- Consolidated net revenues for the third quarter of 2015 amounted to SEK 1,386 M (1,309).
- Operating earnings (EBIT) amounted to SEK 452 M (415). Operating earnings include revaluations of purchased debt portfolios amounting to SEK 29 M (15) as well as a negative effect of SEK 31 M mainly for a reassessment of capitalized expenditure attributable to prior years. The operating margin excluding revaluations of purchased debt was 31 percent (31).
- Net earnings for the quarter amounted to SEK 330 M (311) and earnings per share were SEK 4.51 (4.09).
- Cash flow from operating activities amounted to SEK 805 M (788).
- The carrying amount of purchased debt has increased by 8 percent compared with the year-earlier period. Investments in purchased debt for the quarter amounted to SEK 320 M (267).
Comment by President and CEO Lars Wollung
Intrum Justitia’s third quarter saw continued good development, with operating earnings of SEK 452 M, the highest in the company’s history to date. Operating earnings rose by 9 percent compared with the year-earlier period, and by 3 percent when adjusted for currency effects and revaluations. Earnings per share have risen 26 percent over the past twelve-month period, which is well in excess of our financial target.
For our regions, we saw a positive trend in Western Europe, with increased growth and improved margins for the third quarter. In Western Europe in the third quarter we also entered into an agreement regarding the acquisition of a company, which will contribute to improving our market position and profitability in the region. The regions Central Europe and Northern Europe continue to display strong profitability, with operating margins excluding revaluations of 32 percent and 35 percent respectively, which is consistent with the same period last year.
In our services lines, we are seeing a healthy trend within Credit Management Services, which is reaping the benefits of both previous acquisitions as well as improved operational efficiency. We are achieving both growth and improved margins compared with the yearearlier period, with increases in service line revenue and profit of 2 percent and 7 percent respectively, excluding currency effects. Financial Services has seen a continued rise in the carrying amount of purchased debt of 8 percent for the third quarter, compared with the yearearlier period. Our purchased debt portfolios are performing well, which has resulted in significant positive revaluations totaling SEK 67 M in 2015 to date, SEK 29 M of which was in the third quarter.
Through a strong combination of credit management and financing services, Intrum Justitia is creating value for our customers, shareholders and society, where we are confident that demand for services for efficient and responsible credit management will remain significant for many years to come. Intrum Justitia is therefore well positioned for continuing to deliver profitable growth, while achieving or exceeding our financial targets. We have a stable base of recurring investment opportunities within small and medium-sized purchased debt portfolios, with good returns. For larger portfolios within the banking and financial sector we will continue to act in a disciplined manner, but will utilize our competitive advantage through our low financing cost to generate profitable growth. There are also good opportunities for growth in our credit management operations over the coming years. Our program for continuous improvement within operational efficiency continues to show good potential. Furthermore, we are seeing opportunities to add value through acquisitions of small and medium-sized companies and have stepped up the pace over the past 12-month period, through acquisitions totaling in excess of SEK 400 M.
Presentation of the Interim Report
The interim report and presentation material are available at www.intrum.com/Investor relations. President & CEO Lars Wollung and Chief Financial Officer Erik Forsberg will comment on the report at a teleconference today, starting at 9:00 a.m. CET. The presentation can be followed at www.intrum.com and/or www.financialhearings.com. To participate by phone, call +46 8 566 426 63 (SE) or +44 20 342 814 08 (UK).
For further information, please contact
Lars Wollung, President & CEO, tel: +46 8 546 102 02
Erik Forsberg, Chief Financial Officer, tel: +46 8 546 102 02