Compagnie Plastic Omnium:Strong Growth and Further Improvement in Industrial Performance over First Half of 2016

  • Economic revenue: €3,180 million, up by 8.0% (+11.0% at constant exchange rates)
  • Consolidated revenue: €2,660 million, up by 7.5% (+10.4% at constant exchange rates)
  • Operating margin: €267 million (10.1% of consolidated revenue), up by 12.7%
  • Net profit - Group share: €155 million, up by 9.5%
  • EBITDA: €383 million (14.4% of consolidated revenue), up by 10.5%
  • Free cash flow: €92 million (3.4% of consolidated revenue),
  • Net debt: €263 million, representing 20% of equity and 0.4x EBITDA

LEVALLOIS, France--()--Regulatory News:

Laurent Burelle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Plastic Omnium (Paris:POM), stated:

"Over the first half of 2016, our growth, which hit 11% at constant exchange rates, accelerated, and we have once again converted this growth into a more solid increase of our profitability.

This performance reflects the continued commitment of our 26,000 employees to operational excellence - total quality in development and production, perfectly-honed logistics. This operational excellence, combined with a policy of sustained investment to globalize our industrial footprint and design increasingly innovative products, enables us to continue to win market share and to make our development sustainable over the long term. This strategy is backed by a constantly optimized financial structure.

Supported by these fundamentals, we are confidently looking forward to the integration of Faurecia's Exterior Systems business on July 29, 2016, which will take us to pro forma revenue of around €7.5 billion for 2016, broaden our industrial presence in Germany, Spain, Slovakia, Belgium, the United States and South America, and underpin the diversity of our customer portfolio.

This size significantly increases our capabilities for innovation and growth. It will allow us to offer manufacturers new solutions to respond to the technological transformations of the automotive sector."

First-half 2016 results: growth, improved profitability and strengthening of our financial structure

The Board of Directors of Compagnie Plastic Omnium met on July 26, 2016 under the Chairmanship of Laurent Burelle, and approved the consolidated financial statements as at June 30, 2016.

                           

In € millions

               

 

First-half 2015

First-half 2016

% change
               
Economic revenue1     2,945.3       3,179.5       +8.0%
Consolidated revenue2     2,474.3       2,660.0       +7.5%
Operating margin3

in % of consolidated revenue

    237.3

9.6%

      267.4

10.1%

      + 12.7%

+ 0.5 pt

Net profit - Group share     141.8       155.3       +9.5%
EBITDA4

in % of consolidated revenue

    346.9

14.0%

      383.3

14.4%

      +10.5%
+ 0.4 pt
Investments     164       174       + 6.1%
Free cash flow5     107       92      

-

Net debt6 at 6/30

Net debt to equity ratio

    354
30%
      263
20%
     

-
-10 pts

 

Strong growth in the Automotive Division

Compagnie Plastic Omnium’s economic revenue1 amounted to €3,179.5 million in the first half of 2016, an increase of 8.0% as reported and 11.0% at constant exchange rates.

                                   

In €m, by segment

                     

 

First-half
2015

First-half
2016

% change

Like-for-like
change

                     
Automotive     2,753.0       2,992.8       +8.7%       +11.9%
Environment     192.3       186.7       -2.9%       -2.1%
Economic revenue1     2,945.3       3,179.5       +8.0%       +11.0%
Consolidated revenue2     2,474.3       2,660.0       +7.5%       +10.4%
 

The economic revenue1 of Plastic Omnium Automotive reached €2,992.8 million. It rose by 8.7% and by 11.9% at constant exchange rates, when worldwide automotive production was up by 2.2% over the first half of 2016, representing a market outperformance of 9.7 points. This reflects the strength of the backlog, the commissioning of new production capacities (Mexico, United Kingdom), and the success of the innovative products portfolio.

Sales from the Environment Division recovered in the second quarter, with growth of 2.0% at constant exchange rates. Over the first half of 2016 as a whole, activity was down by 2.1%, at €186.7 million. Sales momentum is good, and the product and service offering has been enhanced.

1 ,2,3,4,5,6 The financial aggregates are defined on page 6 of this press release

A 13.7% rise in revenue in Europe

   

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

   
                     
 

In €M and as a % of revenue, by
geographic region

First-half
2015

First-half
2016

% change

Like-for-like
change

                     
Europe / Africa 1,558.7 1,742.9 +11.8% +13.7%
    53%       55%                
North America 804.4 832.3 +3.5% +4.1%
    27%       26%                
South America 83.3 75.5 -9.3% +24.7%
    3%       2%                
Asia 498.9 528.7 +6.0% +11.7%
    17%       17%                

Economic revenue1

2,945.3 3,179.5 +8.0% +11.0%
    100%       100%                
Consolidated revenue2     2,474.3       2,660.0       +7.5%       +10.4%
 

The increase in sales was driven by Europe and Asia.

In Europe, 33 new programs were launched during the first half of 2016. Business was particularly strong in France (+10.7%) and Spain (+11.5%), as well as England (+27.3%, driven at Jaguar Land Rover by bumpers for the new Jaguar XE and XJ and by bumpers and tailgates for the new F-Pace SUV in early 2016). The development of SCR for reducing diesel vehicles emissions is a reality worldwide, with an increase of 37% over the period, bringing sales to €129 million, two-thirds of which took place in Europe.

Business in Asia rose by 11.7% at constant exchange rates. In China, which represents sales of €268 million, or 8% of total revenue, growth accelerated over the first half of 2016. The increase in activity at constant exchange rates was 14.5%, with automotive production up by 5.6%. The Group has benefited from high investment made over the past three years to strengthen the country's industrial footprint and win market share. The 25 plants now run by the Group in China (of which 13 plants built between 2013 and 2015) are seeing their loading gradually swell with the numerous new orders now reaching the production line.

In the rest of Asia, growth was 9.0%, driven by South Korea, Japan and India.

Sales in North America grew by 7.0% at constant exchange rates in the second quarter, after being negatively impacted in the first quarter of 2016 by scheduled production outages in Mexico resulting from model changes by carmakers. As of the second-half of 2016, North America will be a major growth area for the Group, with the commissioning of new capacities in Mexico.

1,2 The financial aggregates are defined on page 6 of this press release

Results are growing faster than revenue.

The operating margin posted an increase of 12.7% to reach €267.4 million, an all-time high of 10.1% of consolidated revenue.

Operating margin for the Automotive Division amounted to €255.3 million over the first half of 2016, i.e., 10.3% of consolidated revenue, compared with €226.2 million in the first half of 2015 (i.e., 9.9% of consolidated revenue). The Automotive Division benefited from a high utilization rate (85%) of its production capacity worldwide. The improved operating margin was also supported by the operational excellence of the 88 new programs launched during the first six months of the year, together with strict cost control.

Plastic Omnium Environnement’s operating margin rose to €12.1 million, or 6.5% of revenue in the first half of 2016 (compared with €11.1 million and 5.8% of revenue in the first half of 2015).

In the first half of 2016, Plastic Omnium kept up its efforts for industrial and organizational efficiency, recording non-recurring expenses amounting to €33 million (€24 million over the first half of 2015).

Net income grew by 9.6% to €158 million. It accounted for 6.0% of revenue. The Group's share of net income came to €155 million, an increase of 9.5%.

The financial structure has grown stronger

Group EBITDA reached €383.3 million (14.4% of consolidated revenue) up by 10.5%, and net cash from operations came to €347 million (13.1% of consolidated revenue), an increase of 8.1%.

Committed to a sustained capex program of €2 billion over the 2016-2020 period, the Group invested €174 million over the first half of 2016, i.e., 6.5% of its consolidated revenue. Plastic Omnium commissioned an exterior components plant in the United Kingdom (Warrington-Liverpool) and a front-end module plant in Mexico (San Jose Chiapa). Four plants are under construction: an additional two in Mexico, one in China and one in India.

The Group generated free cash flow of €92 million over the first half of 2016, representing 3.4% of sales.

Net debt amounted to €263 million, down by €5 million compared with December 31, 2015, after the payment of €61 million in dividends and the buyback of treasury shares for an amount of €33 million. It now represents 20% of equity and 0.4 x EBITDA.

The new product offering has recorded further success.

In the first half of 2016, Plastic Omnium recorded further success with its innovative product offers.

After starting up production of its first carbon fiber part for BMW in 2015, the Group won an order for a new structural part in carbon composite, with the first delivery slated for early 2017.

Plastic Omnium has also recently won a contract covering all exterior components for a fully electric vehicle.

The aerodynamics product offering, contributing to a reduction in vehicle CO2 emissions, has also been enhanced, notably with a mobile spoiler for Porsche.

In the field of fuel systems, pre-production for the first plastic tank for plug-in hybrid vehicles has started in South Korea. It will equip a Hyundai vehicle by the end of the year. By the year 2018, seven additional models for three other carmakers in Asia and Europe will be fitted with this innovation from Plastic Omnium.

Lastly, placing innovation at the heart of its development strategy, the Group has recently appointed a Scientific Director, a newly created position reporting to Executive Management.

Other highlights of the first half of 2016

On March 21, 2016, Compagnie Plastic Omnium canceled 1.1 million treasury shares acquired between January and March 2016. This strengthens the control of the majority shareholder Burelle SA, bringing its interest to 57.01%.

The Group redeemed early the variable share of its 2012 Schuldschein private placement, for an amount of €74 million, and established new financing of the same type for the amount of €300 million with a longer maturity (7 years) and a fixed interest rate of 1.48%.

Outlook

Over the whole of 2016, at constant scope, Plastic Omnium will be driven by the same dynamic as in the first half-year and will continue its profitable growth generating free cash-flow.

On July 11, 2016, Plastic Omnium received approval from the European competition authorities to go ahead with the acquisition of Faurecia’s Exterior Systems business, subject to divestment commitments. Revenue acquired by Plastic Omnium totals €1.2 billion. This includes €800 million in Germany, where Plastic Omnium was not previously operating in the exterior systems production business. The acquisition creates new links with our customers Audi, Mercedes and Ford, and strengthens ties with others, most notably Volkswagen, Seat and PSA, as well as BMW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles - FCA. Lastly, it increases the size of Plastic Omnium Auto Exterior by 50%, and adds an R&D center with 300 employees in Germany to the 1,300 engineers around the world that are already developing systems for this division that are lighter, more aerodynamic and more integrated.

The acquisition, immediately accretive, will generate an annual operating margin of €50 million and, as initially announced, an additional €70 million in synergies by the year 2019.

Due to be finalized on July 29, 2016, it will be financed from the Group’s own resources.

The Plastic Omnium Group will as such be strengthened, generating proforma economic sales around €7.5 billion in 2016, of which 60% in Europe, 26% in the Americas and 14% in Asia. It will employ over 32,000 people and run 136 plants and 22 R&D centers worldwide.

Webcast presentation of the half-year results

The presentation of half-year results, in French with a simultaneous translation into English, will take place on Wednesday July 27, 2016 at 11 a.m., Paris time.

It will also be accessible by webcast on the website of Plastic Omnium and by telephone at:

  • France: +33(0)1 72 00 15 10
  • United Kingdom: +44 203 043 2440
  • Germany: +49 6922 2229
  • Spain: +34 914 142 021
  • United States: +1 877 887 4163

Access codes:

  • French: 72007498#
  • English: 55909481#

More detailed financial information can be found on the website, at www.plasticomnium.com.

Calendar

October 1 - 16, 2016 - Mondial de l’Automobile Paris – Hall 1 stand 222

October 20, 2016 – Revenue from 3rd quarter of 2016

   

Glossary

 

(1)

Economic revenue corresponds to consolidated revenue plus revenue from Group's joint ventures at the percentage of their share in the Group: BPO, HBPO and YFPO for Plastic Omnium Automotive. The figure reflects the operational and managerial realities of the Group.

(2)

The consolidated revenue, in implementation of IFRS Standards 10-11-12, does not include the share of joint ventures, which are consolidated by using the equity method.

(3)

The operating margin corresponds to the operating results, including the share of the results for companies which have been consolidated by using the equity method, and the amortization of intangible assets acquired, before other operating income and expenses.

(4)

EBITDA corresponds to the operating margin, which includes the share of the results of associates and joint ventures before depreciation charges and operating provisions.

(5)

Free cash flow corresponds to the operating cash flow, less tangible and intangible investments net of disposals, taxes and net interest paid +/- variation of the working capital requirements (cash surplus from operations).

(6)

Net debt includes all of the long-term borrowings, short-term loans and bank overdrafts, less loans, marketable debt instruments and other long-term financial assets, and cash and cash equivalents.

 

Status of financial statements with respect to the audit:

At the date of this release, financial statement auditing procedures have been completed and the statutory auditors' report has been issued on July 26th,2016.

This press release is published in French and in English. In case of a discrepancy between these versions, the original version drafted in French shall prevail.

Plastic Omnium is the world leader of automotive body parts and modules, as well as the world leader of waste collection containers for local governments and for businesses. The Group and its joint ventures have 26,000 employees working in 120 plants and 21 R&D centres in 30 countries worldwide. Plastic Omnium is listed on Euronext Paris, Compartment A, is part of the Paris Bourse's monthly settlement facility (SRD) and of the SBF 120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes (ISIN code: FR0000124570).

Contacts

Compagnie Plastic Omnium
Financial information
Tel. : +33 (0)1 40 87 66 78
Fax : +33 (0)1 40 87 96 62
investor.relations@plasticomnium.com

Contacts

Compagnie Plastic Omnium
Financial information
Tel. : +33 (0)1 40 87 66 78
Fax : +33 (0)1 40 87 96 62
investor.relations@plasticomnium.com