NORMA Group SE distributes EUR 0.70 per share to shareholders
Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 21 May 2014
NORMA Group SE (“NORMA Group”), a global market and technology leader for engineered joining technology, today held its third ordinary annual general meeting since the IPO in 2011 in the DVFA Center in Frankfurt, Germany. The majority of shareholders voted in favour of the proposal by the management and the supervisory board to distribute a dividend of EUR 0.70 to the shareholders (previous year: EUR 0.65). The total distribution volume is EUR 22.3 million (previous year: EUR 20.7 million), which translates into a 35.9% pay-out ratio (previous year: 33.5%) of the adjusted consolidated net profit 2013 of EUR 62.1 million (2012: EUR 61.8 million). With this dividend, NORMA Group wants its shareholders to participate in the strong development of the business.
Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group, is looking back at a gratifying year: “We generated record sales and earnings in 2013. We have expanded our business with targeted acquisitions for instance in Australia and Poland and the increase of capacities. By doing so, we added a new chapter in our growth history.” In 2013, the company generated sales of EUR 635.5 million, an increase by 5.1% compared to the previous year (2012: EUR 604.6 million). The adjusted operating earnings (adjusted EBITA) improved by 6.9% to EUR 112.6 million (2012: EUR 105.4 million). The EBITA margin of 17.7% in 2013 was consistent with previous high levels (2012: 17.4%).
Outstanding share price development
The share of NORMA Group performed in line with the strong development of the business, gaining 72% in 2013. “The outstanding performance of the NORMA Group share reflects the positive development of the business in 2013 and over the past months,” said Werner Deggim in his address to shareholders. Only three years after the successful IPO, the MDAX group is today one of the 80 largest listed companies in Germany.
Growth trend continues
NORMA Group is again expanding in 2014 with milestones in the current financial year 2014 including the establishment of new manufacturing sites in Brazil and China. The activities and the manufacturing capacities in the South American and Asian markets are continually expanded to cater to the growing demand. In addition, NORMA Group made an acquisition in the US in April 2014, taking over the company Five Star Clamps Inc. With the acquisitions of the Australian companies Davydick and Guyco in 2013 and the Malaysian company Chien Jin Plastic, NORMA Group is strengthening its activities in water management. In freshwater supply, NORMA Group is also taking responsibility as a corporate citizen through its NORMA Clean Water project that is being initiated this year. As part of this project, NORMA Group intends to provide 50 schools in the Indian Pune district with clean water and sanitary facilities.
Positive momentum at the beginning of financial year 2014
Overall, NORMA Group started with positive momentum into financial year 2014. “The introduction of the stricter EURO-6 emissions targets and the related step-up in production of new-generation engines contributed to this development,” said Werner Deggim. Group sales over the first three months of 2014 grew by 11.6% year on year to EUR 177.8 million (Q1 2013: EUR 159.3 million). The adjusted operating earnings (adjusted EBITA) improved by 15.2% to EUR 32.6 million in the first quarter of 2014 (Q1 2013: EUR 28.3 million). This brought the adjusted EBITA margin over the first three months of this financial year to 18.4% (Q1 2013: 17.8%).
Guidance confirmed
In the light of the advantageous business development in the first quarter of 2014, the guidance for the full financial year 2014 was confirmed. “We expect group sales in financial year 2014 to grow organically by around a solid 4 to 7% compared to 2013,” said Werner Deggim. In addition, NORMA Group anticipates to generate sales of around EUR 8 million from acquisitions. In 2014 NORMA Group targets a sustainable adjusted EBITA margin at the level of the two previous years of over 17%.