999

21 APRIL 1999

  • ORDERS RECEIVED TOTALLED SEK 1,250.3 MILLION (SEK 1,002.7 M) – AN INCREASE OF 24.7 %
  • INVOICED SALES TOTALLED SEK 1,183.1 MILLION (SEK 937.2 M) – AN IMPROVEMENT OF 26.2 %
  • THE OPERATING PROFIT BEFORE ITEMS AFFECTING COMPARABILITY ROSE 17.2% TO SEK 177.4 MILLION (SEK151.4 M)
  • THE PROFIT BEFORE TAX ROSE 6.9 % TO SEK 161.1 MILLION (SEK150.7 M)
  • THE INTEGRATION OF LAST YEAR’S ACQUISITIONS IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN
  • THE FORECAST FOR 1999 AS A WHOLE REMAINS THE SAME WITH A PROFIT BEFORE TAX OF AROUND SEK 675 MILLION (SEK 602.6 M)

 

Orders received
Orders received by the Getinge Group increased by 24.7% and totalled SEK 1,250.3 million (SEK 1,002.7 m) for the first three months of the year. Organic growth for comparable units and in local currency, amounted to 5.1%.

Invoiced sales
Invoiced sales improved over the period by 26.2% to SEK 1,183.1 million (SEK 937.2m). Adjusted for company acquisitions, disposals and exchange rate fluctuations, invoiced sales rose 5.4 %.

Profit
The Getinge Group’s operating profit before items affecting comparability rose 17.2% to SEK 177.4 million (SEK 151.4 m) which corresponds to15.0% (16.2%) of invoiced sales.

Net financial items totalled – SEK 16.0 million (–SEK 12.9 m),of which net interest items made up –SEK 15.5 million (–SEK 12.4 m). The Group’s profit before tax rose by 6.9% to SEK 161.1 million (SEK 150.7 m), which corresponds to 13.6% (16.1%) of invoiced sales.

Return on capital employed was 25.5% (24.3%).

Financial position and equity/assets ratio
The Group’s net debt at the end of Q1 was SEK 1,619.7 million (SEK 1,152.1 million) and the Group’s cash flow after investments and disposals was SEK 129.9 million
(–SEK 68.9 million).

Shareholders equity on 31 March was SEK 1,332.3 million (SEK 1,484.7 m) giving an equity/assets ratio of 30.1% (38.4 %).

Investments
Net investments in machinery, equipment and buildings totalled SEK 43.5 million (SEK 19.1 m).

Staff
The number of employees was 3,765 (3,107), of whom 798 (785) are in Sweden.

The business areas – operations and result

Scientific    
SEK Million Mar 99 Mar 98
Orders received 147.3 109.6
Invoiced sales 105.4 125.6
Operating profit 9.8 25.8
as a percentage of invoiced sales 9.3% 20.5%

The business area’s orders received rose by 34.3% over the first three months. Organic growth for comparable units and in local currency, amounted to 30.9 %. Orders received have continued to be good on the American market.

Over the period, invoiced sales fell by 16.1 %. The business area Scientific works on a market where invoiced sales fluctuate significantly from one quarter to the next and from year to year. The 62% drop in the operating profit is mainly an effect of lower invoicing.

In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, invoiced sales fell by 19.2%.

Sterilization Health Care    
SEK Million Mar 99 Mar 98
Orders received 296.0 302.7
Invoiced sales 312.9 285.6
Operating profit 15.8 21.1
as a percentage of invoiced sales 5.0% 7.4%

The business area’s orders received slipped by 2.2% in Q1. In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, orders received fell by 22.5%. The decline in orders received is mainly attributable to the North American health care market.

Invoiced sales over the period rose by 9.5% and the operating profit fell by 25.2 %. The poorer operating profit is an effect of weaker sales in the North American market. The integration of the acquisitions in Italy, France and the Netherlands is going according to plan. The activity programme started last year aimed at underpinning long-term profitability, has intensified as a consequence of the deteriorating demand.

In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, invoiced sales fell by 7.4%.

Disinfection    
SEK Million Mar 99 Mar 98
Orders received 219.5 212.9
Invoiced sales 201.0 175.7
Operating profit 42.3 34.8
as a percentage of invoiced sales 21.0% 19.8%

The business area’s orders received rose by 3.1% in Q1. In comparable units, currency-adjusted orders received are at the same level as last year. Orders received have continued to progress strongly in the laboratory market and pharmaceutical industry in North America. Demand has been weaker in Northern and Central Europe in Q1.

Invoiced sales rose over the period by 14.4% and the operating profit increased by 21.6%. In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, invoiced sales climbed by 10.9 %.

Hygiene Systems    
SEK Million Mar 99 Mar 98
Orders received 203.0 200.8
Invoiced sales 196.6 175.5
Operating profit 22.1 29.2
as a percentage of invoiced sales 11.2% 16.6%

The business area’s orders received were at the same level in Q1 as they were last year. Invoiced sales rose over the period by 12.0% and operating profit fell by 24.4%. The deterioration in the operating profit is related to an adverse product mix and a break in the production of sit-baths for the North American market.

In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, invoiced sales rose by 9.7%.

Patient Handling    
SEK Million Mar 99 Mar 98
Orders received 368.1 160.8
Invoiced sales 350.4 158.1
Operating profit 85.7 39.3
as a percentage of invoiced sales 24.5% 24.9%

The business area’s orders received surged by 129.0% over the first three months. Organic growth amounted to 34.7 %. The volume trend continued to be positive on the American market. The Pegasus group that works in the pressure sore prevention and treatment sector, continued to progress well.

Invoiced sales also rose by 129.0 % and the operating profit increased by 118.0 %.

In comparable units and adjusted for currency fluctuations, invoiced sales rose by 37.2 %.

Other
The Medical product line, which includes the LIC Audio and NeuroMédica companies, reported invoiced sales of SEK 17.0 million (SEK 16.6 m) and an operating profit of SEK 1.8 million (SEK 1.5 m).

Forecast
The full year forecast made earlier still stands, with a profit before tax of around SEK 675 million (SEK 602.6 m).

The next report
The next report from the Getinge Group (the interim report) will be published on 6 August 1999.

Getinge, 21 April 1999

Johan Malmquist

President

Tel: +46 35 15 55 00

Income Statement        
SEK Million   3 months 3 months Full year
    1 Jan 99 1 Jan 98 1998
    31 Mar 99 31 Mar 98  
         
Invoiced sales   1,183.1 937.2 4,345.0
Cost of goods sold and services   -639.7 -518.6 -2,405.1
Gross profit   543.4 418.6 1,939.9
Costs for sales, research/        
development and administration   -366.0 -267.2 -1,287.0
Operating profit prior to items        
affecting comparability   177.4 151.4 652.9
Operations divested 1) 12.5 15.9
Operating profit   177.4 163.9 668.8
Interest income   4.6 5.4 23.4
Interest expense   -20.1 -17.8 -86.1
Other financial items   -0.5 -0.5 -2.3
Associated companies' profit/loss   -0.3 -0.3 -1.2
Profit before tax   161.1 150.7 602.6
Tax 2) -40.2 -31.8 -125.9
Net profit   120.9 118.9 476.7

1) The line "Operations divested" refers to the operating profit for Lifco (Business area Distribution). A dividend in kind of the shares in Lifco was implemented at the AGM in1998 and it was part of the Group up to 30 April 1998.

2) For 31 March 1999 tax is estimated at 25% of the profit before tax and for 1998 the Group’s full tax cost is estimated at 20.9% of the profit before tax.

Summarised Balance Sheet        
SEK Million   31 Mar 99 31 Mar 98 1998
Assets        
Goodwill   1,041.3 891.2 1,034.2
Fixed assets   716.4 598.9 760.2
Stock-in-trade   837.6 905.1 770.7
Receivables   1,591.7 1,271.4 1,665.0
Liquid assets   245.2 199.3 196.6
Total assets   4,432.2 3,865.9 4,426.7
Shareholders' equity & Liabilities        
Shareholders' equity   1,332.3 1,484.7 1,221.0
Interest bearing liabilities   1,864.9 1,351.4 1,919.0
Non-interest bearing liabilities   1,235.0 1,029.8 1,286.7
Total Equity & Liabilities   4,432.2 3,865.9 4,426.7

Statements of source and application of funds    
SEK Million   31 Mar 99 31 Mar 98 1998
Operations        
Operating profit   177.4 163.9 668.8
Depreciation   46.0 36.5 149.7
Financial items   -16.0 -12.9 -65.0
Share in associated companies' profit/loss   -0.3 -0.3 -1.2
Taxes paid   -37.2 -23.8 -111.0
Cash flow prior to changes in        
working capital, investments and        
disposals   169.9 163.4 641.3
Changes in working capital        
Stock-in-trade   -66.8 -73.4 -39.0
Current receivables   137.8 -12.5 -337.5
Current operating liabilities   -39.1 -93.8 -18.6
Restructuring reserves, utilised   -9.7 -29.8 -118.3
Cash flow prior to investments        
and divestments   192.1 -46.1 127.9
Investments and disposals        
Direct net investments in machinery,        
equipment and buildings   -43.5 -19.1 -141.4
Net of company acquisitions and        
disposal of operations   -18.7 -3.7 -579.6
Dividend in kind, Lifco   622.5
Cash flow after investments        
and disposals   129.9 -68.9 29.4
Financial activities        
Change in long-term receivables   1.0 -0.1 -1.3
Change in deferred tax   -4.2 -0.2 -9.7
Dividend paid   -124.9
Dividend in kind, Lifco   -510.5
Other items        
Translation differences   -24.0 -7.1 -29.5
Decrease +/Increase - in net debt   102.7 -76.3 -646.5

Key figures      
  31 Mar 99 31 Mar 98 1998
       
Return on capital employed, per cent 25.5 24.3 25.0
       
Shareholders' equity per share, SEK 29.33 32.69 26.88
       
Equity/assets ration, per cent 30.1 38.4 27.6
       
Earnings per share after full tax, SEK 2.66 2.62 10.50
       
Number of employees at the period's end 3,765 3,107 3,724

 

Definitions

Capital employed

Total assets minus liquid assets and minus non-interest bearing liabilities. Calculated as an average for the period.

Return on capital employed

Operating profit in relation to capital employed.

Equity/assets ratio

Shareholders' equity in relation to balance sheet total.

Earnings per share after full tax

Profit for the period divided by number of shares.


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