FIM’S OPERATING PROFIT ON A PAR WITH LAST YEAR; NON-RECURRING ITEMS OF ABOUT EUR 2 MILLION
FIM Group Corporation STOCK EXCHANGE RELEASE February 15, 2007, 08:00 a.m.
FIM’S OPERATING PROFIT ON A PAR WITH LAST YEAR; NON-RECURRING ITEMS OF ABOUT EUR 2 MILLION
Key figures in 2006 (2005)
Net sales: EUR 82.0 million (63.2)
Growth in net sales: 30% (48%)
Operating profit: EUR 19.1 million (19.1)
Operating profit margin: 23% (30%)
Net profit: EUR 13.3 million (13.7)
Earnings per share: EUR 0.32 (0.36)
Proposed dividend: EUR 0.14 per share (0.18)
CEO Risto Perttunen:
"FIM’s net sales were up 30 percent to EUR 82 million, clearly topping the 20 percent target set by the company’s Board of Directors. The operating profit margin was 23 percent, or slightly less than the 25 percent target set by the Board of Directors. Profitability was burdened by FIM’s strong inputs into future growth as well as by non-recurring expenses of about EUR 2 million and third-quarter earnings that fell short of expectations. Fourth-quarter earnings show that the fall in third quarter volume and earnings were transitory and that FIM is back on track with its growth and profitability ambitions.
One of the most important events in 2006 was FIM’s listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, which reflected shareholders’ willingness to invest in growth. During the year, the company’s growth-oriented strategy was revised with the aim of increasing significantly FIM’s total income in Finland, on the international market and in Russia.
On February 5, 2007, Glitnir banki h.f. of Iceland announced its intention to acquire the entire share capital in FIM. The initiative for the arrangement came from FIM’s largest shareholders. The Board of Directors of FIM Group Corporation has recommended to FIM’s shareholders that they accept the offer. If completed, the M&A arrangement will speed up the implementation of FIM’s growth strategy, and I believe that the arrangement will help us to serve our customers even better than before by beefing up our resources. As far as our customers are concerned, nothing will change " FIM continues to be devoted to investing and we still are "led by a passion for increasing our customers’ wealth".
Skilled and motivated employees are the most important resource for FIM’s success. It is gratifying to us that FIM’s people gave their recognition to FIM as a workplace for the third year running, and FIM fared excellently by placing second in the general category of the 2007 Great Place to Work competition.
Investment services operations have got off to a fast start at the beginning of the year and put FIM in a good position for the current year. We expect FIM’s full-year net sales growth to reach the long-term growth target of 20 percent, and operating profit is estimated to exceed the figure posted in 2006."
For additional information, contact:
Risto Perttunen, CEO, tel. +358 9 6134 6303
Timo T. Laitinen, CFO (as from 15 February 2007), tel. +358 9 6134 6525
Niklas Geust, CFO, tel. +358 9 6134 6210
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Telephone conference and webcast
An international telephone conference for analysts and investors will be held at 3.00 p.m. The presentation material will be available on the company’s internet pages by 11 a.m.
The participants are advised to call 5 " 10 minutes before start the conference number
09 2313 9201 (Finland)
+1 334 323 6201 (US)
+44 (0)20 7162 0025 (others)
The telephone conference can also be viewed as a live webcast through the internet pages at www.fim.com.
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The full report including tables can be downloaded from the enclosed link.
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FIM Group Corporation
Risto Perttunen, CEO
Distribution:
Helsinki Stock Exchange
Principal media
www.fim.com.
Established in 1987, FIM is a Finnish investment services group that offers asset management, brokerage and investment banking services for private individuals and organizations. In addition to the head office in Helsinki, FIM has regional offices in Espoo, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Lahti, Oulu, Riihimäki, Tampere, Turku and Vaasa. FIM also operates in Stockholm and Moscow. The company had net sales in 2006 of EUR 82.0 million, and it posted operating profit of EUR 19.1 million. FIM had a payroll of 284 employees at the end of September 2006.