Polytec Holding AG

Good afternoon, dear ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us for today's investor and analyst conference call on Polytech quarter one results 2025. I would like to start with the key message and the brief summary and the major financial figures. Polytech Group started the 2025 financial year with good news. We reached a positive net result as announced or even promised in our outlook three weeks ago. After net result has been negative for several quarters, earnings after tax took a positive turn in the first three months. Net profit amounted to plus 1 million euro, coming from minus 1.4 million euro in previous year. The positive net result is an important start in the right direction. We are convinced. Thus, from today's perspective, the management of Polytech Holding AG keeps the outlook unchanged. We expect planned consolidated sales revenues in the range of €650 to €700 million for the 2025 financial year and targeting an EBIT margin of around 2% to 3%. The measures introduced in previous periods to increase operational efficiency are showing improvements and are expected to take full effect in the year. Polytech increased its consolidated sales revenue by 5.3% to €181 million. EBITDA amounted to €10.8 million. This equals to a 6% EBITDA margin. EBIT totaled €3.2 million, coming from €1.4 million in previous quarter, Q1 2024. EBIT margin rose by one percentage point from 0.8% to 1.8%. The financial result amounted to minus 2.1 million, coming from minus 2.6 million euro year on year. The reduction was a consequent of lower interest rate level and reduced financial liabilities. Equity ratio was 41.8%, similar to the high level of the last balance sheet date in December with 41.7%. Now let's have a look on Polytech Group's sales split. In total, Polytech Group generated sales revenues of €181 million, which is an increase of 5.3% on €9.1 million compared to the quarter one of previous year. We report sales performance in three market areas. Let me begin with the biggest area, the passenger cars and light commercial vehicle market area, which contributed 75.5% to our total turnover. Sales revenues of €137 million were generated. This corresponds to an increase of 8% compared to previous year. Market area number two, commercial vehicles. Sales amounted to €23.6 million, down by 8.5% year on year. This equals to 13% of group total sales revenues. Finally, market area number three, smart plastics and industrial applications. Revenue increased by over 6% to €20.8 million. The share of this market area in the Polytech Group's consolidated sales shows 11.5%. Now let's have a look at the financial figures. As announced in the outlook for full year 2025 in the context of the recent publication of 2024 annual figures end of April, the further improvement in the earning situation was expected for the first quarter of 2025. The EBITDA increased by 18% in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year, coming from 9.2 million to 10.8 million euros. The EBITDA margin increased by 0.7 percentage points to 6% compared to year-on-year. EBIT amounted to €3.2 million in the first quarter of this financial year, coming from €1.4 million in the previous year. The EBIT margin rose by 1 percentage point from 0.8 to 1.8 year-on-year. The financial result in the first three months of 2025 amounted to minus 2.1 million, coming from minus 2.6 million last year. The reduction was a consequence of lower interest rate level and reduced financial liabilities. This led to a positive earnings after tax amounting to plus 1 million euro, which equals to earnings per share of 4 euro cent, as I mentioned in the beginning. Equity ratio was at 41.8% and remains on health level. Net debt decreased compared to quarter one 2024, but increased compared to quarter four 2024. This was expected and is a consequence of increased project pre-finance and stock buildup for one customer on purpose. That counts. 31st March 2025, the Polytech Group employed 3,709 people. This number includes leasing personnel counted in full-time equivalents. The number of employees was thus 6.5% or 259 FTEs lower than in the previous year. Finally, our estimates for the 2025 financial year are unchanged, as they were published recently. We came back to a positive net result in quarter one, and we are confident to go ahead on the route to success in the full 2025 financial year. The outlook. From today's perspective, the management of Polytech Holding AG expects planned consolidated sales revenues in the range of 650 to 700 million euro for the 2025 financial year, and is targeting an EBIT margin of around 2 to 3%. The measures introduced in previous periods to increase operational efficiency are showing improvements and are expected to take full effect in the year. In order to optimize the strategic orientation and future economic performance of the Polytech Group, work is being done to adapt the current production and service portfolio. As a result, the earnings situation is expected to further improve in the medium term. Due to significant reduction in adaptive improvements in the financial result in conjunction with an assumed further decline in interest rates, a positive result after tax is targeted for the 2025 financial year. However, achieving this outlook is subject to uncertainty. The automotive industry continues to be characterized by a volatile market environment, uncertain development of demand, and a faltering transformation towards e-mobility. The Polytech Group has a strong market position within and outside the automotive sector and is confident for the future. This was my statement on the Q1 result 2025 financial year.