2016-04-27 11:00:02 CEST

2016-04-27 11:00:02 CEST


REGULATED INFORMATION

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

Outokumpu first-quarter 2016: Underlying EBIT of EUR -20 million, operating cash flow EUR 74 million, net debt down to EUR 1,551 million


OUTOKUMPU OYJ
INTERIM STATEMENT
April 27, 2016 at 12.00 pm EET

Highlights in the first quarter 2016

Outokumpu’s underlying EBIT was EUR -20 million, compared to EUR -11 million in
the fourth quarter of 2015. Delivery volumes grew in both Europe and the
Americas, but this positive development was offset by continued downward
pressure on prices and an increase in scrap costs, as well as write-downs of a
trade receivable in Europe and aged inventories in the Americas. 

  -- Stainless steel deliveries were 610,000 tonnes[1] (574,000 tonnes)[2].
  -- Underlying EBITDA[3] was EUR 38 million (EUR 50 million).
  -- Underlying EBIT[4] was EUR -20 million (EUR -11 million). Underlying EBIT
     includes net adjustments of EUR 8 million in the first quarter (EUR 352
     million), including the net effect of raw material-related inventory and
     metal derivative gains/losses of EUR -9 million (EUR -29 million).
  -- EBIT was EUR -12 million (EUR 341 million).
  -- Operating cash flow was EUR 74 million (EUR 2 million).
  -- Net debt decreased to EUR 1,551 million (EUR 1,610 million).
  -- Gearing was 69.6% (69.1%).
  -- Return on capital employed (ROCE) was 5.3% (5.3%).

Outokumpu publishes an interim statement regarding its first and third quarter
earnings. Interim statement has not been prepared in full accordance with the
IAS 34 (interim financial reporting) however, it provides information on the
quarterly development in all material aspects, including financial and business
analysis. The second quarter and full year reports continue to follow IAS 34. 

This interim statement reflects the new organizational structure with three
business areas: Europe, the Americas and Long Products. Europe and the Americas
cover Outokumpu’s entire flat products offering in these two markets, including
all coil and plate business. The earlier European Quarto Plate operations and
sales network in APAC are reported as part of Europe and the US Quarto Plate
business under the Americas. The reporting of Long Products remains unchanged. 

Figures in parentheses refer to the previous quarter, unless otherwise stated.

Group key figures                                                               
                                                    I/16   IV/15    I/15    2015
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales                                 EUR          1,386   1,435   1,768   6,384
                                       million                                  
EBITDA                                EUR             46     408      65     531
                                       million                                  
Underlying EBITDA 1)                  EUR             38      50      77     196
                                       million                                  
EBIT                                  EUR            -12     341     -10     228
                                       million                                  
Underlying EBIT 2)                    EUR            -20     -11       2    -101
                                       million                                  
Result before taxes                   EUR            -47     352     -46     127
                                       million                                  
Net result for the period             EUR            -41     308     -45      86
                                       million                                  
Earnings per share                    EUR          -0.10    0.74   -0.10    0.23
Return on capital employed            %              5.3     5.3    -1.5     5.3
Net cash generated from operating     EUR             74       2     -62     -34
 activities                            million                                  
Net debt at the end of period         EUR          1,551   1,610   2,034   1,610
                                       million                                  
Debt-to-equity ratio at the end of    %             69.6    69.1    91.5    69.1
 period                                                                         
Capital expenditure                   EUR             32      65      26     154
                                       million                                  
Stainless steel deliveries 3)         1,000          610     574     620   2,381
                                       tonnes                                   
Personnel at the end of period                    10,920  11,002  11,824  11,002
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                

1) EBITDA excluding items classified as adjustments, unaudited.

2) EBIT excluding items classified as adjustments, unaudited.

3) Excludes ferrochrome deliveries.

Business and financial outlook for the second quarter of 2016

Outokumpu expects that the stainless steel market conditions will continue to
be challenging in the second quarter amid global economic uncertainties and
subdued raw material prices. In Europe, the underlying demand in key sectors
outside of Oil & Gas is expected to continue healthy but stock levels among
distributors are still above historical averages. Market dynamics in Americas
are showing some improvement: stock levels among distributors have come down,
price increases have been announced and Chinese imports are being addressed
with antidumping investigation. 

Market uncertainties warrant prudence in the outlook statement for the second
quarter. While steady progress in stainless business is expected, results will
be burdened by weaker performance of the ferrochrome business driven by low
ferrochrome price and USD/EUR exchange rate. Outokumpu expects its delivery
volumes to be sequentially flat and the underlying EBIT to remain at a similar
level as in the first quarter. With current prices, the net impact of raw
material-related inventory and metal derivative gains/losses on profitability
is expected to be marginal, if any. 

Outokumpu is finalizing plans for the announced EUR 100 million reduction in
its SG&A costs and estimates to book approximately EUR 40 million of redundancy
provisions in the second quarter, out of which approximately EUR 5 million is
expected to be cash effective during the quarter. 

This outlook reflects the current scope of operations.

CEO Roeland Baan:

“Outokumpu’s first-quarter performance was largely in line with our
expectations. In the challenging market environment, we made further progress
in our operational performance especially in Europe. However, our financial
results were impacted by the actions we took to prudently manage our business,
including a write-down of a large customer receivable in Europe and aged
inventories in Calvert. Together, these had a negative impact of EUR 15
million, contributing to the underlying EBIT of EUR -20 million. 

In the business area Europe, sequentially higher deliveries led to a stronger
underlying EBIT despite price pressures. In the Americas, we continued to grow
the delivery volumes as planned. However, the business area remained heavily at
loss, because despite the all-time high quarterly deliveries and the cost
takeout measures, low prices continued to offset the positives. 

Our strong efforts on ensuring financial stability resulted in positive cash
flow and further reduction of net debt to below EUR 1.6 billion and gearing
remained stable at 69.6%. The recently announced short-term efficiency measures
coupled with the profitability improvement initiatives and net working capital
efficiency actions will be the main levers to deliver further net debt
reduction toward our goal of EUR 1.2 billion by the end of 2017. 

The start of this year and the continued market uncertainties clearly show that
additional measures are urgently needed to change Outokumpu’s cost and
competitive position. While we expect steady progress in stainless business in
the second quarter, our results will be burdened by weaker performance of the
ferrochrome business driven by low ferrochrome price and US dollar. With
sequentially flat delivery volumes, we expect the underlying EBIT to remain at
a similar level as in the first quarter.” 

Conference call today at 3.00 pm EET

A  conference call will be held on Wednesday, April 27, 2016  at 3.00 pm EET
(8.00 am US EST, 1.00 pm UK time, 2.00 pm CET). The results  will be introduced
by Outokumpu’s CEO Roeland Baan and CFO Reinhard Florey. To participate the
conference call, please dial in 5-10 minutes before the beginning of the event: 

UK/Europe: +44 20 3364 5728

US & Canada: +1 646 254 3368

Confirmation code: 3920485

The event can be viewed live online. Link to the webcast.

The stock exchange release and the presentation material will be available
before the event at www.outokumpu.com/en/investors. 

A recording of the event will be available at
www.outokumpu.com/en/investors/IR-events/webcasts as of April 27, 2016 at
around 6.00 pm EET. 

For more information:

Investors: Johanna Henttonen, tel. +358 9 421 3804, mobile +358 40 530 0778

Media: Saara Tahvanainen, tel. +358 40 589 0223



Outokumpu Group


Outokumpu is a global leader in stainless steel. We create advanced materials
that are efficient, long lasting and recyclable – thus building a world that
lasts forever. Stainless steel, invented a century ago, is an ideal material to
create lasting solutions in demanding applications from cutlery to bridges,
energy and medical equipment: it is 100% recyclable, corrosion-resistant,
maintenance-free, durable and hygienic. Outokumpu employs 11,000 professionals
in more than 30 countries, with headquarters in Espoo, Finland and shares
listed in Nasdaq Helsinki. 
www.outokumpu.com      outokumpu.com/stainless-news     
choosestainless.outokumpu.com 


[1] Metric ton = 1,000 kg

[2] Figures in parentheses refer to the previous quarter, unless otherwise
stated. 

[3] EBITDA excluding items classified as adjustments. Adjustments are material
income and expense items such as restructuring costs, impairments, and gains or
losses on sale of assets or businesses, as well as raw material related
inventory gains/losses and metal derivative gains/losses. 

[4]EBIT excluding items classified as adjustments.