Agfa-Gevaert today announced its first quarter 2011 results.
  • All business groups contributed to 10.8 percent revenue growth
  • Agfa Graphics compensated about half of the raw material impact through various gross margin measures
  • EBIT amounts to 40 million Euro
  • Net result amounts to 5 million Euro
Agfa-Gevaert Group – first quarter 2011
in million Euro Q12010 Q12011 % change
Revenue 664 736 +10.8%
Gross Profit (*) 229 231 +0.9%
% of revenue 34.5% 31.4%
Recurring EBITDA (*) 77 63 -18.2%
% of revenue 11.6% 8.6%
Recurring EBIT (*) 53 40 -24.5%
% of revenue 8.0% 5.4%
Results from operating activities 51 32 -37.3%
Profit attributable to the owners of the Company 18 5 -72.2%

(*) before restructuring and non-recurring items.

 

Partly driven by the recent strategic steps, the Agfa-Gevaert Group’s revenue increased by 10.8 percent compared to the first quarter of 2010. All business groups contributed to the growth. The exchange rate conditions still had a beneficial impact of 2.0 percent on the Group’s top line. The effects of the price increases for the film products are expected to gradually become more visible in the second half of the year.

Part of the impact of the raw material prices on the Group’s profitability was compensated through various gross margin measures. The Group’s recurring gross profit margin declined from 34.5 percent in the first quarter of 2010 to 31.4 percent.

As a percentage of revenue, Selling and General Administration expenses decreased to 19.8 percent, versus 20.5 percent in the previous year.

The Group’s recurring EBITDA (the sum of Graphics, HealthCare, Specialty Products and the unallocated portion) decreased from 77 million Euro to 63 million Euro. Recurring EBIT decreased from 53 million Euro (8.0 percent of revenue) to 40 million Euro (5.4 percent of revenue).

Restructuring and non-recurring items resulted in an expense of 8 million Euro, versus an expense of 2 million Euro in 2010.

The net finance costs remained stable at 23 million Euro.

Income tax expense amounted to 4 million Euro, compared to 10 million Euro in 2010. Current tax expense amounted to 6 million Euro and deferred tax income amounted to 2 million Euro.

A positive net result of 5 million Euro was booked, compared to 18 million Euro in the first quarter of 2010.

Balance sheet and cash flow


At the end of the first quarter, total assets were 2,995 million Euro, compared to 3,086 million Euro at the end of 2010.

– Inventories amounted to 688 million Euro (or 123 days). Trade receivables (minus deferred revenue and advanced payments from customers) amounted to 438 million Euro, or 54 days and trade payables were 293 million Euro, or 52 days.

– Net financial debt amounted to 189 million Euro, versus 434 million Euro at the end of of the first quarter of 2010 and 161 million Euro at the end of 2010.


Net cash from operating activities amounted to minus 26 million Euro.

Agfa Graphics – first quarter 2011
in million Euro Q1 2010 Q1 2011 % change
Revenue 345 386 +11.9%
Recurring EBITDA (*) 35.1 27.3 -22.2%
    % of revenue 10.2% 7.1%
Recurring EBIT (*) 24.6 17.0 -30.9%

(*)  before restructuring and non-recurring items.

 

Compared to last year’s first quarter, Agfa Graphics’ revenue increased by 11.9 percent (10.1 percent excluding currency effects) to 386 million Euro. In prepress, the analogue computer-to-film (CtF) segment’s volumes were impacted by Agfa Graphics’ film price increases related to the high raw material prices. As expected, part of the dealers started to use up their film stocks. It is expected that the effects of the price increases for the film products will gradually become more visible in the next quarters. The digital computer-to-plate (CtP) business’ revenue increased due to the recent strategic moves. In industrial inkjet, the revenue increase is attributable to both external and internal growth, driven by increasing equipment and ink volumes.

As a result of the high raw material prices, Agfa Graphics’ gross profit margin decreased to 28.8 percent, compared to 30.4 percent in the first quarter of 2010. About half of the raw material impact on Agfa Graphics’ profitability was mitigated by various gross margin measures. Recurring EBITDA amounted to 27.3 million Euro (7.1 percent of revenue). Recurring EBIT was 17.0 million Euro or 4.4 percent of revenue.

In the field of prepress, Agfa Graphics introduced two new 8-up thermal platesetters in different speed versions in the first quarter. Both the :Avalon N8-60 and the :Avalon N8-80 feature a next-generation laser imager, which enhances the image quality, reliability and throughput. Furthermore, the new systems allow the printer to reduce power consumption. The chemistry-free photopolymer plate :N92VCF proves to be a success product for newspaper printers. Over 100 newspaper accounts are now working with the product and various customer quotes confirm the benefits of the system.

Agfa Graphics also developed a software tool that allows printers to connect to their :Apogee Prepress server from an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. The App can be used to get a quick check of a specific print job during production or to get a status overview of the prepress equipment.

In industrial inkjet, a number of important contracts were signed. The Manchester (UK) based Cestrian Imaging company purchased a second :M-Press Tiger highspeed inkjet press. Cestrian commented that the :M-Press has fuelled the digital revolution at the company, as customers often specifically request :M-Press prints for their marketing campaigns. Cestrian is one of the UK’s leading digital print suppliers. In North America the first :M-Press with in-line screen printing unit was installed. With its :Anapurna and :Jeti systems, Agfa Graphics continued to strengthen its position in the global wide-format printing market. The business group boasts a well-filled order book for these solutions. Two new wide-format inkjet printers were added to the assortment: the 5 meter wide :Jeti 5048 UV XL  and the :Anapurna M1600, printing 4 colors and white.

In April, the Agfa Graphics Asia joint venture organized the Asian debut for a number of Agfa Graphics’ environment-friendly products at the Print China 2011 trade fair (Guangdong, China). With its strong presence at the event, Agfa Graphics Asia confirmed its commitment towards the growing Chinese printing industry. Agfa Graphics also presented at Sign & Graphics Imaging Middle East and Gulf Print & Pack (Dubai), Graphispag Digital (Spain) and Sign & Digital (UK).

Agfa HealthCare – first quarter 2011
In million Euro Q1 2010 Q1 2011 % change
Revenue 276 287 +4.0%
Recurring EBITDA (*) 39.8 31.8 -20.1%
    % of revenue 14.4% 11.1%
Recurring EBIT (*) 27.6 20.1 -27.2%

(*) before restructuring and non-recurring items.

 

Agfa HealthCare’s revenue grew by 4.0 percent compared to the first quarter of 2010. Excluding currency effects, the increase would amount to 1.6 percent. In Imaging, sales for traditional X-ray film products continued to decline. The price increases for these traditional film products – related to the high silver price – incite more and more hospitals to accelerate their investments in digital technology. As a consequence, volumes for hardcopy film and printers, as well as Computed Radiography (CR) systems, grew significantly. Direct Radiography (DR) sales performed above expectations. The first effects of the price increases for Agfa HealthCare’s traditional film products are expected to become visible in the second half of the year.

In Imaging IT, the portion of the large PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) projects is growing due to the success of Agfa HealthCare’s Data Center solutions. On the one hand, this shift feeds the order book but on the other hand, the revenue recognition process for these large projects takes longer compared to smaller-scale PACS projects. The effect of the slower revenue recognition is reflected in the first quarter top line. The second half of the year is expected to benefit from the strong order book.

The Enterprise IT business’ revenue remained stable, with strong revenues in the German speaking part of Europe, where Agfa HealthCare’s ORBIS solution is well established. In the countries were ORBIS was introduced more recently, the business is still in the investment phase.

Agfa HealthCare’s gross profit margin amounted to 37.3 percent, versus 40.6 percent in the first quarter of 2010. The business group’s profitability was affected by the silver price.

The business group’s recurring EBITDA amounted to 31.8 million Euro (or 11.1 percent of revenue). Recurring EBIT reached 20.1 million Euro, or 7.0 percent of revenue, versus 27.6 million Euro and 10.0 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

In the first quarter, Agfa HealthCare announced that it was awarded a 3.5 million Euro grant by the Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) for its IT R&D program.

In the field of Imaging, Agfa HealthCare showed a number of new Direct Radiography (DR) and Computed Radiography (CR) solutions at the ECR 2011 trade event in Vienna (Austria). The DX-D 600 digital X-ray room, for instance, is the business group’s most productive DR solution yet. In CR, a new family of entry-level desktop digitizers was launched at ECR 2011, including the CR 30-Xm, which can be used for both mammography and general radiography exams. Agfa HealthCare’s CR 30-X digitizer was ranked first in the new KLAS single-plate CR market report 2011. KLAS is an independent research firm that specializes in monitoring and reporting on the performance of healthcare vendors.

In Imaging IT, Agfa HealthCare was awarded a US Government DIN-PACS contract for the third consecutive time. Agfa HealthCare is the only company that has held a DIN-PACS (Digital Imaging Network/Picture Archiving and Communications System) contract with the US government since 1998, and it is the government’s top supplier of these systems. In the UK, Agfa HealthCare signed a seven-year deal with Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for the replacement of the Trust’s existing Agfa HealthCare PACS and CR solutions, as well as its current third-party Radiology Information System (RIS). In Poland, Agfa HealthCare has implemented the country’s largest PACS solution to date in the University Hospital in Krakow. The hospital consists of 32 departments and 60 out-patient clinics.

In the field of Enterprise IT, a number of important contracts were signed in the first quarter. The St. Vincenz Hospital in Limburg (Germany), for instance, is replacing its existing hospital information system (HIS) and digital archive with Agfa HealthCare’s ORBIS HIS and HYDMedia document management system. Also in Germany, the Foundation of the ‘Cellitinnen zur hl. Maria’ is extending its use of ORBIS across its sites. Five of its hospitals were already using ORBIS and now the four remaining hospitals are replacing their existing systems by Agfa HealthCare’s solution. In Luxembourg, the three hospitals of the François-Elisabeth Foundation signed an agreement for the replacement of their existing HIS and document management systems with Agfa HealthCare’s ORBIS and HYDMedia solutions.

Agfa Specialty Products – first quarter 2011
in million Euro Q1 2010 Q1 2011 % change
Revenue 43 63 +46.5%
Recurring EBITDA (*) 3.3 4.6

+39.4%

% of revenue 7.7% 7.3%
Recurring EBIT (*) 2.3 3.5 +52.2%

(*) before restructuring and non-recurring items.

Agfa Specialty Products’ revenue increased by 46.5 percent. The printed circuit board film, Synaps synthetic paper and Orgacon conductive polymers businesses performed strongly. Deliveries for the non-destructive testing segment also increased. For most of the traditional film-based products, the market-driven decline continued.

Although the gross margin was impacted by the high raw material prices, the recurring EBIT increased due to the higher sales volumes and mix effects. The recurring EBIT increased to 3.5 million Euro and the recurring EBITDA amounted to 4.6 million Euro.

In January, Agfa Specialty Products added a new member to its portfolio of Synaps synthetic papers. Synaps XM is a polyester based paper for use with laser printers. The Synaps family now consists of Synaps OM for offset and UV inkjet printing, the self-adhesive Synaps AP and AR synthetic papers, and Synaps XM.

Management Certification of Financial Statements and Quarterly Report

This statement is made in order to comply with new European transparency regulation enforced by the Belgian Royal Decree of 14 November 2007 and in effect as of 2008. “The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Agfa-Gevaert NV, represented by Mr. Julien De Wilde, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr. Christian Reinaudo, President and CEO, and Mr. Kris Hoornaert, CFO, jointly certify that, to the best of their knowledge, the interim consolidated financial statements included in the report and based on the relevant accounting standards, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition and results of Agfa-Gevaert NV, including its consolidated subsidiaries. Based on our knowledge, the interim report includes all information that is required to be included in such document and does not omit to state all necessary material facts.”

Statement of risk

This statement is made in order to comply with new European transparency regulation enforced by the Belgian Royal Decree of 14 November 2007 and in effect as of 2008. “As with any company, Agfa is continually confronted with – but not exclusively – a number of market and competition risks or more specific risks related to the cost of raw materials, product liability, environmental matters, proprietary technology or litigation. Agfa believes that the most noteworthy risks facing the company for the coming quarters would be the effects of the continued economic crisis on its key markets.” Key risk management data is provided in the annual report (p.37) available on www.agfa.com.

Click here for Agfa’s consolidated statements.


Viviane Dictus
Director Corporate Communication
Tel nr.: +32 (0) 3 444 7124
Fax nr.: +32 (0) 3 444 4485
viviane.dictus@agfa.com

Johan Jacobs
Corporate Press Relations Manager
Tel nr.: +32 (0) 3 444 8015
Fax nr.: +32 (0) 3 444 4485
johan.jacobs@agfa.com