Sogefi: revenues top 1 billion in first nine months (+21.1%) net income up at 22.4 million (+19%)

Board of Directors approves results as of September 30 2012

SOGEFI: REVENUES TOP 1 BILLION IN FIRST NINE MONTHS (+21.1%) NET INCOME UP AT 22.4 MILLION (+19%)

Despite the difficult economic situation and the slowdown in the car sector, the group benefits from strong growth in North America, with revenues almost trebled compared to 2011, and from the acquisition of Systèmes Moteurs. EBITDA shows double-digit growth (+22.8%) reaching almost 100 million euro

Consolidated results for the first nine months of 2012

Revenues: € 1,005.1 million (+21.1% from € 829.8 million in 9M 2011)
Operating result: € 70.6 million (+4.1% from € 67.8 million in 9M 2011)
EBITDA: € 98.1 million (+22.8% from € 79.9 million in 9M 2011)
Net income: € 22.4 million (+19% from € 18.8 million in 9M 2011)
Net debt: € 325.2 million (€ 307.6 million at June 30 2012)

Milan, October 23 2012 – The Board of Directors of Sogefi SpA, which met today under the chairmanship of Rodolfo De Benedetti, approved the Interim Financial Report of the group as of September 30 2012.

Sogefi, the automotive components company belonging to the CIR group, is one of the main world producers in the sector of filters, engine air cooling systems and suspension components with 44 production sites in 16 countries.

Performance of operations

In the first nine months of 2012 the Sogefi group reported higher revenues and profitability than in the same period of last year thanks to the growth in the North American market and to the contribution of the businesses of Systèmes Moteurs, acquired in the second half of last year and consolidated as from August 1 2011. These results were obtained in a difficult market environment with a gradual reduction in levels  of production and sales of motor vehicles, which became more accentuated in September.

In Europe, in particular, new registrations in the first nine months of the year fell by 20.5% in Italy, 13.8% in France, 11% in Spain and 1.8% in Germany. Vehicle production even declined in Brazil (-5.7% in the nine months), which is an important market for the Sogefi group, particularly because of destocking action. The only large car market that has continued to grow in 2012 is that of the United States.

Consolidated results

In the first nine months of the year the Sogefi group posted revenues of 1,005.1 million euro, up from 829.8 million euro in the same period of 2011 (+21.1%). In geographical terms, the greatest revenue growth was in Nafta countries (+182.1%), India (+52.8%), China (+25.3%) and Europe (+16.3%). By contrast, sales in Mercosur declined by 6.3%.

With the same consolidation perimeter, considering that Systèmes Moteurs was consolidated as from August 2011, revenues would have declined by 4.3%.

The Engine Systems Division, thanks to the extension of the consolidation, reported a rise in revenues of 43.9% to 601.7 million euro (-6.7% with the same consolidation), versus 418.2 million del 2011. The Suspension Components Division reported sales of 403.9 million euro, down slightly (-2.3%) from 413.5 million in the first nine months of 2011. The independent aftermarket reported a decline of 5.6%, while the original spares aftermarket was substantially unchanged. The industrial vehicle segment saw stagnation in levels of activity in Europe and a contraction in Brazil, which is the main South American market.

The operating action being taken to balance the impact of the decline in volumes of activity, together with the substantial stability of the prices of the commodities that most affect product cost, enabled the group to obtain overall income levels that were higher or with the same consolidation perimeter were only slightly lower. The impact of the cost of materials on revenues at consolidated level rose slightly from 48.4% last year to 52.1%, mainly because of the change in the product mix after the consolidation of Systèmes Moteurs as from August 1 2011.

The operating result of the first nine months was 70.6 million euro (7% of revenues) and was up by 4.1% from 67.8 million (8.2% of revenues) in the same period of 2011.

In the first nine months of the year charges of 3 million euro were recognized for reorganization and restructuring (8.2 million euro in the same period of 2011) and there were non-operating costs of 6.7 million euro, due in particular to the writedown of the stabilizer bar production assets at the Prichard  plant (USA) which are no longer being used (1.5 million euro) and to consulting services for initiatives relating to the international development of the group (2.1 million euro).

EBITDA came to 98.1 million euro (9.8% of revenues), and was up by 22.8% from 79.9 million euro (9.6% of revenues) in the first nine months of 2011. EBIT was 52.5 million euro (5.2% of revenues), posting a rise of 26.1% from 41.6 million euro (5% of revenues) in 2011.

The net income of the group came in at 22.4 million euro (2.2% of revenues), and was up by 19% from 18.8 million euro (2.3% of revenues) in the first nine months of 2011.

Net debt stood at 325.2 million euro at September 30 2012, up from 307.6 million euro at June 30 2012 and 299.8 million at December 31 2011.

After the dividend distribution of 14.7 million euro, consolidated equity, including that of minority shareholders, totalled 213.8 million at September 30 2012 (214.2 million euro at December 31 2011). The consolidated equity attributable to the Sogefi group stood at 194.7 million euro at September 30 2012 (195.2 million at December 31 2011).

The group had 6,727 employees at September 30 2012 (6,708 at December 31 2011).

Outlook for the whole year

In the last quarter of 2012 there is expected to be a further worsening of the automotive market in Europe with a contraction in production levels by the main manufacturers, including those of the premium segment, partly as a result of lower demand in emerging countries which had so far compensated for the lower sales in the domestic market. It is in any case unlikely that there will be any rises in the cost of commodities.

This fact, combined with renewed efforts to reduce all cost factors, especially structure costs, efficiently,  should enable the group to obtain positive results even in the last quarter and to confirm the improvement in its economic indicators compared to 2011 for the whole year.

Waiver of the obligation to publish information documents

The Board of Directors voted to adopt the opt-out regime as per Articles 70, paragraph 8, and 71, paragraph 1-bis, of the Rules for Issuers, thus availing itself of the right to waive obligations to publish the prescribed information documents when carrying out significant transactions involving mergers, demergers, capital increases through the contribution of assets in kind, acquisitions and disposals.

Corporate governance and changes to the Company Bylaws

The Board also approved a series of amendments to improve its Corporate Governance and implement the new rules introduced by the Code of Conduct of Borsa Italiana.

Lastly, at an extraordinary sitting, the Board of Directors voted to amend Articles 17 and 26 of the Company Bylaws to bring them into line with the new rules introduced by Law 120/2011 on the subject of gender balance in the administrative and control bodies of companies.

The executive responsible for the preparation of the Company’s financial statements, Giancarlo Coppa, hereby declares as per the terms of paragraph 2 of Article 154 bis of the Finance Consolidation Act (TUF) that the figures contained in this press release correspond to the results documented in the company’s accounts and general ledger.  

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