Austevoll Seafood ASA (OSL:AUSS)
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Earnings Call: Q4 2020

Feb 18, 2021

Speaker 1

Then I would like to invite you to the 4th quarter financial presentation for Oostom of Seafood. I will start by giving you a short presentation of the numbers, but then we'll work in detail through the different segments in the group and how we have performed in the Q4. Brent will take you more in detail to the numbers, and I will end this session by giving our view on the market for different segments we are operating with. So starting up, I would say 4th quarter is an important quarter for the group. I would say it's in particular three areas which are contributing to our result in the quarter.

That's in Peru, where one of the main season is executed. We also have the main season for our human consumption products in Colombia and the North Atlantic. And of course, similar to the other quarter, is just also an important quarter for Leerink. I would say the performance in the quarter is we are pleased with the performance in the quarter and have a revenue of just above NOK 5,700,000,000. It's more than we don't from the same quarter last year.

An EBITDA of NOK 860,000,000,000 NOK 140 NOK 1,000,000 for last year and an EBIT of NOK 460,000,000, which is NOK 190,000,000 from same quarter last year. And I would say the reduced result is mainly explained by a lower price achievement for Sandlin during the quarter. If you take into account the 50% shares we have in Eladio, you see that our EBITDA for 4th quarter is close to NOK 1,000,000,000 whereas NOK 750,000,000 is coming from the Sandman segment. It's down by approximately NOK 280,000,000 and NOK 244,000,000 is coming from the allergic segment, which is up with approximately NOK 150,000,000 and it's mainly related to the good execution we have of the season in Peru. Looking at the full year, a revenue of NOK 22,500,000,000 EBITDA of NOK 3,700,000,000 and EBIT of NOK 3.2 NOK.

We have a strong balance sheet, just below NOK 4,000,000,000 NOK in total asset net interest bearing debt of 4.6 and an equity ratio of approximately 58%. Looking at taking into account the 50% shares we have in Telavia. You see that we are just exceeding NOK 4,000,000,000 in EBITDA, whereof NOK 3,100,000,000 is coming from the Sandoz segment and NOK 900,000,000 is coming from the pelagic segment. And if you look at the pelagic segment, you can see that if you are taking away the gain of sales we had on our factory in 2019, it's more or less delivering on the same level as we did in in 2019 2020. The board will recommend a dividend of NOK 3 lot in 2020.

Now looking at the volume. Volume is important for our group. And if you look at our Atlantic Fishing Court caught by our fishing vessels, We did we had our total catch last year of 400,000 tonnes of Atlantic fish. We are expecting this year to have increased it to 50,000 tonnes up to 450,000 tonnes. We are estimating to process our Panalik factories approximately 1,900,000 tonnes, which is more or less in line with what we did last year.

And Whitefish, we are aiming to increased from approximately 100,000 to 110,000 tons with white fish in 2021. And we are also estimating an increase of 190,000 to 250,000 tonnes of salmon during from 2020 to 2021. And starting off looking at the different segments of the group, I will start by giving our thoughts about Peru. Looking at the photodepartment and Sisi, which were set in November 2020, you see that the quota were more or less in line with throughout the same period in 2019. However, the main difference was that this time we caught 2.5 1,000,000 tonnes of the quota versus last year, we bought just below 1,000,000 tonnes.

So it's a considerably higher volume caught in 2020 versus 2019, although the quota was more or less in line with 2019. Looking into the 1st season in 2021, I would say that the research has just started, and We are aiming to we are aiming to under research during April, and then we've been on the outcome of the 1st season quarter. But I would say that I would say the oceanographic conditions is favorable for the fish as it looks today. Diving into our own performance during the season, we caught 166,000 tonnes 125,000 tonnes before the year and approximately 40,000 tonnes in January before the season was and that I would say they have had a very good season. The vessel and the factory We're ready to start when the season opens, which normally we should expect.

But due to the pandemic, It's not necessarily that we should expect that, but a very good execution. And what's been special this year is that the fish oil has been extremely good. And the combined fish meal and fish meal are close to 30%, which is far better than we saw also the last year season. Another thing is that we have a higher percentage of super permanent prime, which is followed by the Pelican, the standard officially. I I say coming into the New Year, we have higher stock and also executed good sales into the new year.

We are seeing also that the quota for Macril and Horstmann Crude is more or less on the same level as last year, and this season has also started up in a very acceptable way. So we also have an example of the start of 2021 as it looks today. At Chile, I would say it's we are doing the year in Chile in the first 7 months of the year, and we did this year as well. So 4th quarter is more or less a year where we also fixed cost. But what's been very good in Chile this year is had a very good performance both in terms of fishing, operation and sales.

And I would say we have had one of the best years for the last 10 years in Chile in terms of financial contribution. Also, our positive development in the quarter, increasing with 15% for the main important species we are having, and that's amount to approximately 40,000 tonnes. And we have been able to acquire 94,000 tonnes to be caught by our own vessel for 20.31. So I will also say that it's also a good start going into 2021 for our operation in Chile. The North Atlantic Atlantic quotas, we are just done one change in the estimates that we did in last quarter.

We have been it's been set for Islamic Capulin on 127,000 tons. It's the first time for in 3 years that We are having this quarter. And of course, it's still also a contribution for our fishing bus but also for productivity in the North Atlantic. Otherwise, the heavy focus up in North the Herringfort and the North Sea Stone, a macro stone and also blue and white ticket stock. There is still not subtle the final quota for Sunday, but it seems like the stock is in a very good condition and the quota will be set in beginning of May.

Summing up the fish, meal and oil activity, I would say that spin up especially here for the fish meal and oil activity in the North Atlantic. They're doing most of the purchases of raw material in the first half of the year, and then they are selling the raw material in the second half of not the raw material but the fish meal and oil in the second half of the year. And the market prices have been reducing during the year and also currency has been not that favorable for sales during the year. So the margins has been under pressure, I would say, is the contribution from the Fishing and Oil segment in Colombia has not been as strong this year as it's been on the previous years. I would say, although Peru has and having a successful fishing season, I would say the consumption in China has been more compensated we have seen increasing prices, which is also favorable for the stock, log also on fish feed and fish oil.

Some uncertainties related to Brexit, mainly related to access to fishing source and also distribution agreement between participating Nations, meaning that there's not subtle what the final distribution between the in particular, the Secord and BlueWhite, I think, will be yes and can have an impact on the volume we are expecting in Panogia. For the Human Consumption segment, I would say that it's been a very good 4th quarter. You can see on the volume that more than 50% of the volume is being processed in Q4. And it's been both in terms of the macro and the winter harring season been in good production and also good sales. And I would say the positive development has been transferred also into the Q1, whether it's on macro herring production and also the Icelandic Capelyn Production.

Strong sales and limited stock going into the New Year. Then looking at the performance of the quarter, EBITDA marginally up from same quarter last year and EBIT also more than a year or more or less in the same level. Looking at the full year, you can see that the EBITDA in 2020 is lower than 2019. But if you take weighted gain on sales. We are delivering approximately NOK 120,000,000 lower than last year.

And it's mainly related to lower margins on fishing and from the Fishman official segment in 2020. Now coming to Leerbe. I would say that Leerle has been developing in the right direction from the start to the end of the year. And it's, I would say, it's pleasant to see, in particular, development down in the West Coast of Norway, where we are delivering margins under difficult market conditions now. EBIT of NOK 441,000,000, it's down from same quarter last year NOK 769,000,000 and it's mainly explained by lower prices.

Spot prices is down by 23%, approximately NOK 13 per kilo. And of course, that's also hits the margin. Saying that, if you look at the EBIT per kilo, we are only known by approximately NOK 8. So the underlying operation is far better than it was in the start of the year. Looking at the volumes, 48,000 tonnes, approximately 15,000 tonnes in the North, 16,000 tonnes in Mid Norway and 18,000 tonnes in Nether Schottorp.

Then we have done some investments started back in particular in smolt actually down in 20 16, and now we are starting to see effect of the investments we have done and are expecting to continue the positive development and growth of volume we had from 2019 to 2020 and also into 2021. When you see the volume from Norway is expected to be up at approximately 22,000 tonnes in 2021 versus 2020, yes. If you take into account the growth we have in Scotland as well, we will expect the increase from Levei on 28,000 tonnes in volume for 2021 versus 2020. Then going to the Wildcat segment in Leveton. I would say that similar to the Q3, Q4 has also been extremely challenging in terms of price achievement on the most important products we are having.

Coal prices is down by 18% and handoff prices is down by 17%. If you compare with where we started in the beginning of the year and then as consequently also impacted the EBIT we have achieved in 2020. We're observing an EBIT of NOK205,000,000 $293,000,000 in 2019. I'll get that brought to Brett. Thank you, Mohammed.

Speaker 2

Start with the table, summing up raw material intake in the quarter and as come this And we also saw higher volumes of salmon and trout in the quarter compared with same quarter last year. You can see we have given our estimate for 2021. This is, of course, based on the recommendations and quotas. I would like to mention that, of course, the borders in Peru are not set for 2021 and they are small, so they're to Starting with the presentation, Armin commented on the key figures. The fall in earnings can be And sum up by the lower price achievement for salmon and for white fish in the border.

The spot prices for salmon are down 23% in Q4 2020 compared to same quarter in 2019. If you look at the turnover, though, it's SEK 5,700,000,000. So it's only down 3% from SEK 5,900,000,000 Q4 2019. And that is a sign that we have a very good activity in the downstream segments. In addition, we have also had a very good second season in Q4 2019.

Earnings from associated companies are up. It's SEK 148,000,000 SEK 130,000,000 in the Same quarter in 2019. And the 2 largest associated companies are Wolfstorp and Pallavian. And they 72% of the income associated companies in the quarter. And net finance is minus SEK 60,000,000, approximately at the same level as the same period in 2019.

And this gives a pretax profit before the IFRS payments adjustment of SEK 50,000,000 down from SEK 715,000,000. And earnings per share ex IMS adjustment of SEK 1.30 A little bit down from 1.36% in Q4 in 2019. Looking at the full year 2020, the revenue was SEK 22,400,000,000, down 3.8% from SEK 23,300,000,000 in 2019. 2020 has been a challenging year, The market for seafood has been significantly negatively impacted Ongoing with the pandemic COVID-nineteen. And oil prices for salmon by fish has, of course, impacted our earnings in 2020.

And the EBIT for the full year is Less than $2,200,000,000 down from $2,900,000,000 in 2019. Income from associated companies are NOK 306,000,000 and again, Oostom and Belavia and represent 75% of the earnings from associated company. In 2019, the earnings from associated companies was $469,000,000 We had some gain from Cengel assets included in that figure in 20 2019. Of the net finance, the net interest represents SEK 295,000,000 and that's a little bit down from 8,000,000 in net interest in 2019. The pre tax profit, and that is before the IFRS, biomass adjustment, is SEK 2,000,000,000 and that was down from SEK 3,100,000,000 in 2019.

And this gives earnings per share ex IFRS guidance adjustment of NOK4.55 down from NOK6.89. Looking into Neora Seafood Group, their main drivers are the volume of the shorter volume of salmon and trout and The catch volume of fish. Harvested volume of salmon and trout are a little bit more than 48,000 tonnes, up from 43,000 tonnes in the same quarter in 2019. And if we look at the EBIT per kilo, next the wildcat segment, that's NOK 9.3 No, no, 2017. And I must say that it's a very good contribution if you look into the substantial increase in salmon prices In the Q4 2020 compared with same quarter in 2019, the price is down 13 NOKs in the Q4 in 2020 compared with 2019.

And also the cost is down from Q3 in 2020 and also down from Q4 in 2019. If we look into the volumes of white cash, it's almost at the same level as It's the same quarter in 2019. However, there is a little bit less head up in Q4 2020 compared with 2019. And the prices for Orocoden had on Garda, 13% 13% in quarter 2020 compared with 2019. In total, the EBIT For year in Q4, it was $441,000,000 down $769,000,000 in same quarter In Peru, we have had a very good fishing season in 4th quarter and raw material intake in the quarter was almost 168,000 tonnes.

However, the sales volume of finished products, fishing and fish oil, are substantially lower than the same quarter in 2019, and we're up Two reasons for that. We went into Q4 with very low inventory efficiency and fishing season started up a little bit late. So not much of that production has been sold in Q4. But that gives us a very good position going into 2020 one that we have officially inventory of over 200,000 tons and fish oil event of about 7,700 tons. EBIT in Q4 2020 was SEK70 1,000,000 and that's a substantial Essential improvement from an I think even though minus JPY86 1,000,000 in the same quarter in 2019.

As we have communicated in our last presentation, we expected a low activity in Chile in the Q4. We have sold almost all the frozen production by the end of 2020. So our Storage is almost empty. There is a negative EBIT in the quarter, minus €49,000,000 Same level as same quarter 2019. However, I'd like to focus on the full year 2020.

The company has had one of their best earnings for a very, very long time. And we have EBIT of €101,000,000 in 2020, up from €12,000,000 in 20 So we see that the increased bonus of Horst Michael and also increased purchase of And it gives a very good activity for our fishing vessels and plants and earnings. Getting to the farming segment of Rundgrenbergen, we also communicated in this presentation that And they were harvesting from 2 generations with very high cost, the spring 2019 generation and in January generation. We finalized harvesting from the spring 19 generation in Q4 2020, And we are finalizing harvesting on the autumn 'nineteen generation now in Q1 2021. The company sells all their salmon in the spot market and then harvested a little bit less than 2,600 tons in the quarter.

A combination of low price achievement and high cost has given a loss That gives us a negative EBITDA in the quarter of minus SEK 49,000,000 and that's substantially The positive EBITDA of SEK6 1,000,000 in the same quarter in 2019. The Atlantic vessel owned by Graeme Petron finalized the quotas of Admiral and G Harry. And they have had a very good earning in the quarter. It's a little bit of €58,000,000 from 1 in same quarter 2019. And short, they have done for the production in Q4 2020.

Looking into the total asset position of the group. Total assets are SEK 39,700,000,000 and that is the same level as by the end of 2019. Looking into the tangible fixed assets, that has increased from 2019 and And we've taken over a new fishing crawler in 2020, and we are also still have the ongoing program Also the bioenergy costs are up And biomass and sea are up by 7.5% by the end of 2020 compared same period in 2019. And as a consequence of a very good fishing season in Peruvian, we saw 3 star by the end of 2020. The booked equity is almost SEK 23,000,000,000 and we have an equity range over 50 8 percent.

And the net interest bearing debt by the end of 2020 is SEK 4,600,000 from SEK 4.1 in 2019. Looking at the cash flow position, I will comment on the full year. We have had lower earnings in 2020 percent also influenced cash generation in the year. Looking at the cash from operation, it's minus 2,000,000,000, DKK3.2 billion in 2019. One of the large changes here is that The taxes that we have paid are approximately SEK 500,000,000 that start from SEK 900,000,000 in Over opinion.

And as mentioned, we have taken over a new machine swaddler, And I'm still in the program of buildings on the Bosmore facilities. Dividend received from associated companies of SEK 130,000,000 And yield dividend from the group is SEK 983,000,000,000. And of that, 2019, we paid out from the group CHF 1,400,000,000 in dividend and the dividend from Seafood to the shareholders of Oostom or Seaford was SEK 710,000,000. To sum up, we had a cash position going into 2020 of $4,200,000,000 and the cash position by the end of 2020 was 4.5 billion. And to sum up, the Board will recommend to the Annual General Meeting in 2020 A dividend of NOK 3.5 per share compared to NOK 2.5 per share in 20.8.

Speaker 1

Then I will give you our view on the market. You're operating the next target of the deficient market. And as I briefly explained in the start, we have had a very good season in Peru, which has led into 33% increase of the volume coming from Peru in 2020 versus 2019. If you look at the largest producers, you can see that the volume is up 17%. The season was well executed.

And although the the volume varies clearly high. We have seen increasing prices during the season starting off for November and coming into the New Year. And you can see that the prices we are seeing now is $16.60 per tonne on super prime and a discount of $200 for Standard Fish Meeting. And it's mainly driven by feed producers and end users building stock mainly for Agua, got the peak season starting off in Q2 and Q3. It's already started with forward sales for the next season to start up in Peru in hopefully in during April.

And market is quite strong at the moment. And main driver, of course, behind the consumption is China coming into the season with low stocks. And they have been quite active and aggressive buying fish in particular from Peru during the fishing season. Some reason I would say that the prices we are seeing on the Chinese fishing law is stimulating. The trade is higher than what that are selling for in Peru.

Currency is favorable and also that we are being ratio versus fish meat is also favorable for fish meat consumption. Same development in fish oil, I would say volume in Peru higher than what we expected. Yields were higher than what we sector, and you can see it's an increase of 36% in Peru. And from the largest producer, an increase of 17.5% versus 2019. Prices, very good, although we have high volumes, dollars 7.40 in feed grade and a premium of approximately about $400 a tonne into doing well with 3 grades and its limited stock available.

Going into the summer supply, you can see that on a global basis, we had a growth in 2020 of 5%. Most of that growth came from South America. For 2021, We are expecting a growth of 2.4%. And you can see that most of the growth is coming from Europe in 2021 versus last year. Mainly, the main volume is coming in the second half in Europe, but also we see that the reduction of volume is coming also in the second half in South America.

So I would say the supply picture is favorable going into 2021. If you just regard Handmade. Now looking at the prices we have achieved for the last quarter. You can see that it's quite low. And I hope we have more or less been in the bottom of the price range during the end of 2020.

You see a small increase of prices in 2021. But I would say that the underlying market is okay. It's been quite high volume going out from, in particular, in Norway during the start of this year. And This is also in a period where the Bureka market is non existent. So hopefully, when the Bureka market is back, we will also see our development on prices going forward.

I would say also the consumption has been very good in the pandemic period. You see EU, which is the main market for the Norwegian producers, up by 6%. And I would say if you look at the other markets, which is dependent on the flight transport is only down by 3%. So I would say, all in all, assumption is good considering how Edvard is done. That's how we know.

But I think I want to start by thanking our employees, which has been able to maneuver our companies during the difficult and challenging period we have in 2020 and also maybe in the 2021. I'm extremely pleased and thankful for the work that I've been laid on in our company in this challenging period. We are having a good drive, I would say, developing the value chains in there and having focused on each part of the value chain. And we're also seeing that it makes a fact both in terms of price achievements and also in volume be very slow trend in 2020 and what we are expecting in 2021 is slow. It looks that the quotas and the species are strong for the wild fish segments, which is a good fundamental for our fleet and our onshore activity in focus in Northern over Seafood.

And I think is significant potential in the Whitefish segment. When it comes to the pelagic, I would say, summing up, We have executed a good season in Peru and had a good start and a good drive going into 2021. Similar situation for Chile and also similar situation for the North Atlantic activity. So We are excited also going into the New Year and are true believers that We will continue the positive development we have seen here in 2021. Thank you.

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