Gurit reports moderate net sales growth for 2017
 

Zurich, January 31, 2018 Gurit (SIX Swiss Exchange: GUR) today reported preliminary and unaudited net sales of CHF 360.5 million for the full year 2017 (FY 2016: CHF 352 million). This represents an increase of 2.4% in reported Swiss francs and an increase of 3.1% on a currency-adjusted basis.

 

Gurit`s Composite Materials Business achieved mixed results in its various market areas. In Wind, it suffered from a demand halt in the Indian wind energy industry as of spring 2017, attributable to the time delays caused by the newly introduced auction system, as well as a lower demand in the wind energy industry in China compared to the prior year. The Marine superyacht and leisure markets showed growth. Material sales to the Middle Eastern construction industry continued to be affected by the political and financial situation in the region. In total, net sales in the Composite Materials Business decreased by 7.2% (currency-adjusted: -7.0%) year-on-year from CHF 265.6 million in 2016 to CHF 246.4 million in 2017 as a direct consequence of aforementioned market conditions in India, Middle East and China. Gurit expects the market situation in India and the Middle East to improve in 2018.

Gurit`s Composite Components Business reported net sales of CHF 22.3 million in 2017 compared to net sales of CHF 17.4 million in 2016. This represents an increase of 28.3% in reported Swiss francs and an increase of 31.5% on a currency-adjusted basis.

 

Gurit`s Tooling Business was able to report yet another record year. Net sales increased by 33.1% (currency-adjusted: 35.5%) to CHF 91.8 million in 2017 compared to net sales of CHF 69.0 million in 2016.

 

Operating profit margin for fiscal year 2017 is expected to come in at the upper end of the guided range of 8 to 10 percent of net sales, including the recently announced restructuring cost related to the transfer of prepreg production from UK to Spain.

 

 

Net sales

Full Year

Sales by Quarter

in MCHF

2016

2017

Change in rep. CHF

Change @ ytd 2017 transl.

Q1 2017

Q2 2017

Q3 2017

Q4 2017

Wind Energy

149.0

128.2

-13.9%

-13.8%

36.1

33.0

27.5

31.6

Other Material Markets

116.6

118.2

1.3%

1.8%

31.3

29.3

28.1

29.5

Composite Materials

265.6

246.4

-7.2%

-7.0%

67.4

62.3

55.6

61.1

Composite Components

17.4

22.3

28.3%

31.5%

4.8

5.0

7.4

5.0

Tooling

69.0

91.8

33.1%

35.5%

15.2

20.5

30.7

25.5

Total Group

352.0

360.5

2.4%

3.1%

87.4

87.8

93.7

91.7

 

Online publication of Annual Report 2017, Media/Analyst conference and international Webcast on Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Gurit will report its 2017 full-year results on March 13, 2018, by issuing a press release at 07.00 a.m. CET and publishing its Annual Report 2017 online at http://www.gurit.com/Investors/Reports.

Management will also discuss the results in further detail at a joint media and analyst conference in Zurich on March 13, 2018, at 09:00 a.m. CET. The conference will take place at the Zurich Marriott Hotel, Neumuehlequai 42, CH-8006 Zurich. As always, the presentations will be held in English and will also be accessible as webcast at http://www.gurit.com/Investors/Webcasts where an archived version will later be available for download. Please sign up for the live event by returning the enclosed registration form.