HERACLES GENERAL CEMENT COMPANY S.A.
HERACLES G.C.Co. Group of Companies year -end 2007 financial results
IMPROVEMENT OF GROUP'S OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE FOR 2007
GROUP INDICES 2007 VS 2006
Turnover -0.9%
Gross profit margin 25.9% from 25.5%
Operating earnings 11.3%
EBITDA 0%
Earnings after Taxes +11.4%
Earnings per share +10.5%
HERACLES G.C.Co. Group of Companies announces today sales of 687.1 million euros for 2007, marginally reduced by 0.9% as compared to the previous year. Respectively, the Company's sales for 2007 amounted to 617.2 million euros, marginally increased by 0.2% in relation to 2006.
The Company's gross profit margin was formed at 26.3% for 2007 as compared to 25.5% for 2006 whilst the respective margin for the Group was formed at 25.9% for 2007 as compared to 25.5% for 2006.
The Group's current operating earnings in 2007 amounted to 134.8 million euros, increased by 11.3% as compared to the previous year. This improvement is attributed to the reduction of fixed industrial expenses which offset the significant increase of fuel costs.
Earnings before taxes, interest and depreciation (EBITDA) for the Group in 2007 remained stable at the same levels as in the previous year and amounted to 152.1 million euros. Correspondingly, the Company's earnings before taxes, interest and depreciation (EBITDA) amounted to 142.9 million euros as compared to 142 million euros in the previous year, marginally increased by 0.6%. The Group's net earnings after taxes for 2007 amounted to 67.8 million Euros as opposed to 60.9 million Euros for 2006, increased by 11.4%. Correspondingly for the Company, net earnings after taxes for 2007 amounted to 69.1 million euros as compared to 56.6 million euros in 2006, increased by 22.1%.
In 2007, the investments in the Group's assets amounted to 31.7 million euros as compared to 35.2 million euros in 2006. These investments were mainly oriented towards the improvement of productivity, health, safety levels and environmental performance in all the facilities of the Company.
Also, in response to the emergency situation during the summer 2007 fires, the company has announced a special support program for the communities affected through a contribution of euro 1 mo euros to the Greek Solidarity Fund and a contributions program of euro 2 mo euros for the rehabilitation of local communities in the affected neighbouring areas to the company's plants.
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Note1: The current operating earnings do not include the community support program PRAKSH for the fire-stricken areas, the provision for the staff voluntary exit program and the allowances for the termination of service of the exiting staff apart from the aforementioned voluntary exit program.
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Notes to editors
HERACLES Group of Companies, a member of Lafarge, is Greece's largest cement producer, with a production capacity of 9.6 million tons per year, and the largest cement exporter in Europe. With a focused vision on sustainable development, the company aims to create value for its stakeholders contributing to the economy and to the development of communities in which operates.
Operating three cement plants, in Volos, Halkis and Milaki in Evoia, seven cement terminals, as well as production and trading units of aggregates and concrete, the Heracles Group has production activity in 29 prefectures in Greece and trading activity throughout continental and island Greece.
Lafarge is the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete and Gypsum. With 90,000 employees in 76 countries, Lafarge posted sales of Euros 17.6 billion and net income of Euros 1.9 billion in 2007.
Lafarge is the only company in the construction materials sector to be listed in the 2008 ''100 Global Most Sustainable Corporations in the World''. Lafarge has been committed to sustainable development for many years, pursuing a strategy that combines industrial know-how with performance, value creation, respect for employees and local cultures, environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources and energy. To make advances in building materials, Lafarge places the customer at the heart of its concerns. It offers the construction industry and the general public innovative solutions bringing greater safety, comfort and quality to their everyday surroundings.
Additional information is available on the web site at www.lafarge.com.
For more information please contact:
Angelica Patrouba
HERACLES Group of Companies
External Communications
Tel: + 30 210 2898816
Mob.: + 30 6973031816
Patroubaa@aget.com
GROUP INDICES 2007 VS 2006
Turnover -0.9%
Gross profit margin 25.9% from 25.5%
Operating earnings 11.3%
EBITDA 0%
Earnings after Taxes +11.4%
Earnings per share +10.5%
HERACLES G.C.Co. Group of Companies announces today sales of 687.1 million euros for 2007, marginally reduced by 0.9% as compared to the previous year. Respectively, the Company's sales for 2007 amounted to 617.2 million euros, marginally increased by 0.2% in relation to 2006.
The Company's gross profit margin was formed at 26.3% for 2007 as compared to 25.5% for 2006 whilst the respective margin for the Group was formed at 25.9% for 2007 as compared to 25.5% for 2006.
The Group's current operating earnings in 2007 amounted to 134.8 million euros, increased by 11.3% as compared to the previous year. This improvement is attributed to the reduction of fixed industrial expenses which offset the significant increase of fuel costs.
Earnings before taxes, interest and depreciation (EBITDA) for the Group in 2007 remained stable at the same levels as in the previous year and amounted to 152.1 million euros. Correspondingly, the Company's earnings before taxes, interest and depreciation (EBITDA) amounted to 142.9 million euros as compared to 142 million euros in the previous year, marginally increased by 0.6%. The Group's net earnings after taxes for 2007 amounted to 67.8 million Euros as opposed to 60.9 million Euros for 2006, increased by 11.4%. Correspondingly for the Company, net earnings after taxes for 2007 amounted to 69.1 million euros as compared to 56.6 million euros in 2006, increased by 22.1%.
In 2007, the investments in the Group's assets amounted to 31.7 million euros as compared to 35.2 million euros in 2006. These investments were mainly oriented towards the improvement of productivity, health, safety levels and environmental performance in all the facilities of the Company.
Also, in response to the emergency situation during the summer 2007 fires, the company has announced a special support program for the communities affected through a contribution of euro 1 mo euros to the Greek Solidarity Fund and a contributions program of euro 2 mo euros for the rehabilitation of local communities in the affected neighbouring areas to the company's plants.
---------
Note1: The current operating earnings do not include the community support program PRAKSH for the fire-stricken areas, the provision for the staff voluntary exit program and the allowances for the termination of service of the exiting staff apart from the aforementioned voluntary exit program.
----------
Notes to editors
HERACLES Group of Companies, a member of Lafarge, is Greece's largest cement producer, with a production capacity of 9.6 million tons per year, and the largest cement exporter in Europe. With a focused vision on sustainable development, the company aims to create value for its stakeholders contributing to the economy and to the development of communities in which operates.
Operating three cement plants, in Volos, Halkis and Milaki in Evoia, seven cement terminals, as well as production and trading units of aggregates and concrete, the Heracles Group has production activity in 29 prefectures in Greece and trading activity throughout continental and island Greece.
Lafarge is the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete and Gypsum. With 90,000 employees in 76 countries, Lafarge posted sales of Euros 17.6 billion and net income of Euros 1.9 billion in 2007.
Lafarge is the only company in the construction materials sector to be listed in the 2008 ''100 Global Most Sustainable Corporations in the World''. Lafarge has been committed to sustainable development for many years, pursuing a strategy that combines industrial know-how with performance, value creation, respect for employees and local cultures, environmental protection and the conservation of natural resources and energy. To make advances in building materials, Lafarge places the customer at the heart of its concerns. It offers the construction industry and the general public innovative solutions bringing greater safety, comfort and quality to their everyday surroundings.
Additional information is available on the web site at www.lafarge.com.
For more information please contact:
Angelica Patrouba
HERACLES Group of Companies
External Communications
Tel: + 30 210 2898816
Mob.: + 30 6973031816
Patroubaa@aget.com