Wincor Nixdorf : Net sales up substantially and earnings boosted in first quarter – positive impact from restructuring – earnings guidance upgraded

24.01.16

Wincor Nixdorf AG saw net sales rise by 14% year on year in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2015/2016, while operating profit (EBITA) before restructuring expenses increased by 78%. After restructuring expenses EBITA was up by 46%. In absolute terms, net sales generated by the Group totaled €727 million (previous year: €640 million). Operating profit reached €66 million before restructuring expenses and €54 million after expenses for restructuring (prior-year EBITA: €37 million). Profit for the period after restructuring expenses rose by 48% to €37 million (€25 million). Thus, measures centered around business restructuring and realignment proved beneficial in particular to the company's earnings performance. 'Our transformation program is progressing better than originally planned,' explains CEO & President Eckard Heidloff. Against this background, the company has upgraded its earnings guidance for the current fiscal year 2015/2016. As part of the revised outlook, operating profit before restructuring expenses is expected to lie within a range of €160 to 190 million (previous guidance: €150 million). The upgraded guidance on earnings has no impact on the outlook previously issued with regard to net sales, which points to slight growth in this area.

Wincor Nixdorf will continue to press ahead with its seven-point business restructuring and realignment program over the course of the current fiscal year 2015/2016. The program includes efforts to expand the company's activities in the field of Software and Services. At the same time, Wincor Nixdorf is moving forward with efforts to adjust its capacity levels within the area of Hardware and reduce its own vertical range of manufacturing without compromising its abilities as an innovator in this field. Cost streamlining and efficiency improvements provided a tangible impetus in terms of earnings performance within the Banking segment in particular. In this area, capacity adjustments to Wincor Nixdorf's Hardware business as well as improvements to cost items in the Services business had a particularly positive influence during the first quarter.
Against this background, the upgraded earnings guidance for fiscal 2015/2016 as a whole contains a positive earnings contribution from the restructuring program that is much more pronounced than originally anticipated (€60 to 80 million instead of €50 million). At the same time, the restructuring expenses originally budgeted are not likely to be utilized in full (€30 million instead of €40 million). What is more, expenses incurred in this area may possibly be more than offset by a number of activities currently underway as well as further one-off factors. In fact, Wincor Nixdorf currently anticipates a positive net effect ranging from €0 to 30 million.

For instance, the sale of ownership interests in the Group's 'AEVI' business with cashless and mobile payment systems has progressed well. In this context, Wincor Nixdorf plans to dispose of a non-controlling interest in AEVI. Given the strong interest already shown by investors, the company is confident that this sales transaction will be successfully concluded in the coming months. Furthermore, Wincor Nixdorf is discussing the possibility of a cooperation agreement for its business activities in China. At present, negotiations are underway with a Chinese partner regarding its majority-stake investment in a joint venture covering Wincor Nixdorf's business dealings in that country.

The outlook issued by Wincor Nixdorf for fiscal 2015/2016 does not include one-off costs that will come into effect on conclusion of the business combination with Diebold. They are estimated to be around €50 million.

'In initiating these changes, we have managed to emerge from the crisis. We believe that teaming up with Diebold in the spirit of partnership agreed by the two companies will provide us with promising global prospects,' says Wincor Nixdorf's CEO & President, thereby supporting a business combination with U.S.-based Diebold. The definitive voluntary public tender offer by Diebold to all Wincor Nixdorf shareholders is to be submitted in the coming weeks.

Growth in net sales from Banking and Retail in first quarter
Net sales attributable to the Banking segment rose by 4% to €436 million (€421 million) in the first quarter. After restructuring expenses, Banking segment EBITA for the first three months of the fiscal year reached €38 million; this figure includes €11 million in restructuring expenses. Excluding restructuring expenses, Banking segment EBITA rose by €24 million to €49 million (€25 million), an increase of 96%.
Net sales generated in the Retail segment grew by 33% in the first three months of the fiscal year, taking the figure to €291 million (€219 million). After restructuring expenses of €1 million, Retail segment EBITA stood at €16 million. Adjusted for expenses associated with the restructuring program, EBITA for this segment was up €5 million year on year at €17 million (€12 million). This represents an increase of 42%.

Growth in all regions
In Germany, net sales for the first quarter of the fiscal year rose by 12% to €156 million (€139 million), thus accounting for 21% (22%) of the Group's total net sales in the reporting period. Net sales generated in Europe (excluding Germany) over the first three months of the fiscal year stood at €334 million (€300 million), which corresponds to an increase of 11%. Against this backdrop, Europe accounted for 46% (47%) of the Group's total net sales, making it the largest regional contributor to consolidated revenue. Asia/Pacific/Africa saw net sales increase by 14% to €136 million (€119 million) in the first three months of the fiscal year. Thus, the Asia/Pacific/Africa region contributed a share of 19 % (18%) to total net sales for the Group. Expressed in U.S. dollars, net sales generated in the Americas grew by 19% during the reporting period. Translated into euros, this corresponded to growth of 23% to €101 million (€82 million). As a result of this year-on-year increase, the proportion of net sales generated in the Americas rose to 14% (13%).

Net sales up for Hardware and Software/Services business
In the first quarter of the fiscal year, net sales attributable to the Hardware business rose to €337 million (€282 million), which corresponds to a year-on-year increase of 20%. Net sales from Software/Services increased by 9% to €390 million (€358 million). The share of total net sales generated by the Hardware business rose to 46% (44%) in the period under review. Correspondingly, the proportion of total net sales derived from Software/Services was 54% (56%).