Austevoll Seafood ASA (OSL:AUSS)
Norway flag Norway · Delayed Price · Currency is NOK
93.40
-0.90 (-0.95%)
Apr 24, 2026, 4:25 PM CET
← View all transcripts

Earnings Call: Q3 2021

Nov 11, 2021

Arne Møgster
CEO, Austevoll Seafood

It's a great pleasure for me to invite you to Austevoll Seafood third quarter presentation. I will briefly start taking you through the highlights of the quarter. Thereafter, I will try to take you through the different segments and our achievement during the quarter. Britt will take you more in detail through the numbers, and I will end the presentation by giving our different outlook in the different markets we are operating within. Starting up, I would say, as an opening remark that the third quarter normally is a low fishing season for all our pelagic and white fish activity.

It's more or less the same for this quarter as well, but if you look into the activity in North Atlantic, it's partly advanced on an earlier startup of mackerel and herring season compared with normally. That has also given us higher activity in Pelagia and also for our fishing vessels in the quarter compared with what is normal. I would say we have achieved quite good sales for our pelagic business during the quarter. When it comes to the salmon business, we have achieved a record high revenue, a record high volume for the quarter.

We are delivering margins which is partly lower than our own expectation for the quarter, which I will come back to during this presentation. Starting up, a revenue of NOK 7.4 billion, an EBITDA of NOK 1.15 billion, which is NOK 350 million better than the same quarter last year. EBIT of NOK 741 million, and a pre-tax profit of NOK 839 million, which is also including a quite good performance from Pelagia in this quarter compared with same quarter last year.

Looking at the EBITDA of the company, also including 50% share of Pelagia, you can see that we are just delivering below NOK 1.4 billion in EBITDA, whereas NOK 900 million is coming from the salmon activity and just below NOK 500 million is coming from the pelagic activity. Looking at full year numbers, a record high revenue of NOK 19.6 billion, EBIT of NOK 3.5 billion, which is NOK 700 million better than the same nine months in 2020. EBIT of NOK 2.3 billion and a pre-tax profit of NOK 2.4 billion.

Our balance sheet remains strong, 42.6 in total assets and a net interest-bearing debt of NOK 4 billion. Looking at the performance both from the salmon segments and the pelagic salmon for the first nine months, you can see that total EBITDA is just about NOK 3.8 billion if you include the 50% share we have in Pelagia. NOK 2.5 billion of that is coming from salmon activity and from the pelagic activity just below NOK 1.3 billion, which is approximately the double performance that we did in the first same nine months in 2020.

I would say summing up, the pelagic company has delivered quite good result during the first nine months in 2021. Looking at our operational overview, you can see on the right-hand side that in terms of volume this year, we are aiming to catch between 420,000 tons-450,000 tons on our own vessels, on our own license this season. We are aiming to process pelagic raw material in our factories in about 1.85 million tons. We are also aiming to catch around 70,000 tons of whitefish and process approximately 30,000 tons in our land-based facilities.

We are aiming to slaughter this year approximately 210,000 tons of salmon. Giving some insight on our pelagic activity starting up in Peru, what we can say is that we finalized the first quota for the season by the end of July. We are now waiting for a new season to start hopefully somewhere close to this date. Peru has performed quite well, I would say, during this year, and it's mainly marked by that we entered the year with high stock due to good fishing season coming in from 2020. We have also had a very good first season.

The prices has been increasing during the quarter, and we have also had a very good fishing in the south in our factories in Ilo, which has also contributed to our earnings. I would say we did quite a similar achievement that we did the same first season in 2020 in terms of all the parameters when it comes to quality and yield and purchased raw material and quota. A good start, and we are aiming, I would say, to hopefully start up fishery not far away from today, and we are expect that the quota maybe will be announced in mid November.

Again, the final result of this year will depend on the start up of the season and of course the size of the quota. Chile again has done a very good year based on the circumstances they are operating within. The quota was increased with 15%, gave us approximately 40,000 tons of own quota. We have purchased additionally 31,000 tons to be caught with their own vessels and produced in our own plant. We have also done some rental of a factory. I would say that this year has been an optimal operation in our Chilean activity based on the raw material they have had available.

Looking in for next year, we are also seeing that the quota will probably increase with 15%. This is also to be established in January. The Atlantic pelagic quota is also increasing compared with the ICES recommendation for 2021. It's particularly driven by our increase in the North Sea herring quota. It's also a pleasure to look at the development of both the Barents Sea capelin that they're opening the capelin fishery in the Barents Sea, but also for the Icelandic capelin quota, which is far higher this year than it was last year.

Looking at the other fisheries, you can see that herring is down by 8%, mackerel with 7%, and we are also seeing that blue whiting is coming down with approximately 20% this year or next year, like they did in 2021. A downward trend when it comes to the blue whiting quota. Looking at the meal and oil segment this quarter, I would say is a seasonal low production quarter, mainly based on trimmings. This segment is doing all the raw material purchases in the beginning of first half year and are selling the main source of raw products in the two last quarters of the year.

The sale has been committed quite good, and it's been higher sale in this quarter compared with the same quarter last year. What we can also mention is that Hordafor, which is doing protein concentrate production based on salmon offal and whitefish and pelagic offal, is also consolidated 100% from first of July and are also contributing quite good to the numbers of Pelagia during this quarter. What's different for the human consumption activity is the advance start of catch for the mackerel and the spring spawning herring season.

It's increased quota and started up the mackerel fishery in August, which has impacted the landed raw material numbers but also earnings in the quarter. I would say that both in terms of margins and activity, they've done a good job for the human consumption during the third quarter. You can see in the numbers, this numbers is inflated by a one-off after the consolidation of Hordafor on approximately NOK 140 million.

Nevertheless, they are doing quite a good quarter this year compared with same quarter last year, and delivering a revenue of NOK 3 billion, EBIT of NOK 455 million, and an EBITDA of NOK 379 million, compared with much lower figures same quarter last year. Moving to salmon and whitefish, we are delivering an EBIT of NOK 579 million. What I can say is that we have had record high revenue, record high volume in the quarter, but the margins we have presented has been a bit lower than also our own expectation in the quarter, and it's mainly due to that we did some advanced harvesting for fish in the north and in the west region, which had biological challenges.

We had to take the fish out on a lower average rate, which impacted both cost and also price achievement for the quarter. We also had a bit lower growth in the west in the quarter, which has also impacted the cost. All in all, I would say that the harvest volume on 56,000 tons, spread by 16,000 tons in Lerøy Aurora, 23,000 tons in Lerøy Midt, and Lerøy Sjøtroll, approximately 18,000 tons in the quarter. Looking at the EBIT per kilo is 9.6, including sales and distribution margins.

If you look at the harvesting margins, we are having approximately NOK 9.3 per kilo in the north, and NOK 9 per kilo in the mid, and approximately NOK 4 per kilo in the west side. Leaving the quarter with NOK 3.5 billion in net interest-bearing debt. Due to also a lower growth in the quarter, we have taken down some of the estimates for 2021, both from the north and also from the west coast and a bit up on mid Norway.

Totally we have reduced our volume guidance for 2021 in Norway from 192,000 tons down to 187,000 tons, and expecting for 2022 an increase of 190,000 tons. Looking at the wild catch segments, we are doing both better in the land-based activity and also the fishing activity this quarter compared with same quarter last year. It's pleasant to see that the improvements for the land-based industry is also contributing to some of the margins. We are seeing prices is coming back after being harmed during the COVID period.

In particular, the haddock and saithe prices is up with 59% on haddock and 35% on saithe, which is also pleasant. What I can say here is that we have approximately 11,000 tons more to catch of the cod, which is the highest value fish to the end of the year. Expecting a good contribution from this segment in fourth quarter as well. I give the floor to Britt.

Britt Katherine Drivenes
CFO, Austevoll Seafood

Thank you, Arne. We start with this table, and that sums up the raw material intake for the fishing business both in South America and here in the North Atlantic. As Arne mentioned, we had an early start of the mackerel season, which has given higher raw material volumes for the North Atlantic business compared with last year. We have also had record high harvest volumes for salmon and trout. I would like to start to say that we have had a very positive development both in revenues and earnings in third quarter this year compared with last year, and that goes for all the companies in the group. As Arne has already taken you through the key figures, I will start at the EBIT level.

We have an EBIT in the third quarter this year of NOK 741 million, and that is substantially higher than the NOK 450 million in the same quarter last year. We have also had a nice increase in the income from associates compared to last year, NOK 194 million. The largest contributor is Pelagia, and that is NOK 151 million in the third quarter this year. As Arne said, they have had a good quarter, but this figure is also inflated by a one-off coming from the purchase of Hordafor of approximately NOK 70 million included in this NOK 151 million.

We have a pre-tax profit, and that's before the biomass adjustment of NOK 839 million, and that is more than double from the NOK 393 million in same quarter last year. The net profit is NOK 517 million in the quarter, up from NOK 363 million. This gives us an earnings per share, and that is excluded biomass adjustment of NOK 2.26, up from NOK 0.86 in same quarter last year. Looking at the figures year to date Q3, we had a revenue of NOK 19.6 billion, up from NOK 16.7 billion, and an EBITDA of NOK 3.5 billion, up from NOK 2.8 billion, and an EBIT before biomass adjustment of above NOK 2.3 billion, up from NOK 1.7 billion same period last year.

Also year to date, the income from associated companies are much higher than last year, NOK 305 million compared to NOK 158 million. It is the two largest associated companies that contributes to this figure, and that is Pelagia with NOK 177 million and Norskott with NOK 104 million. Looking at the net finance of this total NOK 269 million, the net interest are NOK 213 million, and that is down from NOK 228 million in same period last year. This gives us a pre-tax profit, and that is also excluded biomass adjustment of above NOK 2.3 billion, up from NOK 1.5 billion in same period last year.

The net profit is NOK 2.5 billion, up from NOK 931 million, and this gives us an earnings per share of NOK 5.39, up from NOK 3.25 in same period last year. Looking into Lerøy Seafood Group, they had a revenue of NOK 6.3 billion in the quarter, up from NOK 4.8 billion in same quarter last year. The EBITDA was NOK 895 million, up from NOK 656 million, and the EBIT NOK 579 million, up from NOK 370 million. You can look at the harvest volume, which is record high this quarter. It's above 56,000 tons, up from 44,000 tons in same quarter last year, and an EBIT per kilo of 9.6, up from 9.2.

However, this quarter they have made some adjustment to the harvest profile, and they have had some challenges on some sites in Lerøy Aurora and Lerøy Sjøtroll. Harvesting rates are lower. They have a lower average harvesting weights on this fish, and that is of course impacting price realization, but also has a higher cost. Looking into the whitefish, the wild catch, and land-based operation, there is an EBIT in the quarter of NOK 17 million, which is substantially higher than the negative EBIT last year of NOK -50 million. Looking at the Austral Group, they have had as normal seasonal low activity in third quarter. They finalized their first fishing season July 26, but they have had good sales volume in the quarter.

When we look at the fish meal sales, they are approximately at the same level, but you can see they have a substantially higher volume of fish oil sold in third quarter this year compared with same quarter last year. The fish meal prices are up 10% compared with the same period last year, and the fish oil price is up with 16% compared with same period last year. Going into fourth quarter, they have an inventory of 11,500 tons of finished products. Of course, now we are waiting for the announcement of the second season quota, and of course the size of the quota and when it will start.

The company has done maintenance work on the fishing vessels and the factories in the remaining part of third quarter, but also into fourth quarter. Also in Foodcorp, we have had seasonal low activity. Actually, their main season are in the first half of the year. They have sold 1,000 tons more approximately of frozen products in this quarter compared with same quarter last year. What we have seen is that we have had increased prices during the year of the frozen products. Also in third quarter, the price achievement for frozen products are substantially higher than what we saw in same quarter last year.

They have 3,400 tons of finished products going into Q4, and Q4 will be, excuse me. There will be low activity in Q4, and they have also spent the remaining part of third quarter and fourth quarter for maintenance of the fishing vessels and the factory. Looking at the farming part of Brødrene Birkeland, as we said when we released our second quarter figures in August, there was a ISA outbreak on one of the sites of the Brødrene Birkeland farming. This fish should be harvested before the end of August, beginning of September.

At that time, we said that we expected a loss at the EBIT level between NOK 25 million-NOK 28 million. That is also the impact as we can see here in the third quarter figures. They have harvested 2,300 tons and it's a negative EBIT of NOK -30 million and of course a negative EBIT per kilo of -12.8. The fishing vessel part of Brødrene Birkeland, the two pelagic vessels, they have started their mackerel season early this year. They started in the beginning of August. They have taken the major part of their mackerel quota in third quarter. That was the opposite last year than the major part of the quota was taken in Q4. The vessel fishing snow crab stopped the fishing at July 1st and the total quota for Norway was taken.

They have been doing maintenance work in this period. However, we have sold volumes of finished products with snow crab in the quarter. In addition, we have purchased a second-hand vessel for the replacement of Northguider , which sank in late 2018. The vessel is now installing new factory equipment, etc. We expect this vessel to start operation mid-first quarter next year. The revenue in third quarter was NOK 119 million and the EBITDA was NOK 41 million and the EBIT NOK 31 million, of course impacted by the early start of the mackerel season. Looking at the statement of financial position, we have total assets of NOK 42.6 billion. This is an increase from September last year, but also from the end of 2020. Looking into right-of-use assets, we have taken on some new contracts on wellboats and also some tangible fixed assets.

We are in the end of finalizing the small facility up in Balsfjord. The other thing I would like to mention here is the cash position is substantially higher and impacted by the bond loan that Lerøy issued now in third quarter. Net interest-bearing debt by the end of September was a little bit less than NOK 4 billion. Including the right-of-use assets liability, it was NOK 5.6 billion. The equity ratio was 57%. We have a strong balance sheet and that is also our strategy because we would like to support organic growth, but also strategic investments if they appear. We would like to be able to keep our dividend policy. There has been a strong cash performance in Q3 and also year to date. You can see in Q3 we had a cash from operating activities of above NOK 1.5 billion.

Cash from investing is NOK -343 million. As mentioned, we are in the end of finalizing the small facility up in Balsfjord now in fourth quarter. There is a positive cash from financing of NOK 460 million and that is caused by the bond loan that was issued by Lerøy now in third quarter of NOK 1.5 billion. We started a period with a cash position of NOK 3.7 billion and we end the third quarter with a cash position of almost NOK 5.4 billion. I give the words to you again.

Arne Møgster
CEO, Austevoll Seafood

Starting up looking at the markets and the different segments we are operating in. Starting up with the fishmeal market. Again, if you look at the left-hand table here, you can see that the production among the largest producers is up with approximately 6.5%. It's mainly driven by volume from Peru, which is up approximately 32.5%. Prices have been partly increasing during the period. Now we are achieving prices on approximately just above $1,400 per ton for low-quality fishmeal and up to $1,650 per ton on high-quality fishmeal. Again, China is the main consumer. If we jump to the Chinese market, you could see that the stock situation in China is far higher than it was same period last year. That has been the trend the last three quarters.

Still, I would say that prices has been on a very high level in China and has maintained good prices both for fishmeal and also for fish oil during the period. If you are jumping to the fish oil situation, you can also see that the production is up by 7%. Prices has been quite stable, I would say, since week 18 until now, where you are seeing the full prices from Peru, just above $2,000 per ton for feed and a premium of $300 in for the omega-3 industry. Jumping to the supply of salmon and as you can see it's an increase from Europe in 2021 with approximately 12%. A decrease from Americas from 9% and in total an increase of 4%.

I would say in particular in Norway during 2021 the increase has been a bit higher than what we expected. In particular in September we saw new records out of Norway week for week during the whole September period. That was also the period where we were slaughtering most of our fish at lower prices than what you're seeing in the average prices for the quarter. Going into 2022 you also see that it's expected a global growth of 5%, whereas Norway and the rest of Europe is approximately 4% and the Americas driven by Chile's comeback is up with approximately 6.9%.

Market is, I would say strong looking at, the volume we have seen, in Norway. However if you look, within third quarter, it's been a deviation of prices of 15 NOK, from the highest to the lowest, price achieved, during the quarter. It's a lot of fluctuations, although you see that the underlying prices is good, in third quarter. I would also say we are expecting, a nice development, going in for, the end of the year. Consumption, during 2021 is, driven by, consumption from E.U. and in particular from, U.S., which is up, respective 10%-18%.

You can see other markets is participating with 9% of the increase. So summing up, I would say that we expect a salmon volume from Lerøy of 204,000 tons this year in 2021, an increase of approximately 3,000 tons. We are doing a building of a new post-smolt facility in Mid Norway, but the effect of that you will not see before 2023. The white fish segment continue to be a healthy outlook to the end of the year. If you look to the next year quotas, we see that the increase of quota we had both in haddock and cod is reversed into 2022.

We'll also have a contribution on increased prices we believe during 2022. Looking at the pelagic segments, we are seeing that in particular that we are having general inflation in all our logistical chain. We are seeing it's an increasing cost both on our inputs on costs. However we are also seeing that particularly in South America that it's been handled quite well during 2021, both the production and we are expecting a good season in Peru now.

Also looking forward to start the next year season in Chile, when we are turning into 2022, where we expect an increase of quota of 15%. Looking in the North Atlantic, it's a bit earlier start of the mackerel quota and herring quota, giving less raw material in for fourth quarter. If you look in for next year, you see it's a marginal drop in herring and mackerel quota, and we are seeing North Sea herring is up. It's gonna be interesting to see the effect of the capelin season to our factories. That was all. Thank you for following.

Powered by