Earnings Release • Apr 27, 2016
Earnings Release
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Paris, April 27, 2016
"Volumes improved in all regions in the first quarter. Trading in France advanced with the exception of Pipe. Other Western European countries reported further growth. Trading in North America bounced back despite lackluster industrial markets. Emerging markets continued to perform well. Prices dipped slightly as expected, particularly in Western Europe and the US. In this setting, we are continuing to pursue our operational excellence program and confirm our objective of a further like-for-like improvement in operating income."
* Following the sale of the Packaging business (Verallia) and in accordance with IFRS 5, the business was reclassified within "Net income from discontinued operations" in the 2015 income statement.
Like-for-like (constant Group structure and exchange rates), consolidated sales rose 1.8%, lifted by improved volumes (up 2.3%) in all Business Sectors and regions, despite the slight dip in prices (down 0.5%) in a more deflationary environment. This price effect concerned Building Distribution in particular, especially in France, reflecting a lower cost of goods sold. It also concerned Interior Solutions in France and Germany along with construction in the US, which benefited from the drop in certain raw material and energy prices.
On a reported basis, sales came in at €9,136 million, with a significant 3.0% negative currency impact due mainly to the sharp depreciation in Latin American currencies against the euro, and to a lesser extent in pound sterling and Norwegian krone.
Changes in Group structure had a negative 0.7% impact, essentially reflecting disposals carried out to optimize the Building Distribution portfolio that were not offset by small acquisitions within the Group.
| €m | Sales Q1 2015 Restated |
Sales Q1 2016 |
Change on an actual structure basis |
Change on a comparable structure basis |
Like-for-like change |
Sales Q1 2015 Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUSINESS SECTOR | ||||||
| Innovative Materials1 | 2,385 | 2,396 | 0.5% | 0.1% | 4.3% | 2,385 |
| Flat Glass | 1,285 | 1,276 | -0.7% | -0.7% | 4.9% | 1,285 |
| High-Performance Materials | 1,104 | 1,123 | 1.7% | 1.1% | 3.6% | 1,104 |
| Construction Products1 | 2,833 | 2,797 | -1.3% | -2.3% | 0.9% | 2,833 |
| Interior Solutions | 1,541 | 1,609 | 4.4% | 3.2% | 5.8% | 1,541 |
| Exterior Solutions | 1,307 | 1,208 | -7.6% | -8.3% | -4.4% | 1,307 |
| Building Distribution | 4,315 | 4,170 | -3.4% | -0.7% | 1.4% | 4,315 |
| Packaging (Verallia) | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | 550 |
| Internal sales and misc. | (224) | (227) | --- | --- | --- | (224) |
| REGION | ||||||
| France | 2,539 | 2,514 | -1.0% | -0.2% | -0.2% | 2,731 |
| Other Western European countries | 3,990 | 3,976 | -0.3% | 0.2% | 2.0% | 4,275 |
| North America | 1,245 | 1,245 | 0.0% | 4.7% | 3.2% | 1,245 |
| Emerging countries and Asia | 2,004 | 1,884 | -6.0% | -6.9% | 4.5% | 2,087 |
| Internal sales | (469) | (483) | --- | --- | --- | (479) |
| GROUP | 9,309 | 9,136 | -1.9% | -1.2% | 1.8% | 9,859 |
1 Including inter-division eliminations.
Construction Products (CP) sales edged up 0.9%, hampered as expected by the ongoing sharp decline in Pipe.
Interior Solutions advanced 5.8% on the back of strong volume growth in all regions. Trading in Western Europe was lifted by a recovery in volumes, including in France and Germany, amid a more deflationary economic environment. In North America, bullish construction markets drove volume growth, while prices remained under pressure. Asia and emerging countries confirmed their very strong performance.
Exterior Solutions sales fell 4.4%, hard hit by the contraction in Pipe in line with fourth-quarter 2015. The business was down in all regions, particularly due to the lack of major export contracts. Exterior Product volumes in the US advanced despite the absence of a winter promotional campaign as in 2015, while prices for the business were down with asphalt prices declining sharply. Mortars reported good growth led by Asia and emerging countries and by an improved performance in France.
Building Distribution was up 1.4%, lifted as expected by the volume upturn in France and ongoing positive trends in Nordic countries, the UK and Germany. The price effect was less, due to a fall in the costs of goods sold. The wider economic slowdown in Brazil continued to take its toll on trading.
Business in France stabilized (down 0.2%), hampered by the sharp decline in Pipe. Our sales performance reflects the recovery in construction market indicators despite the pressure on prices in a more deflationary environment.
In line with 2015 trends, other Western European countries confirmed their good growth levels (up 2.0%) in all of the Group's major markets including Germany.
North America moved up 3.2%, powered mainly by construction, as industrial markets remained uncertain.
Asia and emerging countries delivered further sales growth, at 4.5%, despite the expected deterioration in Brazil and a downturn in business in China.
The first quarter was in line with our expectations at the beginning of the year and confirms our outlook for 2016 as a whole:
The Group reiterates the action priorities it defined in February:
In line with our February guidance, we are targeting a further like-for-like improvement in operating income in 2016.
First-half 2016 results: July 28, 2016, after close of trading on the Paris Bourse.
| Analyst/Investor relations | Press relations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaetano Terrasini Vivien Dardel Florent Nouveau |
+33 1 47 62 32 52 +33 1 47 62 44 29 +33 1 47 62 30 93 |
Charles Hufnagel Susanne Trabitzsch |
+33 1 47 62 30 10 +33 1 47 62 43 25 |
A conference call will be held at 6:30 pm (Paris time) on April 27, 2016.
This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to Saint-Gobain's financial condition, results, business, strategy, plans and outlook. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the use of the words "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend", "estimate", "plan" and similar expressions. Although Saint-Gobain believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions as at the time of publishing this document, investors are cautioned that these statements are not guarantees of its future performance. Actual results may differ materially from the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Saint-Gobain, including but not limited to the risks described in Saint-Gobain's registration document available on its website (www.saint-gobain.com). Accordingly, readers of this document are cautioned against relying on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this document. Saint-Gobain disclaims any intention or obligation to complete, update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release does not constitute any offer to purchase or exchange, nor any solicitation of an offer to sell or exchange securities of Saint-Gobain.
For any further information, please visit www.saint-gobain.com
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