For further information, please contact:
Jonas Wiström, President and CEO +46 70 608 12 20
Stefan Johansson, CFO +46 70 224 24 01
Viktor Svensson, Director Corporate Information +46 70 657 20 26
Third quarter 2013
* Net sales totalled SEK 1,770 million (1,183)
* Operating profit totalled SEK 130 million (75)
* Operating margin was 7.4 percent (6.3)
* Profit after tax was SEK 92 million (54)
* Earnings per share, before dilution, were SEK 2.30 (1.49)
January-September 2013
* Net sales totalled SEK 6,046 million (3,949)
* Operating profit totalled SEK 449 million (324)
* Operating profit excluding integration costs totalled SEK 504 million (324)
* Operating margin excluding integration costs was 8.3 percent (8.2)
* Profit after tax was SEK 319 million (236)
* Earnings per share, before dilution, were SEK 8.05 (6.87)
A few words from the President, Jonas Wiström:
Ã…F's third-quarter operating profit rose by just over 70 percent to SEK 130
million (75). Most of this improvement is attributable to recent acquisitions,
organic growth and the continued positive trends for the Industry and
Infrastructure Divisions, which are seeing increased demand for Ã…F's services to
match the investments that are currently being made in Scandinavia. Ã…F's
operating margin rose to 7.4 percent (6.3).
On the whole the market for Ã…F's services showed a slight improvement on the
situation a year ago, as evidenced in a somewhat higher capacity utilisation
rate. Investments in industry rose slightly and the market for infrastructure
services remained strong. Growth for the Infrastructure Division topped 30
percent and the division's operating margin rose to 9.2 percent (7.3) in the
third quarter. The positive trend in earnings was also reflected in the
International Division, which improved its margin to 7.5 percent (3.3). By
contrast, the Technology and Industry Divisions reported slightly lower
operating margins than in the third quarter of 2012, partly as a result of a
significant investment in competence development during the period.
We are also continuing to invest in the Norwegian market, which is showing
strong growth. The third quarter saw the signing of an agreement to acquire the
business operations of KÃ¥re Hagen AS, with annual sales of NOK 100 million.
Proforma sales for Ã…F operations in Norway are now approximately NOK 700
million, and there are ambitions for further growth.
The third-quarter results have not been charged with integration costs for
Epsilon or other recent acquisitions. The integration of Epsilon was concluded
as planned as the second quarter drew to a close. Cost synergies are estimated
to exceed SEK 80 million a year, with the full effect from 2014. The acquisition
of Epsilon has significantly strengthened our client offering and in the third
quarter i.a. resulted in a major assignment for Volvo Cars.
Ã…F grew its business by approximately 50 percent in the third quarter. At the
time of writing Ã…F has 7,000 highly qualified employees in around 20 countries,
backed up by a network of 17,000 independent consultants. Our co-workers are our
most important asset, so it is extremely gratifying to note that Ã…F's appeal as
an employer has never been stronger. On 8 October Ã…F was ranked as the second
most popular place to work in the Career Barometer 2013/2014 survey conducted by
Universum among some 3,700 professional engineers in Sweden. In the third
quarter Ã…F was also named by Universum as one of the top 20 employers in Europe.
The fact that the Ã…F brand and the company itself are rated so highly as an
ideal employer for engineers in Sweden and internationally is a huge asset.
Ã…F's most important objective is to continue to generate levels of profitability
that place us among the very best performers in our industry and to grow by
approximately 15 percent per year through more or less equal shares of organic
and acquired growth.
Group Head Office:
Ã…F AB (publ), SE-169 99 Stockholm, Sweden
Visitors' address:  Frösundaleden 2, 169 70 Solna, Sweden
Tel. +46 10 505 00 00Â Â Fax +46 10 505 00 10
www.afconsult.com / info@afconsult.com
Corporate ID number 556120-6474
The information in this interim report fulfils Ã…F AB's disclosure requirements
under the provisions of the Swedish Securities Markets Act and/or the Financial
Instruments Trading Act. The information was released for publication at 11.00
on 21 October, 2013.
All assumptions about the future that are made in this report are based on the
best information available to the company at the time the report was written. As
is the case with all assessments of the future, such assumptions are subject to
risks and uncertainties, which may mean that the actual outcome differs from the
anticipated result.
This is a translation of the Swedish original. The Swedish text is the binding
version and shall prevail in the event of any discrepancies.
The full report including tables (pdf) is available for download
Interim report Jan - Sept 2013:
http://hugin.info/1253/R/1736874/582175.pdf
This announcement is distributed by Thomson Reuters on behalf of
Thomson Reuters clients. The owner of this announcement warrants that:
(i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and
other applicable laws; and
(ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and
originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Ã…F AB via Thomson Reuters ONE
[HUG#1736874]
