Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj's Interim Report 1 January - 31 March 2015

Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj      Interim Report 4 May 2015, at 2:30pm

ILKKA-YHTYMÄ OYJ’S INTERIM REPORT 1 JANUARY-31 MARCH 2015

- Net sales: EUR 10,078 thousand (EUR 10,143 thousand)
- Operating profit: EUR 1,071 thousand (EUR 1,193 thousand)
- Operating profit excluding Alma Media Corporation and the other associated companies amounted to EUR 680 thousand (EUR 666 thousand)
- Operating profit totalled 10.6% of net sales, or 6.7% excluding Alma Media and other associated companies (6.6%)
- Pre-tax profits: EUR 875 thousand (EUR 711 thousand)
- Earnings per share: EUR 0.03 (EUR 0.03)
- Eguity ratio 50.0%

NET SALES AND PROFIT PERFORMANCE

The Group’s consolidated net sales for January–March showed a 0.6% decline. Net sales came to EUR 10,078 thousand (EUR 10,143 thousand). External net sales from the publishing business fell by 2.8%. Advertising revenues fell by 2.9% and circulation revenues fell by 2.5%. External net sales from the printing business increased by 14.3%. Circulation income accounted for 47% of consolidated net sales, while advertising income and printing income represented 39% and 14%, respectively. Other operating income in January–March totalled EUR 154 thousand (EUR 115 thousand).

Operating expenses for January–March amounted to EUR 9,565 thousand (EUR 9,591 thousand), down by 0.3% year on year. Expenses arising from materials and services increased by 5.5%. Personnel expenses decreased by 2.9%. Other operating costs decreased by 0.3%. Depreciation contracted by 13.9%.

The share of the associated companies’ result was EUR 391 thousand (EUR 527 thousand). Consolidated operating profit amounted to EUR 1,071 thousand (EUR 1,193 thousand), down by 10.2 per cent year-on-year. The Group’s operating margin was 10.6 per cent (11.8%). Operating profit excluding Alma Media Corporation and the other associated companies amounted to EUR 680 thousand (EUR 666 thousand), representing 6.7% (6.6%) of net sales.  Operating profit from publishing grew by EUR 56 thousand, and operating profit from printing fell by EUR 101 thousand.

Net financial expenses for January–March amounted to EUR 196 thousand (EUR 482 thousand). Interest expenses excluding the fair value change in derivatives hedging them totalled EUR 349 thousand (EUR 434 thousand). In order to hedge against interest rate risk, the company has transformed some of its floating-rate liabilities into fixed-rate liabilities, by means of interest rate swaps. Given that the Group does not apply hedge accounting, unrealised changes in the market value of the interest rate swaps are recognised through profit or loss. In January–March 2015, the market value of these interest rate swaps fell by EUR 44 thousand (in January–March 2014, the market value grew by EUR 8 thousand). Net gain/loss on shares held for trading was EUR 199 thousand (EUR -59 thousand).

Pre-tax profits totalled EUR 875 thousand (EUR 711 thousand). Direct taxes amounted to EUR 91 thousand (EUR 36 thousand), and the Group's net profit for the period totalled EUR 784 thousand (EUR 675 thousand).

BALANCE SHEET AND FINANCING

The consolidated balance sheet total came to EUR 137,176 thousand (EUR 140,003 thousand), with EUR 65,403 thousand (EUR 58,756 thousand) of equity. On the reporting date of 31 March 2015, the balance sheet value of the holding in the associated company Alma Media Corporation was EUR 102,303 thousand and the market value of the shares was EUR 64,544 thousand. According to the management’s estimate, write-down in this holding is unnecessary.

Interest-bearing liabilities totalled EUR 56,938 thousand (EUR 66,381 thousand). The equity ratio was 50.0 per cent (44.1%), and shareholders’ equity per share was EUR 2.55 (EUR 2.29). The increase in financial assets for the period totalled EUR 5,405 thousand (EUR 2,163 thousand), with liquid assets at the end of the period totalling EUR 10,939 thousand (EUR 4,144 thousand).

Cash flow from operations for the period came to EUR 2,832 thousand (EUR 2,718 thousand). Cash flow from investments totalled EUR 2,573 thousand (EUR -552 thousand), including capital repayment from Alma Media Corporation in the amount of EUR 2,699 thousand.

PERSONNEL

The Group had an average of 294 (304) employees during the period.

On 30 January 2015, Ilkka-Yhtymä Group announced that the Group’s publishing company I-Mediat Oy and the printing house I-print Oy will start cooperation negotiations. The negotiations mainly concerned provincial newspapers’ technical production and media sales personnel and the personnel of the printing press. The purpose of the negotiations was to adjust the operations and the amount of personnel to the requirements of increasingly digital operations and reducing volumes.

As a result of the negotiations, I-Mediat Oy will cut seven posts and lay off its advertisement production personnel for a maximum of three weeks. I-print Oy will lay off its printing press personnel for a maximum of five weeks.

SHARE PERFORMANCE

The Series I shares of Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj were listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange in 1981 and have remained listed ever since. The Series II shares have been listed since their issue in 1988, and on 10 June 2002 they were transferred from the I List of the Helsinki Stock Exchange to the Main List. At present, the Series II shares of Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki List, in the Consumer Services sector, the company’s market value being classified as Small Cap. The Series I shares are listed on the Pre List.

In January–March, 31,151 series-I shares of Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj were traded, accounting for 0.7 per cent of the total number of series-I shares. The total value of the shares exchanged was EUR 91 thousand. In total, 951,085 series-II shares were traded, corresponding to 4.5 per cent of the total number of series II shares. The total value of the shares traded was EUR 2,123 thousand. The lowest price at which series-I shares of Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj were traded during the period under review was EUR 2.20, and the highest per-share price was EUR 3.49. The lowest price at which series-II shares were traded was EUR 1.92 and the highest EUR 2.50. The market value of the share capital at the closing rate for the reporting period was EUR 65,343 thousand.

RISKS AND RISK MANAGEMENT

In the current economic climate, major uncertainties are associated with the predictability of both net sales and operating profit. Ilkka-Yhtymä’s most significant short-term risks are related to the development of media advertising, in particular, as well as circulation and printing volumes, which affect the industry in general. The risks in the industry are due to its digitalisation and the continuing poor economic conditions. Other risks associated with the Group's own operations and its holding in associated company Alma Media Corporation are described in more detail in the Annual Report 2014.

The Group’s major financial risks include credit risk of the Group’s operative business, the risk associated with the price of shares held for trading, the risk of changes in market interest rates applied to the loan portfolio and liquidity risk. In order to hedge against interest rate risk, the company has transformed some of its floating-rate liabilities to a fixed rate, by means of interest rate swaps. Given that the Group does not apply hedge accounting, changes in the market value of the interest rate swap are recognised through profit and loss. Other financial risks are discussed in more detail in the 2014 Annual Report.

EVENTS AFTER THE REPORT PERIOD

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING DECISIONS

On 22 April 2015, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj approved the financial statements, discharged the members of the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors and the Managing Director from liability and decided that a per-share dividend of EUR 0.10 be paid for the year 2014.

The number of members on the Supervisory Board for 2015 was confirmed to be 24. Of the Supervisory Board members whose term had come to an end, the following were re-elected for the term ending in 2019: Lasse Hautala, Satu Heikkilä, Perttu Rinta, Ari Rinta-Jouppi, Minna Sillanpää and Jorma Vierula.

At the Annual General Meeting it was decided to maintain the payments made to the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and the board members at their current level: the Chairman will receive a retainer of EUR 1,500 per month and a fee of EUR 400 per meeting, and the board members will be paid a fee of EUR 400 per meeting attended. The board members’ travel expenses are reimbursed in accordance with the current maximum level specified by the tax authorities.

Ernst & Young Oy, Authorised Public Accountants, was elected as the auditor, with Authorised Public Accountant, M.Sc.(Econ.) Harri Pärssinen as the principal auditor. It was decided that the auditors would be reimbursed per the invoice.

The AGM authorised the Board of Directors to decide upon a share issue and/or granting stock options and/or other special rights and upon their conditions. The maximum number of Series II shares issued under the authorisation is 7,700,000, corresponding to around 30 per cent of the company’s total shares and 36.05 per cent of Series II shares at present. This authorisation includes the right to issue shares and/or stock options and/or other special rights as distinct from the shareholders’ pre-emptive rights, under conditions prescribed by law, and the right to decide upon a free issue to the company itself. The authorisation is valid for five years from the date of the AGM’s decision.

The AGM authorised the Board of Directors to decide upon a donation to be put toward charitable causes or similar, totalling, at maximum, EUR 50,000, as well as to decide upon the recipients, purposes of use, schedules and other terms of these donations.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015

In the current economic climate, forecasting net sales in the media sector and, in particular, media advertising spending involves still major uncertainties. Media advertising in Finland is expected to remain roughly at the previous year’s level. Due to caution among consumers as well as competition in the media market, newspaper circulation income is forecast to decline slightly. Printing business volumes have shrunk in Finland and the trend is expected to continue in 2015.

Group net sales and operating profit from Ilkka-Yhtymä’s own operations, excluding the share of Alma Media’s and other associated companies’ results, are expected to remain roughly the same as in 2014.

The associated company Alma Media Corporation (Group ownership 29.79%) will have a significant impact on Group operating profit and profit.


SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND NOTES

DRAFTING PRINCIPLES

Ilkka-Yhtymä Group's interim report was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the IAS 34 Interim Financial Reporting standard.

The interim report has been prepared according to the same principles as the 2014 financial statements. The principles and formulae for the calculation of the indicators, presented on page 63 of the 2014 annual report, remain unchanged.

All the figures in the interim report are rounded, so the sum of separate figures may differ from that presented in the report.

The figures in the interim report have been presented unaudited.


CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT

 

*) There are no factor diluting the figure.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
 

SEGMENT INFORMATION

NET SALES BY SEGMENT
 

OPERATING PROFIT/ LOSS BY SEGMENT
 

ASSETS BY SEGMENT
 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
 

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
 

KEY FIGURES
 

*) Includes investments in tangible and intangible assets and shares in associated companies and in available-for-sale financial assets.
Taxes included in the income statement are taxes corresponding to the profit for the period under review.


STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN CONSOLIDATED SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (EUR 1,000)
 

GROUP CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
 

CHANGES IN PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
 

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Ilkka-Yhtymä Group’s related parties include associated companies, members of the Board of Directors, members of the Supervisory Board, the Managing Director and the Group Executive Team.

THE FOLLOWING RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS WERE CARRIED OUT:
 

Transactions with related parties are conducted at fair market prices.


EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TO MANAGEMENT
 

Management comprises the Board of Directors, Supervisory Board, Managing Director and Group Executive Team. The stated figures based on the cash method do not differ significantly from those based on the accrual method.


FAIR VALUE HIERARCHY OF FINANCIAL ASSETS AND FINANCIAL LIABILITIES MEASURED AT FAIR VALUE

 

Available-for-sale assets also include EUR 1,420 thousand for unlisted shares (EUR 1,419 thousand in 3/2014), which are measured at cost since no reliable fair value was available for them.

At Level 1 of the hierarchy, fair value is based on quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

At Level 2, the instruments’ fair value is based on inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).

At Level 3, the instruments’ fair value is based on inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data.




General statement

This report contains certain statements that are estimates based on the management's best knowledge at the time they were made. For this reason, they involve a certain amount of inherent risk and uncertainty. The estimates may change in the event of significant changes in general economic and business conditions.



ILKKA-YHTYMÄ OYJ

Board of Directors


Matti Korkiatupa
Managing Director


For more information:
Matti Korkiatupa, Managing Director, Ilkka-Yhtymä Oyj
Tel. +358 (0)500 162 015

DISTRIBUTION
Nasdaq Helsinki
The main media
www.ilkka-yhtyma.fi