Solid business development in 2016

 International technology group ANDRITZ saw solid business development in the past
business year. In spite of a slight decline in sales to just over six billion euros, earnings and profitability reached the highest figures in the company’s history.

The Executive Board will propose an increased dividend payment of 1.50 EUR per share to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.

The results of the business year in detail:
Sales amounted to 6,039.0 MEUR and thus remained 5.3% below the all-time high of the previous year

(2015: 6,377.2 MEUR). All four business areas noted a project-related decline in sales in the capital segment.
Service business saw very positive development, rising to a share of 32% of total sales (2015: 30%) – with increases in all four business areas.

Order intake amounted to 5,568.8 MEUR and was thus below the figure for the previous year’s reference period (-7.5% versus 2015: 6,017.7 MEUR). While the METALS business area was able to increase its order intake compared to the previous year, order intake in the HYDRO and PULP & PAPER business areas declined.

 The order backlog at the end of 2016 amounted to 6,789.2 MEUR (-7.3% compared to the end of 2015: 7,324.2 MEUR).

 In spite of the decline in sales, the EBITA increased to 442.1 MEUR (+3.1% versus 2015: 429.0 MEUR) and reached the highest figure in the company’s history, as did the EBITA margin, which rose to 7.3% (2015: 6.7%).

 Net income (without non-controlling interests) increased to 274.6 MEUR (2015: 267.7 MEUR).

The net worth position and capital structure as of December 31, 2016 remained solid. Total assets amounted to 6,198.6 MEUR (December 31, 2015: 5,778.0 MEUR) and the equity ratio to 21.7% (December 31, 2015: 21.0%). Net liquidity amounted to 945.3 MEUR (December 31, 2015: 984.0 MEUR).

 At the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on March 28, 2017, the Executive Board will propose a significant dividend increase to 1.50 EUR per share (2015: 1.35 EUR) in view of the positive business development.
This is equal to a payout ratio of around 56% (2015: around 52%).

For the 2017 business year, ANDRITZ assumes that project activity will remain unchanged compared to the previous year and expects, from today’s perspective, good business development. Wolfgang Leitner, President and CEO of ANDRITZ AG: “All in all, we are confident for 2017 and expect to achieve at least the same levels of sales and profitability as in the previous year. Our central focus this year will be on creating the prerequisites to continue ANDRITZ’s profitable growth in the long term, based on acquisition of complementary
product areas and on internal growth”.

ANDRITZ GROUP . Graz . AUSTRIA - 03 marzo 2018