ETTEPLAN 1-6/2016: REVENUE AT RECORD LEVELS

ETTEPLAN OYJ HALF YEAR FINANCIAL REPORT
AUGUST 10, 2016 AT 2:00 PM

ETTEPLAN 1-6/2016: REVENUE AT RECORD LEVELS

Review period April-June 2016

-The Group’s revenue increased by 46.6 per cent and was EUR 50.2 million (4-6/2015: EUR 34.2 million). Organic growth accounted for 10.1 per cent.
- EBIT from business operations* was EUR 2.9 million (EUR 2.5 million), or 5.8 per cent (7.3 per cent) of revenue. EBIT from business operations included exceptional items with a combined negative effect of EUR 1.0 million (EUR 0.2 million).
- Operating profit (EBIT) was EUR 2.4 million (EUR 2.3 million), or 4.7 per cent (6.7 per cent) of revenue.
- The profit for the review period was EUR 1.8 million (EUR 1.7 million).
- Operating cash flow decreased and was EUR 1.1 million (EUR 3.7) million.
- Earnings per share, adjusted for the share issue, were EUR 0.08 (EUR 0.08).
- The number of personnel increased and the Group had 2,487 employees at the end of the review period (1,900).
- Etteplan acquired Espotel and Soikea Solutions and expanded its business operations in Embedded Systems and into the Internet of Things (IoT) as of April 4, 2016. In addition to Engineering services and Technical Documentation services, Embedded Systems and IoT represents Etteplan’s third service area. The acquired companies are included in reporting starting from April 1, 2016, and the reporting of the third service area begins with this interim report.
- Etteplan carried out a rights offering in May 2016. The company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 14.4 million through the offering. As a result of the offering, the total number of shares in Etteplan increased to 24,771,492 shares.
- Etteplan is updating its estimate of market outlook and keeping its financial guidance unchanged.

Review period January-June 2016

- The Group’s revenue increased by 28.9 per cent and was EUR 88.8 million (1-6/2015: EUR 68.9 million). Organic growth accounted for 5.2 per cent.
- EBIT from business operations* was EUR 5.1 million (EUR 4.8 million), or 5.7 per cent (6.9 per cent) of revenue. EBIT from business operations included exceptional items with a combined negative effect of EUR 1.2 million (EUR 0.3 million).
- Operating profit (EBIT) was EUR 4.2 million (EUR 4.4 million), or 4.8 per cent (6.3 per cent) of revenue.
- The profit for the review period was EUR 3.2 million (EUR 3.1 million).
- Operating cash flow was EUR -0.5 million (EUR 3.8 million). The decrease in cash flow was caused by the company’s strong growth.
- Earnings per share, adjusted for the share issue, were EUR 0.15 (EUR 0.14).

*EBIT from business operations reflects the Company’s operational performance: it does not include acquisition-related items such as amortization on PPA allocations and earn out revaluations. 

Market outlook

The most important factor in the development of Etteplan's business is the global development of the machinery and metal industry. The relatively good growth expectations for Europe in 2016 were weakened by the result of the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom. In the Finnish market, the market situation is expected to remain weaker than in the rest of Europe. In Asia, the service market development is expected to continue. We expect that the good market situation in North America will continue.

Previous estimate of market outlook

The most important factor in the development of Etteplan's business is the global development of the machinery and metal industry. In 2016, there are signs of improvement of European growth. Uncertainty has increased in the Finnish market, and the market situation is expected to remain weaker than in the rest of Europe. In spite of the slowing down of growth in Asian markets and increased uncertainty, the service market development is expected to continue. We expect that the good market situation in North America will continue. The demand for engineering services and technical documentation services got off to a slow start at the beginning of the year.

Financial guidance March 15, 2016

We expect the revenue and operating profit for the full year 2016 to grow significantly compared to 2015.

Key figures

President and CEO Juha Näkki:

“The second quarter changed Etteplan as a company. We entered a new size category and our service offering was significantly strengthened by acquisitions in the areas of embedded systems and digitization. Going forward, we can provide industrial customers with a full range of engineering and digitization services for product and service businesses. This will further strengthen our market position and support our profitable growth. Having completed the acquisitions, we established Embedded Systems and IoT as our third service area. The key figures for the new service area will be published starting from this report.

There were no significant changes in the demand situation during the review period. Our revenue grew by a record-high 47 per cent in the second quarter, exceeding EUR 50 million for a single quarter for the first time in the Group’s history. While much of this growth was attributable to acquisitions, we also achieved strong organic growth in excess of 10 per cent. This proves that our service portfolio is effective even in the prevailing challenging market situation. Our operating profit remained at the same level as in the comparison period, mainly due to substantial exceptional items related to acquisitions. Taking exceptional items into consideration, our profitability nevertheless developed in the right direction. The implementation of strategy progressed and the share of revenue represented by high value-added services exceeded our target of 50 per cent in the second quarter.

Business development varied by service area. In the area of Engineering Services, growth continued and profitability improved from the preceding quarter. There were small signs of recovery in demand in engineering services, particularly in plant engineering. However, new projects were still slow to start. Business in China developed favorably as the engineering service market continues to open up. The number of working hours sold in the Chinese market grew by nearly 30 per cent in the second quarter.

In Technical Documentation, strong business growth continued and we won several small outsourcing contracts. Profitability continued to be burdened by the Company’s business operations in Germany, the small share represented by the software business and the weak market situation in certain units. Nevertheless, the demand for Etteplan’s service solutions, particularly outsourcing solutions, is at a good level and the acquired digitization expertise creates entirely new growth opportunities also in the area of documentation.

The development of our Embedded Systems and IoT business was excellent. Revenue grew and profitability was at a very good level. The service area’s demand was at a good level. In particular, the demand for industrial internet applications and other digitization services was strong. The integration of Espotel Oy and Soikea Solutions Oy into the Etteplan Group has started according to plan. Our customers are very interested in our new services, which presents good growth opportunities going forward.

During the review period, we carried out a successful rights offering to finance acquisitions, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our shareholders for the trust they have shown in the Company. Etteplan is on the path of profitable growth and we will continue to move forward with three excellent service areas.” 

Disclosure procedure

Etteplan follows the disclosure procedure enabled by Disclosure obligation of the issuer (7/2013) published by the Finnish Financial Supervision Authority. This stock exchange release is a summary of Etteplan's January-June 2016 half year financial report. The complete half year financial report is attached to this stock exchange release in pdf format and is also available on Etteplan's website at www.etteplan.com. Investors are advised to review the complete half year financial report with tables.

Conference call and live webcast today, August 10, 2016

Etteplan’s President and CEO Juha Näkki will present Company’s results for January-June 2016 in a conference call and a live webcast for analysts and investors, held in English language, on August 10, 2016 starting at 3.30 p.m. Finnish time (EEST).

To participate in the conference call please dial 5-10 minutes prior to the start of the conference to +358 (0)9 2310 1675, the event password is 512101. Questions can be asked in English after President and CEO’s presentation only through conference call connection.

Juha Näkki’s presentation can be followed as a live webcast on http://www.goodmood.fi/webcaster/accounts/etteplan/live/. The webcast starts at 3.30 p.m. Finnish time (EEST). A recording of the webcast will be later available at www.etteplan.com/Investors.

Vantaa, August 10, 2016

Etteplan Oyj

Board of Directors

Additional information:
Juha Näkki, President and CEO, tel. +358 400 606 372

The information presented herein has not been audited.

Releases and other corporate information are available on Etteplan's Web site at www.etteplan.com.

DISTRIBUTION:
Nasdaq Helsinki
Major media
www.etteplan.com

Etteplan's services cover engineering, technical documentation, embedded systems and IoT solutions. Our customers are the world's leading companies in the manufacturing industry. Our services are geared to improve the competitiveness of our customers' products and engineering processes throughout the product life cycle. The results of Etteplan's innovative engineering can be seen in numerous industrial solutions and everyday products.

In 2015, Etteplan had turnover of EUR 141.1 million. The company has about 2,500 professionals in Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland and China. Etteplan's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd under the ETT1V ticker.