STOCKHOLM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Improved profit and higher billing ratio
JANUARY – MARCH 2015
· Net sales: SEK 2,465.4 million (2,321.7)
· Operating profit: SEK 216.2 million (211.6); operating margin: 8.8 per cent (9.1)
· EBITA: SEK 228.5 million (225.0); EBITA margin: 9.3 per cent (9.7)
· Profit after tax: SEK 160.2 million (143.9); earnings per share: SEK 1.76 (1.57)
· Net debt: SEK 1,252.4 million (1,218.6)
Comments from President and CEO Tomas Carlsson:
· Operating profit increased year-on-year, due primarily to an improved billing ratio and notwithstanding negative calendar effects. Sweco Sweden in particular performed strongly this quarter, with increased operating profit and a higher operating margin.
· The market is still improving overall, albeit unevenly among our submarkets. The Swedish market is improving steadily, particularly within infrastructure and the construction and real estate sector. The Norwegian market is aided by growing public investments, but negatively impacted by falling oil prices. Markets in Central Europe have stabilised, while the market in Finland remains challenging.
· Sweco Norway signed its largest-ever transport infrastructure contract during the quarter, covering the modernisation of the Dovre-line between Oslo and Hamar. After the close of the quarter, Sweco Finland was commissioned by Metsä Fibre to design the world’s most modern bioproduct plant, the Finnish forest industry’s largest investment to date.
· Sweco was ranked the second-most ideal employer among Swedish engineering students in Universum’s Company Barometer survey. Sweco retained its position as industry leader in the same survey.
Sweco is the Nordic region’s leading consultancy for sustainable urban development. Our 9,000 engineers, architects and environmental experts develop value-creating solutions for our clients and for society. Sweco is among the ten largest consulting engineering companies in Europe, carrying out assignments in 80 countries annually throughout the world. The company has yearly sales of approximately SEK 9 billion and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
Sweco is required to disclose the above information under the provisions of the Securities Market Act and/or the Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication on 7 May 2015 at 07:20 CET.
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