¨ Sales in Swiss francs amounting to CHF test, down test percent due to adverse foreign exchange impact of test percent
¨ EBITA margin up 30 basis points to test percent (up 70 basis points to test percent in constant currencies) with improved performance in all geographic zones and in Nestlé Waters
¨ Operating cash flow up test percent, free cash flow up test percent in Swiss francs
¨ Net profit of CHF test and a net margin of test
¨ Underlying earnings test percent in Swiss francs and test percent in constant currencies
Peter Brabeck, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé S.A.: "Nestlé is demonstrating that it is able to grow and improve its performance even in a very challenging environment and with a continued strong Swiss franc. In 2003, management is concentrating on operational efficiency and we are pleased to see the results at half year. Margins and cash flow improvements, as well as the strong organic growth, show that we are on the right track. We are also looking forward to a somewhat more favorable trading environment for the second half of the year. The Group is confident that the higher margins and cash flow are not one-off events, but indicate a trend, and that an organic growth between 5 and 6 percent is sustainable for the full year."
Half-Year Figures at a Glance | ||||
|
|
|
Margins | |
|
January-June 2003 |
January-June 2002 |
January-June 2003 |
January-June 2002 |
Sales |
test |
test |
|
|
EBITA |
test |
test |
test |
test |
Net profit * |
test |
test |
test |
test |
EPS * |
test |
test |
|
|
Operating Cash Flow |
test |
test |
|
|
Organic Growth |
test |
|
|
|
* Not comparable as a result of one-off factors (including gains from Alcon and FIS) in 1st half 2002
Vevey, August 20, 2003 - During the first half of 2003, the Nestlé Group's consolidated sales amounted to CHF test, resulting in a net profit of test and a net margin of test. The EBITA margin improved by 30 basis points to test (test in 2002) and operating cash flow grew almost test percent from test million test million. These results were achieved in an unfavorable economic and political environment and despite a markedly adverse evolution of foreign currencies for the Group, which reports in Swiss francs.
Sales Performance
At constant currencies, sales improved test percent, clearly above market growth rates. Strong organic growth of test percent, combining real internal growth of test, accelerated over the first quarter, but could not compensate the negative currency impact test percent, resulting in an overall decline of reported sales in Swiss francs of test percent. The significant organic growth demonstrates on the one hand the strength of the Group's brands on a global scale and on the other the special efforts made in inflationary countries to protect the margins.
Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Africa, clearly exceed the Group average organic growth. Most product groups, with the exception of chocolate and confectionery and petcare, contributed to the positive development, with soluble coffees, chilled culinary and water showing excellent progress. This is also the case for Beverage Partners Worldwide and for Alcon.
The strength of the Swiss franc against most currencies, with the exception of the Euro, reduced the Group's consolidated sales by test percent, while acquisitions, net of divestitures, had a positive impact test. With a sales growth of test at constant exchange rates, the Group continues to grow faster than the food industry.
Sales and EBITA Margin by Management Responsibilities and Geographic Areas | |||||
|
January-
June 2003 |
January-June
2002 |
Organic Growth
January-June 2003 |
January-June
2003 |
January-June
2002 |
|
Sales in CHF millions |
% |
Margins
% |
Margins
% | |
Food |
|
|
|
|
|
|
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
|
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
|
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
Nestlé Waters |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
Other Activities (a) |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
Group Totals |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
(a) Mainly pharmaceutical products, joint-ventures and "Trinks" (Germany)
Sales and EBITA Margin by Product Groups | ||||||
|
January-June
2003 |
January-June 2002 |
RIG January-June 2003 |
Margins January-June 2003 |
Margins January-June 2002 | |
|
Sales in CHF millions |
% |
% |
% | ||
Beverages |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Milk Products, Nutrition and Ice Cream |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Prepared Dishes and Cooking Aids |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Petcare |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Chocolate, Confectionery and Biscuits |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Pharmaceutical Products |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test | |
Group Totals |
test |
test |
test |
test |
test |
All calculations based on non-rounded figures
Profit Performance
With the EBITA margin up 30 basis points to test, the Group showed its capacity to improve operating efficiency even in difficult circumstances and an unfavorable currency environment. Nestlé proved able to maintain or improve its margins by passing on rising raw material costs or inflationary pressures. At constant exchange rates, the EBITA margin shows an improvement of 70 basis points, to test. The progress is noticeable in all geographic zones, as well as in Nestlé Waters, with Zone Europe generating a significant improvement of 80 basis points. In Latin America, the Group's companies focused on protecting their margins, contributing to the Zone Americas' EBITA margin improvement of 30 basis points. Building on the good performance of 2002, Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa managed to improve its margin by 40 basis points.
The product categories performed well, with improvements in EBITA margins in milk products, nutrition and ice cream, prepared dishes and cooking aids, and petcare. The EBITA margin in beverages dipped slightly. The margins in chocolate, confectionery and biscuits, meanwhile, reflect the seasonality of that business.
Cost of goods sold dropped by 100 basis points to test of sales. Overall marketing and administration expenses increased test basis points, reflecting continued investment in the Group's brands, while administration expenditures as such fell by 10 basis points.
Continuing lower interest rates and an efficient management of debt and liquidities account for the sharp drop in net financing costs to test (CHF test 002). The strength of the Swiss franc also reduced the weight of the debt, which is held largely in US dollars.
The net profit and earnings per share comparisons between 2002 and 2003 have to be seen in the light of the one-off gains in 2002, which resulted from the IPO of Alcon and disposal of FIS, and totaled over CHF test, as well as by extraordinary restructuring costs and the impairments of goodwill and assets in 2002, which totaled test. On an underlying basis, the net profit increased by test constant currencies.
Cash Flow and Balance Sheet
Nestlé continues to benefit from an exceptionally healthy financial position. Operating cash flow, with an increase of nearly test, grew significantly faster than EBITA, despite negative foreign exchange rates. Capital expenditure remained at 1st half 2002 levels as a percentage of sales, underscoring the declining trend over several years. Net indebtedness rose from test at the year-end 2002 to CHF 21.1 billion, mainly as a result of the Group's decision to carry the Dreyer's outstanding shares repurchasing scheme as a long-term debt. The ratio of net debt to equity now stands at test.
The Group actively pursued its streamlining of product groups, concentrating on businesses with demonstrated profitable growth opportunities. At the end of June, the merger with Dreyer's, the leading premium ice cream business in the USA, was successfully concluded, following the important acquisition of Powwow, the European Home and Office Delivery Water group and the acquisition of the Mövenpick ice cream activities in Europe. Also during the period Nestlé divested several businesses such as Ortega (Mexican style food, USA), Mont Blanc (milk-based desserts, France) as well as chilled milk products and sweetened condensed milk in Germany. The Group furthermore reduced its participation in the German roast and ground specialty coffee company Dallmayr to test percent.
Outlook
After a challenging first half, the Group looks forward to a more favorable trading environment. It expects the initiatives already taken will ensure the Group's competitive position in the remaining months and beyond. Nestlé's broad presence across geography and businesses positions it well to take advantage of any improvement in the economic climate. The Group has shown that, even in a tough trading environment, good organic growth, as well as improvements in EBITA margin and cash flow, are achievable and expects to be able to deliver these for 2003 as a whole.
Contacts
Media: François-Xavier Perroud Tel.: +41-21-924 2596
Investors: Roddy Child-Villiers Tel.: +41-21-924 3622