SKF Nine-month Report 2018

GÖTEBORG, Sweden, Oct. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Alrik Danielson, President and CEO:

"The third quarter developed as anticipated, with continued growth in both our industrial and automotive businesses. Sales grew organically by 7%, to stand at SEK 21.3 billlion. Our operating profit was SEK 2.6 billion, 0.6 billion higher than last year and the highest operating profit we have ever recorded in a third quarter.

Cash flow was SEK 1.6 billion, compared to SEK 0.7 billion the previous year. This was supported by our continued efforts to reduce finished goods inventories, whilst maintaining good customer service levels.

The industrial business continues its strong performance, with an operating margin of 14% and organic growth of 9%. We saw significantly higher sales volumes in our three largest regions: Europe, North America and Asia, driven by continued broad-based investments and activities in most of the industries in which we operate.

The automotive business delivered an operating margin of 7%. Despite a drop in European car sales, resulting from the implementation of new test cycles (WLTP) and a slow-down in truck sales in Asia the business delivered an organic sales growth of 2% in the quarter.

At the end of July we announced the divestment of our linear and actuation business for a total consideration of SEK 2.75 billion. The deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter. Following a total of eight divestments in the past three years, we have strengthened our financial position and focused our business portfolio. We continue to invest in research and development with a number of new market offerings being launched in the coming months, including solutions for the rail, food and beverage and agriculture industries.

Entering the fourth quarter of 2018, we expect to see higher demand within industrial and slightly lower demand within automotive."


              Key
              figures,
              SEKm        
     Q3 2018     
     Q3 2017      Jan-Sep 2018

                                                                      Jan-Sep 2017


                                                                            58,457

              Net
              sales              21,341         18,627         64,521


              Operating
              profit              2,597          1,965          8,147           6,575


     Operating
     margin,
     %                            12.2           10.5           12.6            11.2


              Profit
              before
              taxes               2,344          1,692          7,552           5,874


              Net
              cash
              flow
              after
              investments
              before
              financing           1,626            681          4,067           3,049


              Basic
              earnings
              per
              share                3.35           2.29          11.37            7.89


     Net sales
      change y-o-
      y, %, Q3    
     Organic     
     Structure      
     Currency
                                                                
     Total


     SKF Group              6.9             -0.1            7.8       14.6


     Industrial             9.2             -0.1            8.4       17.5


     Automotive             1.7              0.0            6.1        7.8


     Net sales
      change y-o-
      y, %, Jan-Sep
      2018          
     Organic     
     Structure      
     Currency


                                                                  Total


     SKF Group                7.9             -0.5            3.0     10.4


     Industrial               9.6             -0.7            3.4     12.3


     Automotive               4.0              0.0            2.1      6.1


     Organic sales
      change in
      local
      currencies,
      per region y-
      o-y, %, Q3    
       Europe     North America   Latin America   
        Asia


                                                                                Middle East & Africa


     SKF Group                6.0             8.2             -0.1         11.2                    -10.0


     Industrial       
           +++ 
              +++  
              +/-    
        +++


     Automotive       
           +/-  
              ++  
              +/-      
        +


     Organic sales
      change in
      local
      currencies,
      per region y-
      o-y, %, Jan-
      Sep 2018      
       Europe    North America   Latin America   
      Asia

                                                                            Middle East & Africa


     SKF Group                7.5            5.6             -1.1       13.9                     2.9


     Industrial       
           +++  
              +                    
      +++           
              +


     Automotive       
           +/- 
              ++  
              +/-    
      +++

Outlook and guidance

Demand for Q4 2018 compared to Q4 2017

The demand for SKF's products and services is expected to be slightly higher for the Group, including higher demand for Industrial and slightly lower demand for Automotive. Demand is expected to be significantly higher in North America, higher in Asia, relatively unchanged in Europe and slightly higher in Latin America.

Guidance Q4 2018

    --  Financial net: SEK -225 million
    --  Currency impact on the operating profit is expected to be relatively
        unchanged compared with 2017, based on exchange rates per 30 September
        2018

Guidance 2018

    --  Tax level excluding effect related to divested businesses: around 28%
    --  Additions to property, plant and equipment: around SEK 2,600 million.
        Previous guidance around SEK 2,400 million.

A teleconference will be held on 25 October 2018 at 14:00 (CET):
SE: +46 (0)8-5065-3942
UK: +44 (0)330-336 9411
US: +1-929-477-0402
http://investors.skf.com/en/result-centre

Aktiebolaget SKF
(publ)

The information in this press release is information which AB SKF is required to disclose under the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 The information was provided by the above contact persons for publication on 25 October 2018 at 13:00.

For further information, please contact:
PRESS:
Theo Kjellberg,
Director,
Press Relations
tel: +46-31-337-6576, mobile: +46-725-776576,
e-mail: theo.kjellberg@skf.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Patrik Stenberg,
Head of Investor Relations
+46-31-337-2104; +46-705-472 104;
patrik.stenberg@skf.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/skf/r/skf-nine-month-report-2018,c2654436

The following files are available for download:



     
     http://mb.cision.com/Main/637/2654436/933082.pdf      
     SKF Q3 2018



     
     http://news.cision.com/skf/i/alrik-danielson,c2515564 
     Alrik Danielson

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SOURCE SKF