BWT Reports Final Results 2012
BWT discloses the Annual Report 2012 confirming the preliminary figures reported on February 21.
„Also in 2012, our innovation strategy produced several revolutionary technologies that provide the foundation of our investment programme and the brand building of BWT – For You and Planet Blue. As a result, in 2012, we could pass the milestone of exceeding half a billion Euro of sales for the first time“, says Andreas Weissenbacher, CEO of the BWT Group.
At €502.3 million, revenues were €23.4 million (or 4.9%) up on the previous year. The strategically important BWT Point of Use business continued to experience strong growth. At €41.8 million, the previous year’s revenues were exceeded by 20%, increasing the percentage of total revenues to 8.3% (previously 7.3%).
Consolidated net earnings only inched up slightly against the previous year, despite higher revenues. This was due to the further rise in expenditure related to the extension of the BWT brand and the extensive measures intended to develop and expand the Point of Use product segment. EBITDA rose by 4.3% to €40.8 million, EBIT by 2.3% from €21.7 million to €22.2 million and consolidated net earnings before minority interests by 4.7% to €14.4 million. Earnings per share also increased 7.6% from €0.80 in the previous year to €0.87, not least due to the lower number of shares outstanding.
Despite the high level of investments, the balance sheet continues to be strong: gearing, ie the net debt to equity ratio, also increased only slightly from the previous year’s figure of 10.5% to 13.7% as at the end of 2012. The number of employees increased to 2,726 people (previous year: 2,689) as at 31 December 2012.
The Management Board will propose the upcoming Annual General Meeting a dividend of 0.28 Euro per share.
Outlook
Andreas Weissenbacher: „The measures taken for the brand building of BWT to become the leading water brand, supported by investments of more than 50 million in the year 2013 – primarily for the Point of Use product segment at the Mondsee site, will be continued. Higher earnings overall are not anticipated for the coming financial year owing to the further increased advertising expenditure, depreciation of fixed assets and financing costs.“
Source: BWT Wassertechnik GmbH
