• news.cision.com/
  • Valmet Oyj/
  • Valmet's Financial Statements Review January 1 - December 31, 2017: Orders received amounted to EUR 3.3 billion and Comparable EBITA to EUR 226 million in 2017
English

Valmet's Financial Statements Review January 1 - December 31, 2017: Orders received amounted to EUR 3.3 billion and Comparable EBITA to EUR 226 million in 2017

Report this content

Valmet Oyj's stock exchange release on February 6, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. EET

Figures in brackets, unless otherwise stated, refer to the comparison period, i.e. the same period of the previous year.

October-December 2017: Comparable EBITA margin increased to 8.1 percent

  • Orders received decreased to EUR 727 million (EUR 857 million).
    • Orders received increased in the Automation business line, remained at the previous year's level in the Services business line and decreased in the Pulp and Energy, and Paper business lines.
    • Orders received increased in North America, remained at the previous year's level in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and decreased in Asia-Pacific, South America and China.
  • Net sales increased to EUR 936 million (EUR 785 million).
    • Net sales increased in all business lines.
  • Comparable earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Comparable EBITA) were EUR 76 million (EUR 56 million) and the corresponding Comparable EBITA margin was 8.1 percent (7.2%).
    • Profitability improved due to higher net sales.
  • Earnings per share were EUR 0.30 (EUR 0.10).
  • Items affecting comparability amounted to EUR -12 million (EUR -8 million).
  • Cash flow provided by operating activities was EUR 89 million (EUR 88 million).

January-December 2017: Net sales increased and profitability improved

  • Orders received remained at the previous year's level and were EUR 3,272 million (EUR 3,139 million).
    • Orders received increased in the Paper, Automation, and Services business lines and decreased in the Pulp and Energy business line.
    • Orders received increased in China and North America and decreased in South America, Asia-Pacific and EMEA.
  • Net sales increased to EUR 3,159 million (EUR 2,926 million).
    • Net sales increased in the Paper, and Pulp and Energy business lines and remained at the previous year's level in the Automation and Services business lines.
  • Comparable earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Comparable EBITA) were EUR 226 million (EUR 196 million), and the corresponding Comparable EBITA margin was 7.2 percent (6.7%).
    • Profitability improved due to higher net sales.
  • Earnings per share were EUR 0.84 (EUR 0.55).
  • Items affecting comparability amounted to EUR -17 million (EUR -13 million).
  • Cash flow provided by operating activities was EUR 291 million (EUR 246 million).

Dividend proposal
The Board of Directors proposes for the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of EUR 0.55 per share be paid. The proposed dividend equals to 65 percent of the net result.

Guidance for 2018 to be announced in March 2018 at the latest
Following the adoption of the new principles of IFRS 15, effective as of January 1, 2018, Valmet's revenue recognition will change in 2018. As a result, Valmet will publish restated figures for 2017 in March 2018 at the latest. Valmet will announce its financial guidance for 2018 in conjunction with the restated figures.

Short-term outlook

General economic outlook
Global economic activity continues to firm up. Global output is estimated to have grown by 3.7 percent in 2017, while growth forecasts for 2018 and 2019 have been revised upward to 3.9 percent. The revision reflects increased global growth momentum and the expected impact of the recently approved U.S. tax policy changes. Risks to the global growth forecast appear broadly balanced in the near term, but remain skewed to the downside over the medium term. If global sentiment remains strong and inflation muted, then financial conditions could remain loose into the medium term, leading to a buildup of financial vulnerabilities in advanced and emerging market economies alike. (International Monetary Fund, January 22, 2018)

Short-term market outlook
Valmet estimates that the short-term market outlook has improved to a good level in automation (previously satisfactory level).

Valmet reiterates the good short-term market outlook for services, board and paper, and tissue, the satisfactory short-term market outlook for energy, and the weak short-term market outlook for pulp.

President and CEO Pasi Laine: A strong year in the Paper business line
"In 2017, Valmet's orders received increased by EUR 132 million to EUR 3.3 billion. The market activity was exceptionally high in the Paper business line, where orders received increased over 40 percent and exceeded EUR 1 billion. Orders received increased also in the stable business (Services and Automation business lines). In 2017, stable business orders received increased by 6 percent to EUR 1.6 billion, i.e. almost half of total orders received.

During the four years as an independent company, Valmet has improved its profitability every year. In 2017, Comparable EBITA amounted to EUR 226 million, corresponding to a 7.2 percent margin. However, we aim higher with our target margin range of 8-10 percent. The work with profitability and efficiency continues, and I am convinced that we will reach our target.

In 2017, while celebrating 220 years of Valmet's industrial history, we strengthened our Industrial Internet offering, progressed in sustainability as well as in research and development, and made Valmet a safer workplace by reducing the total recordable incident frequency (TRIF). This, combined with an order backlog of EUR 2.3 billion, offers us a sound basis for 2018."

Key figures1

EUR million Q4/2017 Q4/2016 Change 2017 2016 Change
Orders received 727 857 -15% 3,272 3,139 4%
Order backlog2 2,292 2,283 0% 2,292 2,283 0%
Net sales 936 785 19% 3,159 2,926 8%
Comparable earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Comparable EBITA) 76 56 34% 226 196 15%
% of net sales 8.1% 7.2%   7.2% 6.7%  
Earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA) 63 48 31% 209 183 14%
% of net sales 6.8% 6.1%   6.6% 6.2%  
Operating profit (EBIT)  56 40 38% 178 147 21%
% of net sales 5.9% 5.1%   5.6% 5.0%  
Profit before taxes 52 38 38% 165 136 22%
Profit / loss 46 14 >100% 127 82 54%
Earnings per share, EUR 0.30 0.10 >100% 0.84 0.55 53%
Earnings per share, diluted, EUR 0.30 0.10 >100% 0.84 0.55 53%
Equity per share, EUR 6.19 5.88 5% 6.19 5.88 5%
Cash flow provided by operating activities 89 88 0% 291 246 18%
Cash flow after investments 70 72 -2% 227 188 21%
Return on equity (ROE)       14% 9%  
Return on capital employed (ROCE) before taxes        15% 12%  

1 The calculation of key figures is presented on page 42.
2 At the end of period

Equity to assets ratio and gearing As at
Dec 31, 2017 		As at
 Dec 31, 2016 		  As at Sep 30, 2017
Equity to assets ratio at end of period 39% 37%   38%
Gearing at end of period -11% 6%   -3%

Orders received, EUR million Q4/2017 Q4/2016 Change 2017 2016 Change
Services 282 284 -1% 1,242 1,182 5%
Automation 91 78 16% 317 299 6%
Pulp and Energy  151 247 -39% 678 939 -28%
Paper 203 246 -18% 1,035 718 44%
Total 727 857 -15% 3,272 3,139 4%

Order backlog, EUR million As at
Dec 31, 2017 		As at
 Dec 31, 2016 		Change As at
 Sep 30,
 2017
Total 2,292 2,283 0% 2,523

Net sales, EUR million Q4/2017 Q4/2016 Change 2017 2016 Change
Services 340 316 7% 1,178 1,163 1%
Automation 104 94 10% 296 290 2%
Pulp and Energy 260 187 39% 929 826 12%
Paper 232 188 24% 755 647 17%
Total 936 785 19% 3,159 2,926 8%

News conference and webcast for analysts, investors and media
Valmet will arrange a news conference in English for analysts, investors, and media on Tuesday, February 6, 2018 at 2:30 p.m. Finnish time (EET). The news conference will be held at Valmet Head Office in Keilaniemi, Keilasatama 5, 02150 Espoo, Finland. The news conference can also be followed through a live webcast at www.valmet.com/webcasts.

It is also possible to take part in the news conference through a conference call. Conference call participants are requested to dial in at least five minutes prior to the start of the conference, at 2:25 p.m. (EET), at +44 1452 555566. The participants will be asked to provide the following conference ID: 6399939.

During the webcast and the conference call, all questions should be presented in English. After the webcast and the conference call, media has a possibility to interview the management in Finnish.

The event can also be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/valmetir.

Further information, please contact:
Calle Loikkanen, Director, Investor Relations, Valmet, tel. +358 10 672 0020
Kari Saarinen, CFO, Valmet, tel. +358 10 672 9603

VALMET

Kari Saarinen
CFO

Calle Loikkanen
Director, Investor Relations

Valmet is the leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries. We aim to become the global champion in serving our customers.

Valmet's strong technology offering includes pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bioenergy production. Our advanced services and automation solutions improve the reliability and performance of our customers' processes and enhance the effective utilization of raw materials and energy.

Valmet's net sales in 2017 were approximately EUR 3.2 billion. Our 12,000 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day. Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.

Read more www.valmet.com, www.twitter.com/valmetglobal

Follow Valmet IR on Twitter www.twitter.com/valmetir

Subscribe

Documents & Links