Overview
The performance in the 1st quarter of 2007 can be summed up as solid operational
performance strongly supplemented by several one-time improvements initiated and
delivered by the Company. During the 1st quarter of 2007 sales to residential
customers increased by 9.9% year on year, sales to commercial customers within
the service area increased by 8.5% year on year, and outside the service area
sales increased by 72.7% year on year. With regard to costs, the company
recorded zero failures in all pollution measures taken and as a result the
amount of pollution tax payable reduced by 50%, also the Ministry of Environment
gave final approval to the success of the nitrogen project which resulted in the
release of a 13.3 mln EEK provision. The Company's quarterly net profit was 95.3
mln EEK, which is a 0.3 mln EEK increase compared to the 1st quarter of 2006.
Key Financial Indicators
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| EEK | 3 months | 3 months 2006 | Change |
| | 2007 | | |
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| Sales | 205,4 | 176,0 | 16,7% |
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| Main operating activities | 161,1 | 147,2 | 9,5% |
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| Other operating activities | 44,2 | 28,8 | 53,7% |
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| Gross profit | 120,8 | 94,9 | 27,3% |
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| Gross profit margin % | 58,8% | 53,9% | 9,1% |
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| Operating profit | 105,8 | 105,0 | 0,8% |
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| Operating profit margin % | 51,5% | 59,7% | -13,7% |
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| Profit before taxes | 95,3 | 95,1 | 0,3% |
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| Profit before taxes margin | 46,4% | 54,0% | -14,1% |
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| Net profit | 95,3 | 95,1 | 0,3% |
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| ROA % | 3,8% | 3,9% | -3,7% |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Debt to total capital employed % | 50,7% | 52,4% | -3,3% |
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Gross profit margin - Gross profit / Net sales
Operating profit margin - Operating profit / Net sales
Profit before taxes margin - Profit before taxes / Net sales
ROA - Net profit /Total Assets
Debt to Total capital employed - Total Liabilities / Total capital employed
Profit and Loss Statement
Sales
In the 1st quarter of 2007 the Company's total sales increased, year on year, by
16.7% to 205.4 mln EEK. Sales from the Company's main operating activities were
161.1 mln EEK. Sales in the main operating activity principally comprise of
sales of water and treatment of wastewater to domestic and commercial customers
within and outside of the services area, and fees received from the City of
Tallinn for operating and maintaining the stormwater system.
Sales of water and wastewater treatment were 150.3 mln EEK, a 9.1% increase
compared to the first quarter of 2007, resulting from the increase in tariffs
from 1 January 2007 for the Company's residential and commercial customers.
Included within this amount were the following increases by sector: Sales to
residential customers increased by 9.9% to 81.1 mln EEK. Sales to commercial
customers within the service area increased by 8.5% to 63.6 mln EEK. Sales to
commercial customers outside of the service area - primarily bulk volumes of
wastewater treatment services provided to the surrounding municipalities -
reached 592 000 m3 or 4.4 mln EEK, which represents a 72.7% increase in sales
value compared to the 1st quarter of 2006. Overpollution fees received were 1.5
mln EEK lower than in the 1st quarter of 2006 due to a large credit invoice
issued as a result of incorrect invoicing in prior years. When excluding the
effect of overpollution revenue, the growth in the sales of water and wastewater
services was 10.5% in the 1st quarter of 2007.
In the 1st quarter of 2007 sales from the operation and maintenance of the
stormwater and firehydrant system increased by 9.5% to 9.1 mln EEK compared to
the same period in 2006. This is in accordance with the terms and conditions of
the contract whereby the stormwater and firehydrant costs are invoiced based on
actual volumes treated. This is contractually agreed up to 2015.
Sales revenues from other operating activities (mainly connections and
stormwater construction) increased by 53.7% to 44.2 mln EEK compared to the 1st
quarter of 2006, due to increased connection revenues as a consequence of the
activity in the real estate market.
Cost of Goods Sold and Gross Margin
The cost of goods sold for the main operating activity was 44.9 mln EEK in the
1st quarter of 2007, a decrease of 10 mln EEK or 18.1% from the equivalent
period in 2006. During the 1st quarter of 2007 the Ministry of Environment gave
final approval to the success of the nitrogen project, which resulted in the
release of a provision worth 13.3 mln EEK for environmental taxes.
In addition to the environmental tax provision release, in the 1st quarter of
2007 the Company recorded zero failures in all pollution measures taken and as a
result the amount of pollution tax payable reduced by 50% (2.2 mln EEK).
In the 1st quarter of 2007 the Company has faced increasing pressure on chemical
prices, especially methanol . However these price increases have been partially
offset by lower dosages used, which resulted in a total quarterly charge of 5
mln EEK for chemical costs, which represents a 4.6% increase compared to the
corresponding period in 2006.
Electricity prices increased by 0.7 mln EEK or 10.7% due to increased usage of
energy. This was as a consequence of the unusually mild winter, which resulted
in the peak demand for energy occurring earlier than normal.
Salaries increased by 1 mln EEK or 8.3%. As a consequence of the highly
competitive labour market and rapidly growing salaries, in late 2006 all
salaries were reviewed and increased to ensure competitiveness in the market
and maintain personnel.
Other cost of goods sold in the main operating activity increased by 1.4 mln
EEK, or 17.9% year on year. This was principally due to increased costs on a
number of support services contracts, such as transport, maintenance, and
reflects the significant increase in labour costs in Tallinn.
As a result of all of the above the Company's gross profit for the 1st quarter
of 2007 was 120.8 mln EEK, which represents an increase of 25.9 mln EEK, or
27.3%, compared to the gross profit of 94.9 mln EEK for the 1st quarter of 2007.
Operating Costs and Operating Margin
Marketing expenses increased by 0.6 mln EEK to 3.2 mln EEK during the 1st
quarter of 2007 compared to the corresponding period in 2006. This was a result
of increases in salary costs and other marketing expenses. This increase in
other marketing expenses was mainly due to the timing of the customer
satisfaction survey.
General administration expenses increased by 1.7 mln EEK to 14.3 mln EEK in the
1st quarter of 2007 as a consequence of an increase in salaries and other
general administration expenses. Other general expenses are higher as a result
of lower salary capitalizations.
Included within the above cost categories are staff costs. These totaled 18.7
mln EEK in the 1st quarter of 2007, which is a 1.4 mln EEK or 8.4% increase
compared to the same period in 2006, which as mentioned earlier was due to of
the company wide revision of salaries.
Other net income/expenses totaled a 2.4 mln EEK income stream in the 1st quarter
of 2007 compared to a 25.3 mln EEK income stream in the 1st quarter of 2006.
Other net income/expenses in the 1st quarter of 2006 consisted mainly of the
recognition of 24.1 mlnEEK of profits subsequent to concluding the sale of
excess land in Paljassaare. In the 1st quarter of 2007 this revenue stream
mainly consists of positive movements of the bad debt provision and revenues
generated from a consultancy project in the Republic of Tajikistan.
As a result of all of the above the Company's operating profit for the 1st
quarter of 2007 was 105.8 mln EEK, an increase of 0.3 mln EEK compared to an
operating profit of 105 mln EEK achieved in the 1st quarter of 2006.
Financial expenses
Net Financial expenses were 10.5 mln EEK in the 1st quarter of 2007, which is an
increase of 0.5 mln EEK or 5.4% compared to the 1st quarter of 2006. The
Company`s interest costs have increased by 15.5% compared to the 1st quarter of
2006. This is due to the fact that half of the Company`s loans are connected to
the 6 month Euribor rate, which has increased from 2.643% at the beginning of
2006 up to 4.043% at the end of the 1st quarter of 2007. At the same time
financial income earned has increased by 1 mln EEK up to 2.3 mln EEK as a result
of improved cash management, a favorable cash position and increasing interest
rates.
Profit before Tax
The Company's profit before taxes for the 1st quarter of 2007 was 95.3 mln EEK,
which is 0.3 mln EEK higher than the profit before taxes of 95.1 mln EEK for the
1st quarter of 2006.
Balance Sheet
The Company's total assets were 2,531.2 mln EEK as at 31 March 2007,
representing an increase of 59.4 mln EEK compared to 31 December 2006. Current
assets increased by 94.4 mln EEK in the quarter, which was largely attributable
to an increase in cash and accounts receivable reflecting the increase in sales
of water and wastewater treatment services.
In the 1st quarter of 2007 the Company invested 26.5 mln EEK into fixed assets.
However tangible, intangible and unfinished assets were 2,103 mln EEK at 31
March 2007, a decrease of 35.4 mln EEK due to the costs and revenues from
completed customer connections being expensed from the balance sheet to the
income statement - this can be seen in revenues and costs from other operating
activities in the income statement.
Current liabilities decreased by 36.1 mln EEK to 117 mln EEK in the first three
months of the year. This was mainly due to decreased investment payables,
reflecting the reduced levels of investment activity during winter.
The company continues to maintain its leverage level within its target range of
50-60% with total liabilities to total capital employed of 50.7% as at 31 March
2007. Long-term liabilities stood at 1,166.4 mln EEK at the end of March 2007,
consisting almost entirely of the outstanding balance on the two long-term bank
loans.
Cash flow
During the first three months of 2007, the Company generated 86.2 mln EEK of
cash flows from operating activities, an increase of 0.5 mln EEK compared to the
corresponding period in 2006. An increase in underlying operating profit (after
removing land sales from Q1 2006) was offset by negative working capital
movements in the first quarter of 2007 - there were a number of invoices
outstanding at the balance sheet totaling 35 mln EEK which have subsequently
been paid.
In the 1st quarter of 2007 net cash outflows from investing activities were 35.2
mln EEK, which is 24.5 mln EEK more than in 2006. This was mainly due to the 26
mln EEK stormwater construction invoice payment becoming due in April in 2007,
while it was paid during March in 2006.
Cash outflows from financing activities were 0.3 mln EEK during the first three
months of the year, which is in line with the outflows in the corresponding
period in 2006 and consists entirely of finance lease payments.
As a result of all of the above factors, the total cash inflow in the 1st
quarter of 2007 was 50.7 mln EEK compared to a cash inflow of 74.6 mln EEK in
the first three months of 2006. Cash and cash equivalents stood at 300.1 mln EEK
as at 31 March 2007.
Employees
As of 31 March 2007 the Company employed 313 people consisting of 223 people in
the Operations division and 90 people in Commercial and Corporate Services. The
number of employees has decreased by 5 people since the beginning of the year.
Dividends and share performance
Based on the results of the 2006 financial year, the AGM of AS Tallinna
Vesi approved a dividend payout of 196,010,000 EEK. Of this 10 000 EEK will be
paid to the owner of the B-share and 196 000 000 mln EEK, ie 9.8 EEK per
share to the owners of the A-shares. Dividends will be paid on 15 June 2007.
As of 31 March 2007 AS Tallinna Vesi shareholders, with a holding over 5%, were:
United Utilities (Tallinn) BV 35.3%
City of Tallinn 34.7%
Morgan Stanley + Co International Equity client account 7.01%
At the end of the reporting period, 31 March 2007, the closing price of the AS
Tallinna Vesi share was 251.91 EEK (16.01 EUR), which is a 9.9% increase since
the beginning of the year outperforming the market.
Operational achievements in 2007
- In the 1st quarter the Ministry of the Environment confirmed the success
of the
Nitrogen removal project at Paljassaare wastewater treatment plant and reported
that it had exceeded expectations.
- The work on the new Paljassaare sludge processing building and the sludge
composting fields continued. The building will allow for the more effective and
efficient operation and maintenance of this equipment and realise further
benefits in the operation of the wastewater and sludge treatment processes. This
will enable the Company to continue with its environmentally friendly and cost
effective policy of disposing zero sludge to landfill. The total cost of the
project is over 40 mln EEK and it will be completed in 2007.
- All outfall effluent samples at all locations complied with requirements and
as
a consequence the environmental charges for the quarter attracted a 50%
reduction.
- During the 1st quarter of 2007 the Company completed the first phase of its
customer management system. This included many products and services that have
and will improve our interactions with customers, direct debit, e-billing, auto
reminders to name but a few. One part of the system that was implemented in this
quarter was the successful launch of our web-based self-service, which will
enable customers to self manage many of their transactions with ASTV. Whilst
this product is not completely finished we have already seen some immediate
benefits, with almost 500 customers sending meter readings via the web interface
in March.
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| INCOME STATEMENT | | | |
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| (thousand EEK) | I Quarter | I Quarter | 12 months |
| | 2007 | 2006 | 2006 |
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| Sales from main operating | 161 133 | 147 206 | 589 176 |
| activities | | | |
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| Revenues from other operating | 44 241 | 28 776 | 104 048 |
| activities | | | |
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| Net sales | 205374 | 175982 | 693224 |
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| Costs of goods sold (main | -44 885 | -54 837 | -220 537 |
| operating activities) | | | |
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| Costs of goods sold (other | -39 662 | -26 251 | -97 096 |
| operating activities) | | | |
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| | | | |
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| GROSS PROFIT | 120 827 | 94 894 | 375 591 |
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| Marketing expenses | -3 162 | -2 554 | -9 578 |
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| General administration expenses | -14 279 | -12 612 | -51 319 |
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| Other income/ expenses (-) | 2 398 | 25 267 | 23 229 |
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| | | | |
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| OPERATING PROFIT | 105 784 | 104 995 | 337 923 |
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Financial income / expenses (-) | -10 480 | -9 941 | -42 981 |
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| | | | |
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| PROFIT BEFORE TAXES | 95304 | 95054 | 294942 |
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| Income tax on dividends | 0 | 0 | -46 896 |
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| | | | |
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| NET PROFIT FOR THE PERIOD | 95 304 | 95 054 | 248 046 |
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| Attributable to: | | | |
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| Equity holders of A-shares | 95 294 | 95 044 | 248 036 |
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| B-share holder | 10 | 10 | 10 |
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| Earnings per share in kroons | 4,76 | 4,75 | 12,40 |
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BALANCE SHEET | | | |
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| (thousand EEK) | 31.03.2007 | 31.03.2006 | 31.12.2006 |
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| ASSETS | | | |
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| CURRENT ASSETS | | | |
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| Cash at bank and in hand | 290 256 | 281 709 | 249 413 |
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| Commercial paper | 9 866 | 0 | 0 |
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| Customer receivables | 115 793 | 75 084 | 71 490 |
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| Accrued income and prepaid | 4 278 | 11 817 | 4 756 |
| expenses | | | |
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| Inventories | 3 139 | 3 071 | 3 142 |
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| Assets for sale | 1 517 | 1 504 | 1 648 |
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| TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS | 424849 | 373185 | 330449 |
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| NON-CURRENT ASSETS | | | |
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| Tangible assets | 1 906 280 | 1 822 312 | 1 877 105 |
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| Intangible assets | 50 829 | 42 870 | 52 595 |
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| Unfinished assets - non | 63 788 | 97 375 | 91 676 |
| connections | | | |
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| Unfinished pipelines - new | 82 200 | 91 631 | 117 162 |
| connections | | | |
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| Prepayments for fixed assets | 3 222 | 3 379 | 2 795 |
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| TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS | 2106319 | 2057567 | 2141333 |
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| | | | |
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| TOTAL ASSETS | 2531168 | 2430752 | 2471782 |
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| LIABILITIES | | | |
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| CURRENT LIABILITIES | | | |
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| Current portion of long-term | 167 | 1 260 | 473 |
| borrowings | | | |
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| Trade and other payables, incl. | 63 302 | 42 689 | 85 250 |
| dividends | | | |
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| Taxes payable | 19 853 | 35 465 | 30 508 |
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| Short-term provisions | 770 | 352 | 538 |
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| Deferred income | 32 864 | 28 835 | 36 325 |
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| TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES | 116956 | 108601 | 153094 |
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| NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | | | |
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| Finance lease | 0 | 114 | 0 |
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| Bank loans | 1 166 318 | 1 165 439 | 1 166 098 |
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| Other payables | 100 | 100 | 100 |
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| TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES | 1166418 | 1165653 | 1166198 |
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| TOTAL LIABILITIES | 1283374 | 1274254 | 1319292 |
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| EQUITY CAPITAL | | | |
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| Share capital | 200 001 | 200 001 | 200 001 |
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| Share premium | 387 000 | 387 000 | 387 000 |
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| Statutory legal reserve | 20 000 | 20 000 | 20 000 |
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| Accumulated profit | 545 489 | 454 443 | 297 443 |
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| Net profit for the period | 95 304 | 95 054 | 248 046 |
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| TOTAL EQUITY CAPITAL | 1247794 | 1156498 | 1152490 |
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| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | 2531168 | 2430752 | 2471782 |
| CAPITAL | | | |
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| CASH FLOW STATEMENT | | |
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| (thousand EEK) | 3 months | 3 months |
| | 2007 | 2006 |
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| CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES | | |
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| Operating profit | 105 784 | 104 995 |
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| Adjustment for depreciation | 19 695 | 20 311 |
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| Adjustment for income and expenses from | -4 579 | -2 525 |
| constructions | | |
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| Other financial income and expenses | -229 | -388 |
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| Profit from sale of fixed assets | 19 | -24 648 |
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| Expensed fixed assets | 0 | 428 |
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| Capitalization of operating expenses | -4 647 | -5 193 |
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| Movement in current assets involved in | -15 322 | -13 470 |
| operating activities | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Movement in liabilities involved in operating | -14 531 | 6 230 |
| activities | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Interest paid | -9 | -30 |
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| Total cash flow from operating activities | 86 181 | 85 710 |
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| CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES | | |
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| Acquisition of fixed assets (incl pipelines | -52 061 | -38 521 |
| construction) | | |
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| Proceeds from pipelines financed by | 14 612 | 28 843 |
| construction income | | |
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| Proceeds from sale of and prepayments received | 11 | -3 197 |
| for fixed assets | | |
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| Proceeds from sale of assets and real estate | 0 | 1 107 |
| investments | | |
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| Interest received | 2 272 | 1 082 |
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| Total cash flow from investing activities | -35 166 | -10 686 |
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| CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES | | |
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| Finance lease payments | -306 | -382 |
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| Total cash flow from financing activities | -306 | -382 |
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| Change in cash and bank accounts | 50 709 | 74 642 |
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| CASH AND EQUIVALENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE | 249 413 | 207 067 |
| PERIOD | | |
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| CASH AND EQUIVALENTS AT THE END OF THE PERIOD | 300 122 | 281 709 |
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Additional information:
Eteri Harring
Head of Treasury and Investor Relations
+372 6262 225
eteri.harring@tvesi.ee
