2014-05-06 07:00:01 CEST

2014-05-06 07:00:06 CEST


REGULATED INFORMATION

English Finnish
Atria Oyj - Interim report (Q1 and Q3)

Difficult conditions in Russian and Finnish meat markets weighed down Atria's results


Seinäjoki, Finland, 2014-05-06 07:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atria Plc 
Company Announcement  6 May  2014 at 8.00 am 


INTERIM REPORT OF ATRIA PLC 1 JANUARY - 31 MARCH 2014

Difficult conditions in Russian and Finnish meat markets weighed down Atria's
results 

- Consolidated net sales totalled EUR 327.0 million (EUR 328.4 million)
- Consolidated EBIT was EUR -2.5 million (EUR 3.2 million)
- Atria Finland's net sales grew by EUR 11.8 million, totalling EUR 216.9
million (EUR 205.1 million) 
- Atria Finland's EBIT came to EUR 0.2 million (EUR 6.7 million), down by EUR
6.5 million from the previous year 
- Atria Scandinavia's EBIT was EUR 0.9 million (EUR 0.1 million)
- Atria Russia's EBIT was EUR -2.2 million (EUR -3.1 million)
- Atria Baltic's EBIT was EUR -0.2 million (EUR -0.4 million)
- The Group's equity ratio stood at 40.6 per cent (31 December 2013: 42.2%)
- Atria lowered its EBIT forecast: the 2014 EBIT are expected to fall clearly
short of the previous year's operative EBIT of EUR 37.0 million 




EUR Million                  Q1/2014    Q1/2013       2013
----------------------------------------------------------
Net sales                      327.0      328.4    1,411.0
EBIT                            -2.5        3.2       19.7
EBIT, %                         -0.8        1.0        1.4
Profit before taxes             -5.7        0.7        6.9
Earnings per share, EUR        -0.19      -0.03      -0.15
Non-recurring items*            -0.8        1.1      -17.3
*Non-recurring items are included in the reported figures.



Review 1 January - 31 March 2014

Atria Group's net sales for January-March amounted to EUR 327.0 million (EUR
328.4 million). Net sales fell by EUR -1.4 million year-on-year. EBIT came to
EUR -2.5 million (EUR 3.2 million). EBIT includes EUR 0.8 million of
non-recurring cost related to the takeover of the operations acquired from
Saarioinen Oy. The EBIT for the comparative period contains EUR 1.1 million of
non-recurring profit. 

During the period under review, Atria acquired Saarioinen Oy's procurement,
slaughtering and cutting operations for beef, pork and chicken. The purchase
price was EUR 29.2 million. The deal consolidates Atria's position as a
processing company of domestic meat and complements Atria's existing operations
and product range. A long-term cooperation agreement for meat deliveries to
Saarioinen will increase the efficiency of production operations. The
acquisition raised the capacity of the growing poultry operations. The acquired
operations were consolidated into Atria as of 1 February 2014. Investments
during the period under review totalled EUR 37.5 million (EUR 8.8 million). The
Group's free cash flow for the period (operating cash flow - cash flow from
investments) was EUR -23.5 million (EUR -3.8 million), and net liabilities were
EUR 325.9 million (31 December 2013: EUR 305.9 million). 

Atria lowered its EBIT forecast in April after the period under review. The
company expects the 2014 EBIT without non-recurring items to be clearly smaller
than the previous year's EBIT of EUR 37.0 million. Net sales are expected to
grow in 2014. According to Atria's previous EBIT forecast for 2014, the Group's
EBIT was projected to be higher than the previous year's operative EBIT of EUR
37.0 million and net sales were expected to grow. 

The EBIT forecast was adjusted due to the difficult conditions in the Finnish
and Russian meat markets. A glut of pork and tougher competition have decreased
sales prices both in Finland and elsewhere in the EU. As a result, Atria
Finland's performance in the first quarter was not as expected. Russia's import
ban on EU pork and the weakening of the rouble have raised the price of meat
raw material in Russia by an average of 30 per cent from the beginning of the
year. Because of the tight market situation, Atria Russia has not been able to
pass on the rapidly increased raw material costs to sales prices. 

Atria Finland's net sales for January-March totalled EUR 216.9 million (EUR
205.1 million), up by EUR 11.8 million year-on-year. This increase was a result
of higher sales volumes to retailers and Food Service customers, along with the
consolidation of the operations acquired from Saarioinen into Atria as of
February. The EUR 0.2 million EBIT (EUR 6.7 million) was EUR 6.5 million lower
than in the comparative period. EBIT includes EUR 0.8 million of non-recurring
cost related to the takeover of the operations acquired from Saarioinen Oy. The
EBIT for the comparative period contains EUR 1.1 million of non-recurring
profit. The results for the period under review were weighed down by a decrease
in sales prices due to tougher competition and the glut of pork. Since
consumers have less purchasing power, they buy more affordable products, which
has resulted in fierce price competition across all customer accounts. 

Atria Scandinavia's net sales for January-March totalled EUR 88.4 million (EUR
94.2 million). At comparable exchange rates, net sales fell by 2.4 per cent
year-on-year. Net sales were weighed down by an increase in the market share of
more inexpensive private label products in Sweden and the shift of the Easter
season to the second quarter. EBIT amounted to EUR 0.9 million (EUR 0.1
million). EBIT improved due to the increased efficiency of production, better
sales structure and more stable meat raw material prices. 

Atria Russia's net sales for January-March amounted to EUR 21.3 million (EUR
27.4 million), representing a drop of 22.1 per cent. At a comparable exchange
rate, net sales fell by 3.3 per cent year-on-year. This decrease in comparable
net sales was due to the discontinuation of primary production late last year.
EBIT was EUR -2.2 million (EUR -3.1 million). EBIT was weighed down by an
increase of almost 30 per cent in meat raw material prices during the first
quarter. 

Atria Baltic's net sales for January-March totalled EUR 7.4 million (EUR 7.2
million), showing growth of EUR 0.2 million year-on-year. EBIT was EUR -0.2
million (EUR -0.4 million), up by EUR 0.2 million from the previous year. 




Key indicators                                                
EUR million                         31.3.14  31.3.13  31.12.13
--------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholders´ equity per share EUR    14.07    15.24     14.45
Interest-bearing liabilities          336.5    379.7     334.7
Equity ratio, %                        40.6     41.5      42.2
Gearing, %                             83.9     87.4      81.3
Net gearing, %                         81.3     85.7      74.3
Gross investments in fixed assets      37.5      8.8      41.1
% of net sales                         11.5      2.7       2.9
Average FTE                           4,707    4,670     4,669



Outlook for the future
The company expects the 2014 EBIT without non-recurring items to be clearly
smaller than the previous year's EBIT of EUR 37.0 million. Net sales are
expected to grow in 2014. 

Dividend distribution proposal
The Board of Directors proposes that a dividend of EUR 0.22 be paid for each
share for the financial year 2013. 

Publication procedure
Atria Plc complies with the publication procedure in accordance with standard
5.2b of the Financial Supervisory Authority and publishes its 1 JANUARY - 31
MARCH 2014 interim report release as an attachment to this company
announcement. The full interim report is available on the company's website at
www.atriagroup.com. 

For more information, please contact Juha Gröhn, CEO, Atria Plc, tel. +358 400
684 224. 

Invitation to a press conference
A press conference conducted in Finnish will be arranged today 6 May 2014 at
9:30 am at Finlandia Hall, in the Terassi room. Entrance is through door M4 or
K4. The presentation material will be available on the company's website
(www.atriagroup.com/en/investors/FinancialInformation/quarterlyreports) after
the distribution of the interim report and as an attachment to this company
announcement. 


ATRIA PLC
Juha Gröhn
CEO


DISTRIBUTION
Nasdaq OMX Helsinki Ltd
Major media
www.atriagroup.com