Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for holding and welcome to the IMCD Analyst Call First Quarter Results 2016. At this moment, all the participants are in the listen only mode. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. The chairman of this call is Mr. Van der Slikke. Mr. Van der Slikke, please go ahead.
Good morning, everyone. I'm here with Hans Kooijmans, and we will be happy to answer your questions regarding our press release of this morning containing the Q1 2016 results. Following the acquisition in the United States, we recategorized our activities as follows. EMEA includes now Turkey and South Africa, the Americas containing the U.S. and Brazil, and Asia Pacific is unchanged. The segment other emerging markets has disappeared. Our Q1 results were robust with operating EBITDA increasing with 28% to EUR 39.1 million, and it's +33% on a constant currency basis. Of all the segments, EMEA performed exceptionally well with revenue growth of 5% on a constant currency basis and gross profit and operating EBITDA growth of +7% and +10% respectively, corrected for currencies. All the growth in EMEA is organic.
Asia Pacific showed less strong results, with revenue unchanged, +6% Forex adjusted and gross profit numbers and EBITDA decreasing with 1% and 8% respectively, corrected for currencies. These numbers are +4% for gross profit growth and -3% for EBITDA. The results were partly influenced by higher cost of startups in Vietnam and Japan. Some timing differences of orders and currencies. The results overall and in the Americas are of course influenced by the first time inclusion of last year's acquisition in the United States, M.F. Cachat, which has been renamed now IMCD US as of the 1st of April and by our acquisition in Brazil of Selectchemie late last year. Both companies performed in line with expectations. Our existing Brazilian business showed growth despite the continuing economic slump in Brazil.
Summarizing, we are positive about the start of the year. Based on these Q1 achievements and the strong fundamentals of the business, we expect continuing EBITDA growth in 2016. Ladies and gentlemen, I keep it short. I give now an opportunity to ask questions. Hans and I will do our best to answer them. Who is the first questioner?
Ladies and gentlemen, we will start the question and answer session now. If you want to ask a question, please press star one on your telephone. For questions, please press star one. The first question is from Ms. Vaste from Deutsche Bank. Ms. Vaste, go ahead.
Hi. Good morning.
Morning.
I've got three, please. Firstly, looking at the Americas, could you split out what the contribution of IMCD US was in the first quarter, please? What is your outlook on that U.S. business given, obviously competitors have been quite negative on the industrial outlook for the U.S. Number 2, your EBITA was up 28%, but your net income was up 25%. Could you tell us what moved on the treasury and what we should assume for tax and interest for the full year? Finally, on Asia Pac, would you be able to talk a little bit more about how much of this was due to start-up costs, how much due to timing, and how do you think the EBITA progresses over the course of the year? Thank you.
Yeah. Well, first of all, as you know from our previous sessions about quarters, I'm extremely, let's say, cautious and reluctant to talk about the results per quarter. I think we should always bear in mind that small differences can influence results. Events that, in certain territories with respect, for example, to the possibility to get product or not can influence results. I'm a little bit cautious to always immediately try to discover trends long-term. What we also will not do is to go too much into detail with respect to individual countries. I can say about the U.S. that they performed in line with expectation. It's clear that the U.S. is not abundant in growth. We do not experience the same negativity that we saw from some of our competitors. What you see, of course, that in that market, prices are flat.
It's difficult to increase your prices in that market, which makes you, of course, then totally dependent on volume growth. That is with very modest growth, also not too easy. Nevertheless, satisfying results in the U.S. As to Asia Pacific, it's a moment in time. We do not foresee, let's say, that we have a breach in trends of growth in Asia Pac. It's clear, although that, of course, 50% of our results are coming from Australia and New Zealand, and that market is flattish, and that, of course, also influences our results. I think you have two other questions.
Yeah.
Sylvia, your other question is, I think, a more technical one. That's the difference in growth between EBITDA and net result. The guidance that we gave with respect to tax and interest. The guidance that we gave at the annual accounts at the year-end session is still the same, no changes there. What you typically see in a quarter like this is if you have a bit of fluctuations in things like deferred considerations, the market-to-market value of your interest swaps that have an impact on the gap between EBITDA and net result. For your modeling, the indication that we give with our year-end figures is still in place.
Okay, great. Thank you. Could I just follow up on the U.S.? You said that you're seeing a modest volume growth. Could you just tell us sequentially if you look at, I know that quarters obviously can be quite lumpy, but Q1 versus what you were seeing towards the end of last year. Has the volume progression changed in any way sequentially?
Well, I think you should not try to compare last quarter of last year, with the first quarter of this year. I think if you compare, I don't think there's a big difference in trend. The market is not exciting, but steady.
Okay, great. Sorry, I know I said 3, but if I could just ask 1 final question. Just a more big picture question. If you look at your 6% organic gross profit growth, could you just talk a little bit around how much of that comes from new SKUs and new supplier agreements versus existing supplier agreements being extended to more customers and winning more customers, if possible?
Sylvia, with about 30,000 customers and 25,000 different products, that is a very, very complicated question. You see different things per segment, and we don't make that split internally in that detailed level, to be honest.
Okay, great. Thank you very much.
The next question is from Mr. Gundogan. Mr. Gundogan, please go ahead.
Yes. Good morning, everyone. I have three questions. The first two are on acquisitions. Just wondering, can you disclose the impact of acquisitions on operating EBITDA? Also maybe a bit of a housekeeping question. Would it be possible to have that number in the press release going forward? The second question, can you talk about the seasonality of M.F. Cachat and Selectchemie? I remember that you said that H1 is usually a stronger half, especially for M.F. Cachat. Just wondering how Q1 fits into that, because I do remember that M.F. Cachat has exposure to coatings, which usually have their strongest quarter in Q2. Thirdly on EMEA, very strong performance. Can you provide some more color on the strong operating growth here? Market share gains, is it in life sciences, material sciences? A bit more color would be helpful. Thank you.
Perhaps your first question, Mutlu, about the acquisition growth, the impact on EBITDA. What we always struggle with is that we have a tendency to integrate activities in our own operations, and therefore, one that we can track and trace on the sales side, revenue and margin, and that is why we disclose these numbers in our press release and in the information that we share with you. On EBIT level, that's much more complicated because quite often after an acquisition, we make changes in allocating costs. We make changes in the organizational structure and so on and so forth. Therefore, we limit ourselves, not only in this quarter but also historically, only to revenue and margin coming from acquisitions. Your next question about seasonality of M.F. Cachat and Selectchemie.
I think when we acquired the company, we said to the market that basically, we assume that the seasonality in these type of activities is more or less the same as in the overall IMCD business. Meaning a bit more in the first half of the year and a bit less in the second half of the year, mainly driven by an always weaker December period. It's not 60/40 or something like that. It's a bit more than 50 in the first half and a bit less than 50 in the second half of the year. On EMEA, first of all, as a general remark, of course, our business fundamentals, our underlying strength in EMEA is, of course, always there.
We have very strong product lines, strong relations with top suppliers, and that means that as soon as the market is, let's say, the demand is increasing, we will benefit from that. We have seen that in certain areas of Europe. I could say most areas of Europe with some outliers. The Benelux performed very strong. Some other regions as well. We will have to see if that will continue in the course of this year. There are also some signs of warning. We have the weakening pound sterling that could have some impact in the coming quarters. By and large, a strong start in Europe. Given the fact that we have such a wide portfolio, we benefit from that. Let's see how that will continue in the second quarter and after that.
Okay. Thank you very much.
The next question is from Mr. Purkiss from Berenberg. Mr. Purkiss, please go ahead.
Yeah. Hi, good morning. My first question is also on the EMEA region. I just wondered if you could comment if there were any material supplier or customer wins that perhaps boosted your growth rate in Q1. Second question is on your headcount intentions. Your headcount is up 15% from last year, which I guess is mainly driven by M.F. Cachat, but I wonder what your intentions for headcount are from here, and should we expect that to increase broadly in line with your gross profit growth? Third question, just on the U.S., you've said in line with expectations. Can we assume that means you're achieving organic gross profit and EBIT growth in the U.S. year-over-year? Thank you.
The first question was on EMEA supplier wins. Result is, let's say, not dominantly influenced by new supplier wins. It's based on our existing suppliers. Our growth in people, of course, in this particular case, influenced by acquisitions. I think you can say that will grow in line with gross profits. We try to be extremely efficient here, but if we grow, we have to add people. Most of our people are working in sales. That's our business. Without them, we can't grow, so we need to add people in line with gross profit growth. The last one, the U.S. I think I may add about the U.S. is that we extremely positive still about our business in the U.S. Also, about the first year of cooperation and integration and also about the opportunities.
Unfortunately, I can't say too much about that now, but we see very nice possibilities going forward of cross-fertilizing our business. We see positive projects in that respect. Can I promise you year-over-year organic growth in the U.S. or anywhere else? My answer is no. Nobody can. We try hard. We do our best. We will have positive surprises. I hope not too many negative, but I can't promise eternal growth nor eternal beauty.
Sorry, maybe I can just follow up on the U.S. I wasn't asking so much for your projections looking forward, but more of what the business has done since it's been integrated. So far, has it achieved organic gross profit and EBIT growth?
It has some growth, but if you compare it to the track record in the past, it has been more flat. The specific reason is, of course, that the market is not easy in the U.S., as you have seen with our competitors that have had massive decreases. Let's say the growth potential of the U.S. remains, of course, very big, but the last year has been not the easiest in the industrial U.S. market. We have noticed that, too.
Okay. Thank you very much.
The next question is from Mr. Tailleur from the Rabobank. Mr. Tailleur, please go ahead.
Yes. It's Tailleur, actually. David, good morning. Good morning, all. It's French. A couple of quick follow-ups, maybe on Europe. Your EBITDA margin, if I do the math correctly, was about 40 basis points down in Q4 year-on-year and now up by 40 basis points, even excluding Turkey and South Africa. Does this indeed underpin, let's say, the volatility you have been flagging before on a quarterly basis? We shouldn't probably take that 40 basis points also for the coming quarters. Is that correct? Within EMEA, could you specify which countries specifically have improved their performance, the last quarters? On the U.S. again, do I understand correctly that specifically on Q1, the volume and gross profit trend year-on-year was about flat? Thanks.
David, perhaps first to catch up on your first question. As you know, our cost base is relatively fixed in our group because it's mainly people. What you typically see then in a quarter where the sales is less, your EBIT margin goes a bit down, and that's what you typically see in Q4. Q1, you have a stronger quarter sales-wise, also your EBIT margin goes a bit up.
Okay.
On average, this is the usual fluctuation that you will see during the year.
It's not so much related to any time of contract or whatsoever. It's really operational leverage.
No.
Yeah. Great. Thanks.
EMEA, I would say that most countries perform better than last year. I think you can say that in the U.S., it was more or less flat.
In Q1?
In Q1.
Q1.
Yep.
In Europe, it's not like, for example, France and/or Germany have improved their performance. It's really broad-based?
It's broad-based. Yes.
Yeah. Okay. Thanks a lot, gentlemen.
The next question is from Mr. Pannevis from Kempen. Mr. Pannevis, please go ahead.
Good morning, Piet and Hans. Just a few questions. At the full year stage, you sort of talked about potentially the commodity deflation getting a little bit better in 2016, which would sort of make your ability to raise prices a bit easier. Could you give us an update on that view?
Sorry, Jaap, I missed you there, to be honest.
No. At the full year stage, clearly currently, especially in the U.S., it's quite difficult to grow through pricing because the whole industry is quite deflationary. I guess the whole chemical industry.
Yeah.
As we move to the second half, that might get easier.
Yeah. It's a good question. It's also, Jaap, difficult to predict. Of course, as an organization, we are extremely focused on increasing and maximizing, of course, our margins by increasing prices. Until now, and particularly in the U.S., it has been very difficult to do that in the industrial markets. A bit easier here in Europe. Overall, I can say that as GDP grows everywhere in the world is rather very modest. It remains difficult to do so everywhere. It's not for nothing, of course, that the central banks try to pump so much money in the system to avoid these deflationary pressures. It's of course, always in our business a mixed picture because we work in so many different markets, but it is more difficult, I would say, in the industrial markets. As you know, we are predominantly in the industrial markets in the U.S.
There, the effect is a bit stronger than elsewhere.
From a pricing perspective, that compare should then get easier in the second half, correct? Because the commodity moves on the second half should basically flatten out.
Time will tell, Jaap.
Okay. Hans, perhaps one question for you. When I back out the organic growth number for the group, I get to a number of sort of around 8%. I obviously appreciate what you said earlier, Is that sort of a number you recognize, 8% organic EBITA growth for the group in Q1? Ballpark.
What we disclose, Jaap, is the organic growth in revenue. I think Piet indicated also a couple of start-up costs, It's always difficult to allocate these type of things, I leave that to you to calculate that number.
Okay, excellent. I think my other questions have actually been answered. Thanks so much.
The next question is from Mr. Kumar from HSBC. Mr. Kumar, please go ahead.
Hi. Good morning, gents. Just before we discuss anything else, I'd like to understand one thing. When you say prices, that you can't increase prices, pricing environment is difficult. Are you talking about your own gross margin or the gross profit, or the actual selling price you charge to your customer?
The actual selling price we charge to our customer.
Okay. It's exactly what we understand. The selling price you're charging to customers.
Yeah.
It can be confusing. Okay. What you're telling us is that, you're unable to increase the prices, but you're able to keep the prices you had.
Yes
in the previous. Okay, great. When we look at, I did a fact package calculation on the numbers, on the new Americas division now, and I'm getting 0% type growth number backed out for M.F. Cachat. You said it's flat. Is that the right organic number for M.F. Cachat or IMCD US now?
I'm a lawyer, now we have to discuss if flat is 0% or
No, it could be minus one, it could be plus one.
No, it's not negative.
It's not negative. Okay.
They sometimes say zero plus, but I don't know what that means. Listen, we are not decreasing. We are flattish.
Okay.
This is zero plus.
How much of that is caused by integration disruptions? How much of that is managed at the operating margin level? I'm assuming that inflation in the U.S. is not zero. I'm pretty sure you got a bit of cost increase as well. Is the conversion ratio stable? I know it's a higher conversion market, naturally, but is the conversion ratio stable?
Yes, it is stable. I think we have a bit of cost increase, not a lot. The business, of course, has continued in the same fashion with the same management since we bought it. We haven't added costs in the business, there is some ability to compensate a slight cost increase, the cost increase has been very modest as well.
Okay. That's very useful to hear. Finally, if we look back on the last year trends, the growth has been coming down from double digit to 5% to now zero. Is it a fair assumption to say that it goes negative before it turns and starts improving?
No, I think it will go positive before it goes to zero or before it goes to negative. I'm optimistic about the future of the business going forward.
Okay. There is no commodity in M.F. Cachat. It's largely smaller volume, higher pricing product.
Yes.
Thank you very much.
The next question is from Miss De Bruyne from Degroof Petercam. Please go ahead.
Yes, good morning, gentlemen. Thank you for taking my questions. Actually, they have basically all been answered, but I was just looking at working capital. I know that you tell us not to focus so much on what happened during one specific quarter, but I was wondering what the increase in working capital investment was driven by. Can you give us some more color on that one? Would that be driven by negative currency translation, or is that more some kind of timing difference as well? Can you give us some more color on that one?
No, I think the increase in working capital follows the increase in revenue, and nothing specific there or nothing to report on.
Okay, because it seems to be much higher, actually, than the increase in revenue. That's the reason why I'm asking. Is there any change in these payables or whatever, or any specific trend in one of the regions?
No. Basically, you need to realize that a working capital number at a quarter-end is just a snapshot of a certain moment in time, and paying a creditor just before a quarter-end, or just after, or a customer's paying just before or just after, have an impact on this number. If I look at the underlying trends, there are no changes there.
All right. That's just some kind of timing impact, right?
Yep. True.
Regarding the cash conversion margin, do you still stick to your guidance, which would be the higher end of the range for PM?
The guidance is that we always try to end up with a cash conversion margin of 80% plus.
The guidance is unchanged. That has to do with the fact that we are asset light, so we have hardly CapEx. The only change that you see is the change in working capital. Yeah, and that follows the revenue trends.
All right.
In an exceptional year, we have an exceptional growth in revenue that could lead to a higher working capital investment.
Okay, good. Got it. Thank you.
The next question is from Mr. Mulder from ING. Mr. Mulder, please go ahead.
Yeah. Quirijn Mulder from ING. Good morning.
Good morning.
Yeah, good morning. Can you give some idea about the tax rate for 2016?
Yeah. The guidance that we gave was somewhere between 25% and 28% of the operating EBITDA after interest cost, and that guidance is still applicable.
Okay. There's no changes there?
No. No changes there.
Okay. Thank you.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you have any additional questions, please press star one on your telephone. The next question is from Ms. Foteva from Deutsche Bank. Please go ahead.
Hi. A couple of follows, please. On your expansion in the US, from here on, would you expect to do more acquisitions in the near term, or are you currently focused on your projects to cross-pollinate, as you said? Secondly, could you just tell us how much of your gross profit growth was volume? Thank you.
No, we will continue to look for opportunities for acquisitions also in the US and that will continue. It's always and. We hope that we can find the right targets and also close the right targets going forward. Price volume question is just too difficult for us in, again, what Hans explained, enormous number of products. Also, the big differences in, let's say, prices of our individual products versus volumes. It doesn't give you any real guidance or indication. If we do products which are EUR 0.70 a kilo versus products that are EUR 40 a kilo, it doesn't say you anything if there is a difference between price and volume. I wouldn't focus on that.
My question was more volume versus kind of gross profit per SKU. More kind of mix versus volume.
We don't look at that at all.
Yeah. Okay. No worries.
That's for the commodity guys.
Sure. Okay. Thank you. Finally, just on M&A in general, how would you describe your pipeline at the moment? Thank you.
It's lively. How do you say that? Lively. It's positive, hard work also. You are dependent on others when you can show some results. We are optimistic that we will produce some results later in the year.
Okay. Thank you very much.
Ladies and gentlemen, you can still ask additional questions by pressing star one. Please go ahead.
All right.
No further questions.
Thanks. Thank you all for participating in the call. I wish you a good day.
Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the conference call. You may now disconnect your line. Have a nice day.