Interim Report 1 January-30 September 2004

Interim Report 1 January-30 September 2004 2004:3 2004:2 2004:1 0409 0309 Earnings per share, SEK 4.09 4.32 4.34 12.75 15.77 Cash flow from current operations per share, SEK 9.59 2.27 3.48 15.34 23.71 Net sales, SEK M 22,812 22,340 21,687 66,839 64,185 Earnings after financial items, SEK M 1,377 1,502 1,472 4,351 5,181 Net earnings, SEK M 955 1,009 1,014 2,978 3,656 Compared with first nine months of 2003 · Net sales amounted to SEK 66,839 M (64,185). · Earnings after taxes (net earnings) amounted to SEK 2,978 M (3,656) [1]. · Earnings per share amounted to SEK 12.75 (15.77). Adjusted for currency effects and items affecting comparability, the decline was 9%. Compared with second quarter of 2004 · Net sales amounted to SEK 22,812 M (22,340). · Earnings per share amounted to SEK 4.09 (4.32). Other · It appears that the expected price recovery during the current year will be delayed. Additional cost-reduction measures will be accelerated. For further information please contact: Jan Åström, President and CEO. Telephone: +46 70 586 0701. Peter Nyquist, Senior Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations. Telephone: +46 70 575 2906. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1]Earnings during 2004 were affected by costs for personnel reductions and sale of shares. During 2003, earnings in the first quarter were affected by sale of shares (see also page 13). ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/10/26/20041026BIT20130/wkr0001.pdf The full report