Third quarter highlights
* Sales in the quarter were SEK 57.6 (53.0) b., a growth of 9% YoY and 5% QoQ.
Sales for comparable units, adjusted for currency, grew by 3% YoY and 2% QoQ
* The sales growth YoY, mainly driven by growth in the Middle East, China,
India and Russia was partly offset by sales decline in North America
* Gross margin increased YoY to 35.2% (32.0%), driven by improved business
mix, higher IPR revenues and lower restructuring charges
* Profitability showed stable improvement across all segments
* Operating income amounted to SEK 3.9 (4.2) b. The decline was mainly driven
by revaluation of unrealized hedge contracts of SEK -1.0 (0.8) b.
* Cash flow from operating activities was SEK -1.4 (1.5) b.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q3 Q3 YoY Q2 QoQ 9 months
SEK b. 2014 2013 change 2014 change 2014 9 months 2013
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net sales 57.6 53.0 9% 54.8 5% 160.0 160.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sales growth adj. for
comparable units and
currency - - 3% - 2% -2% 5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gross margin 35.2% 32.0% - 36.4% - 36.0% 32.1%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating income 3.9 4.2 -8% 4.0 -3% 10.5 8.8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating margin 6.7% 8.0% - 7.3% - 6.6% 5.5%
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net income 2.6 3.0 -13% 2.7 -1% 7.0 5.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPS diluted, SEK 0.81 0.90 -10% 0.79 3% 2.25 1.72
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EPS (Non-IFRS), SEK
(1)) 1.11 1.31 -15% 1.07 4% 3.08 3.19
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash flow from
operating activities -1.4 1.5 -193% 2.1 -166% 10.1 2.8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net cash, end of period 29.4 24.7 19% 32.5 -9% 29.4 24.7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)) EPS, diluted, excl. amortizations and write-downs of acquired intangible
assets, and restructuring
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments from Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC):
Reported sales increased by 9% year-over-year and sales for comparable units,
adjusted for currency, grew by 3% with stable operating income.
The sales growth year-over-year was mainly driven by the Middle East, China,
India and Russia, but was partly offset by lower sales in North America.
Mobile broadband sales increased both year-over-year and quarter-over-quarter as
we have started to deliver on previously communicated key contracts. We are
executing on 4G/LTE contracts in Mainland China and Taiwan and improving sales
in Japan. Furthermore, the investment climate in India continues to improve.
Sales in parts of Europe, mainly UK and Germany, showed growth year-over-year
while the development in southern Europe continued to be weak.
Sales in North America continued to be driven by operator investments in
capacity and quality enhancements. However, business activity slowed down during
the quarter as operators currently focus on cash flow optimization.
The momentum for Professional Services continued and generated organic growth in
the quarter driven by managed services sales and systems integration. The
acquired Red Bee Media was successfully integrated and fully consolidated in the
third quarter.
Political unrest prevails in many parts of the world, especially in the Middle
East and Northern Africa. The quarter shows that our global footprint, with
customer in 180 countries, gives us the scale and strength to manage regional
variations.
Profitability showed stable improvement across all segments. This was primarily
driven by favorable business mix, higher IPR revenues as well as efficiency
enhancements. Operating income was negatively impacted by effects from hedge
contracts, higher operating expenses related to modems and the acquired
Mediaroom business as well as planned ramp up of investments in IP.
We continue to execute on our strategic agenda; to improve our profitability in
the core business in order to invest in targeted areas such as IP networks,
Cloud, TV & Media and OSS & BSS. Three important acquisitions were made in the
quarter:
* MetraTech accelerates our cloud and enterprise billing capabilities within
BSS
* Fabrix Systems extends our overall leadership position in TV & Media
* Majority stake in Apcera that strengthens our position in enterprise cloud
During the quarter we took the strategic decision to stop all further
development of modems and shift some R&D resources from segment Modems to
Networks to pursue growth opportunities in the radio business.
Through our technology and services leadership we are well positioned to
continue to be a strategic partner to our customers as they move to capture new
market opportunities.
NOTES TO EDITORS
You find the complete report with tables in the attached PDF or by following
this link:
www.ericsson.com/res/investors/docs/q-reports/2014/09month14-en.pdf or on to:
www.ericsson.com/investors
Ericsson invites media, investors and analysts to a briefing at the Ericsson
Studio, Grönlandsgången 4, Stockholm, at 09.00 (CET), October 24, 2014.
An analysts, investors and media conference call will begin at 14.00 (CET).
Live webcast of the briefing and conference call details, as well as supporting
slides, will be available at www.ericsson.com/press and
www.ericsson.com/investors
Video material will be published during the day on www.ericsson.com/press
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Helena Norrman, Senior Vice President, Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 34 72
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com
Investors
Peter Nyquist, Head of Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 64 49
E-mail: peter.nyquist@ericsson.com
Åsa Konnbjer, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 713 39 28
E-mail: asa.konnbjer@ericsson.com
Stefan Jelvin, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 20 39
E-mail: stefan.jelvin@ericsson.com
Rikard Tunedal, Director, Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 714 54 00
E-mail: rikard.tunedal@ericsson.com
Media
Ola Rembe, Vice President, Head of External Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 97 27
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com
Corporate Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com
Ericsson discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Securities
Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication at 07.30 CET, on
October 24, 2014.
[HUG#1865458]
