2015-02-04 08:00:01 CET

2015-02-04 08:00:08 CET


REGULATED INFORMATION

Konecranes Oyj - Financial Statement Release

KONECRANES PLC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BULLETIN 2014


KONECRANES PLC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS BULLETIN February 4, 2015 at 9:00 a.m.

ORDER INTAKE GREW AND PROFITABILITY IMPROVEMENT CONTINUED IN THE FOURTH QUARTER

Figures in brackets, unless otherwise stated, refer to the same period a year
earlier. 

FOURTH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

- Order intake EUR 513.3 million (422.2), +21.6 percent; Service +21.2 percent
and Equipment +23.1 percent. 
- Service contract base value EUR 196.0 million (178.2), +10.0 percent; +5.9
percent at comparable currency rates. 
- Order book EUR 979.5 million (893.5) at year-end, +9.6 percent compared with
a year before. 
- Sales EUR 608.1 million (580.9), +4.7 percent; Service +4.4 percent and
Equipment +3.4 percent. 
- Operating profit excluding restructuring costs EUR 47.1 million (42.8), 7.7
percent (7.4) of sales. 
- Restructuring costs EUR 1.6 million (3.1).
- Operating profit including restructuring costs EUR 45.5 million (39.7), 7.5
percent of sales (6.8). 
- Earnings per share (diluted) EUR 0.51 (0.38).
- Net cash flow from operating activities EUR 66.4 million (79.6).
- Net debt EUR 149.5 million (187.3) and gearing 33.3 percent (42.1).

FULL-YEAR 2014 HIGHLIGHTS

- Orders received EUR 1,903.5 million (1,920.8), -0.9 percent; Service +4.9
percent and Equipment -4.3 percent. 
- Sales EUR 2,011.4 million (2,099.6), -4.2 percent; Service +0.7 percent and
Equipment -8.1 percent. 
- Operating profit excluding restructuring costs EUR 119.1 million (115.5), 5.9
percent (5.5) of sales. 
- Restructuring costs EUR 3.2 million (30.9).
- Operating profit including restructuring costs EUR 115.8 million (84.5), 5.8
percent of sales (4.0). 
- Earnings per share (diluted) EUR 1.28 (0.85).
- Net cash flow from operating activities EUR 148.4 million (120.2).
- Dividend proposed by Board of Directors is EUR 1.05 (1.05) per share.

MARKET OUTLOOK

European customers are still cautious about investing. The Purchasing Managers'
Indexes are giving a reason for the continued optimism regarding the U.S.
market. The near-term market outlook in emerging markets remains uncertain.
Continued contract base growth bodes well for the future of the service
business. 

FINANCIAL GUIDANCE

Based on the order book, service contract base and the near-term demand
outlook, the year 2015 sales are expected to be higher than in 2014. We expect
the 2015 operating profit, excluding restructuring costs, to improve from 2014. 



KEY FIGURES                         Fourth quarter          January-December    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                10-12/  10-12/  Change    1-12/    1-12/  Change
                                  2014    2013       %     2014     2013       %
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orders received, MEUR            513.3   422.2    21.6  1,903.5  1,920.8    -0.9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Order book at end of period,                              979.5    893.5     9.6
 MEUR                                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales total, MEUR                608.1   580.9     4.7  2,011.4  2,099.6    -4.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EBITDA excluding                  58.7    52.3    12.3    162.2    154.6     4.9
 restructuring costs, MEUR                                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EBITDA excluding                   9.7     9.0              8.1      7.4        
 restructuring costs, %                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit excluding        47.1    42.8    10.0    119.1    115.5     3.1
 restructuring costs, MEUR                                                      
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating margin excluding         7.7     7.4              5.9      5.5        
 restructuring costs, %                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EBITDA, MEUR                      57.1    49.9    14.5    159.0    140.5    13.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EBITDA, %                          9.4     8.6              7.9      6.7        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating profit, MEUR            45.5    39.7    14.5    115.8     84.5    37.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating margin, %                7.5     6.8              5.8      4.0        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Profit before taxes, MEUR         41.6    35.9    15.8    107.4     75.5    42.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net profit for the period,        29.5    22.1    33.4     74.6     49.4    50.9
 MEUR                                                                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings per share, basic,        0.51    0.38    34.1     1.28     0.85    51.0
 EUR                                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Earnings per share, diluted,      0.51    0.38    34.2     1.28     0.85    51.2
 EUR                                                                            
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dividend per share, EUR                                   1.05*     1.05     0.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gearing, %                                                 33.3     42.1        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Return on capital employed %                               17.0     11.6        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Free cash flow, MEUR              56.1    61.8            109.4     64.0        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average number of personnel                              11,920   11,987    -0.6
 during the period                                                              
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


*The Board's proposal to the AGM

President and CEO Pekka Lundmark:

“Year 2014 ended with a good quarter. Noteworthy is that both our business
areas - Service and Equipment - improved from the fourth quarter 2013 in all
key aspects: orders, sales, operating profit, and operating margin were all
higher than a year ago. Service operating margin excluding restructuring costs
increased to 12.1 percent and also Equipment improved to 5.4 percent. In
addition, service contract base continued to grow and it now stands at EUR 196
million, 10 percent up from a year ago. 

Summarizing full year 2014, we can be reasonably satisfied with the fact that
our operating profit excluding restructuring costs improved, in spite of net
sales dropping by EUR 88 million, to EUR 2,011 million. The operating margin
excluding restructuring costs improved from 5.5 percent in 2013 to 5.9 percent
in 2014, which is a good achievement in a volume decline, though still way
below our target 10 percent. 

The twofold development between our two businesses sustained throughout the
year. Service business continued on the steady path it has had for the last
three years and the operating margin excluding restructuring costs climbed to
10.0 percent from 9.1 percent the year before. This was the third consecutive
year of operating margin improvement. Systematic restructuring of
non-performing units, introduction of new services, and focus on sales
management were the principal contributors to the improvement. The main issue
in the Service business has been the weak topline growth, but the promising
order intake in the second half of the year combined with strong contract base
development bodes well for both growth and profitability prospects in 2015. 

While the Equipment business was able to lower the cost and improve the project
execution to mitigate the effects of the lower volume, we obviously cannot be
satisfied with the 3.8 percent operating margin excluding restructuring costs.
There were, however, big performance differences between the different product
lines and geographical market areas. I want to highlight the excellent
performance of our lifttruck business that posted both good growth and result.
The new management of the Equipment business launched a comprehensive
turnaround plan in the second half of 2014. As part of the plan, we decided to
simplify our operational model and reduce our cost base by a further EUR 30
million by the end of the first quarter 2016. 

Cash flow was strong and it helped to lower our gearing to 33.3 percent and
improve return on capital employed to 17.0 percent from 11.6 percent the year
before. Earnings per share grew to EUR 1.28 from EUR 0.85 in 2013. 

I am cautiously optimistic about the year 2015. We started the year with an
order backlog that was 9.6 percent higher than a year ago. The funnel of new
opportunities we are working on is also promising. The weakening euro is
increasing the competitiveness of our European manufacturing units. Our newly
launched products provide new growth opportunities, and cost efficiency
programs are moving forward. The continuous improvement of skill sets,
knowledge, and expertise of our employees through new tools and processes,
extensive training and best work practices gives us a solid base for capturing
the new era of digitalization. We are of course always dependent on the general
economic and geopolitical development, but I am confident that these matters
that we can affect are developing in the right direction.” 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS' PROPOSAL FOR DISPOSAL OF DISTRIBUTABLE FUNDS

The parent company's non-restricted equity is EUR 155,516,009.16, the net
income of which for the year is EUR 10,535,589.49. The Group's non-restricted
equity is EUR 388,418,000. 

According to the Finnish Companies Act, the distributable funds of the company
are calculated based on the parent company's non-restricted equity. For the
purpose of determining the amount of the dividend, the Board of Directors has
assessed the liquidity of the parent company and the economic circumstances
subsequent to the end of fiscal year. 

Based on such assessments the Board of Directors proposes to the Annual General
Meeting that a dividend of EUR 1.05 be paid on each share and that the
remaining non-restricted equity is retained in shareholders' equity. 

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2014

Konecranes complies with the Finnish Corporate Governance Code 2010 approved by
the Board of the Securities Market Association. Konecranes has issued a
Corporate Governance Statement based on the recommendation 54 of the Code,
which is attached to this release in pdf format and can be reviewed on the
corporate website of Konecranes at www.konecranes.com. 

DISCLOSURE PROCEDURE

Konecranes follows the disclosure procedure enabled by Disclosure obligation of
the issuer (7/2013) published by the Finnish Financial Supervision Authority.
This stock exchange release is a summary of Konecranes Plc's financial
statements bulletin 2014. The complete report is attached to this release in
pdf format and is also available on Konecranes' website at www.konecranes.com. 

ANALYST AND PRESS BRIEFING

An analyst and press conference will be held at restaurant Savoy's
Salikabinetti (address Eteläesplanadi 14) at 11.00 a.m. Finnish time. The 2014
financial statements will be presented by Konecranes' President and CEO Pekka
Lundmark and CFO Teo Ottola. 

A live webcast of the conference will begin at 11.00 a.m. at
www.konecranes.com. Please see the stock exchange release on January 13, 2015
for the conference call details. 


KONECRANES PLC

Miikka Kinnunen
Director, Investor Relations

FURTHER INFORMATION
Mr Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO, tel. +358 20 427 2000
Mr Teo Ottola, Chief Financial Officer, tel. +358 20 427 2040
Mr Miikka Kinnunen, Director, Investor Relations, tel. +358 20 427 2050
Mr Mikael Wegmüller, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, tel. +358 20
427 2008 

Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad
range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards,
ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing lifting
solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all
makes. In 2014, Group sales totaled EUR 2,011 million. The Group has 12,000
employees at 600 locations in 48 countries. Konecranes is listed on the Nasdaq
Helsinki (symbol: KCR1V). 

DISTRIBUTION
Nasdaq Helsinki
Media
www.konecranes.com