Sectra’s nine-month interim report 2018/2019: Sectra is growing with satisfied customers—tops ranking for sixth consecutive year

Nine-month period in figures 

• Order bookings increased 3.6% to SEK 1,027.9 million (992.3).
• Net sales increased 11.0% to SEK 975.1 million (878.6). Adjusted for currency fluctuations, sales increased 6.1%.
• Operating profit totaled SEK 150.4 million (155.4), corresponding to an operating margin of 15.4% (17.7). Adjusted for currency fluctuations, operating profit decreased 11.5%.
• Profit before tax rose 12.5% to SEK 152.7 million (135.7).
• Cash flow after changes in working capital increased to SEK 173.5 million (120.8).

Third quarter in figures

• Order bookings increased 15.6% to SEK 390.7 million (337.9). Of the order bookings during the quarter, an estimated 60–70% pertains to invoicing within 12 months after the end of the quarter.
• Net sales increased 13.8% to SEK 341.6 million (300.1). Adjusted for currency fluctuations, sales increased 9.0%.
• Operating profit rose 8.6% to SEK 55.7 million (51.3), corresponding to an operating margin of 16.3% (17.1). Adjusted for currency fluctuations, operating profit increased 0.2%.
• Profit before tax rose 23.3% to SEK 55.5 million (45.0).
• Cash flow after changes in working capital increased to SEK 75.8 million (46.1).

Torbjörn Kronander, President and CEO of Sectra AB, comments

“We are growing as a company by making our customers successful. With all of our financial goals fulfilled and a strong cash flow, our aim is to continue growing in the long term. High customer satisfaction, favorable profitability and long-term customer contracts have laid a solid foundation for our future growth.

“Our customer satisfaction surveys show continued high results. For the sixth consecutive year, major US customers have given our IT solution for managing radiology images, Sectra PACS, a top ranking. Satisfied customers are a testament to our success and I am extremely proud of this distinction. We may have outstanding products, but our main strength lies in how our customers perceive the stability of our products, our employees and our corporate culture.

“One highly positive trend for Sectra is the growing synergies between IT security and medical IT. Hospitals and healthcare are facing an increasing risk of data breaches and intrusions. Having both of these operating areas under the same roof is a strength and sets us apart from the competition. Sectra is unique in this regard. We are also seeing an increasing interest in digital pathology—which is growing fast—and we recently secured a number of strategically important orders in Europe. Sectra also has a unique strength in this area, because we can deliver systems that can handle both radiology and pathology in a single system. This increases efficiency and saves money for our customers.

“Our financial focus on long-term growth continues, and we consider two of our goals—the equity/assets ratio and operating margin—to be hygiene factors. Any profit we generate above a 15% operating margin will be reinvested in growth opportunities—a strategy that has proved successful for Sectra’s shareholders in the past.”

For further CEO comments and information, see the attached interim report. 

Presentation of the interim report

A teleconference will be held by Torbjörn Kronander, President and CEO of Sectra AB, and Mats Franzén, CFO of Sectra AB. The presentation will be held in English.

Time: March 6, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (CET).

To participate, follow online www.sectra.com/irwebcast, or call:

SE +46850558354

UK +443333009271

US +16467224902

After the conference, a recorded version will be available via www.sectra.com/irwebcast. 

This information constitutes information that Sectra AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and/or the Swedish Securities Markets Act. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 8:15 a.m. (CET) on March 6, 2019.