23 July2020

Mikron with drop in demand from the automotive industry and good performance in pharmaceutical and medical technology

Mikron with drop in demand from the automotive industry and good performance in pharmaceutical and medical technology

Biel, July 23, 2020, 7:00 a.m. –

 

At CHF 125.7 million, the Mikron Group's order intake for the first half of 2020 is well below the corresponding figure for the first half of 2019 (CHF 163.9 million). The order backlog stands at CHF 155.0 million (June 30, 2019: CHF 183.3 million, -15.4%), while sales declined from CHF 176.8 million in the first half of 2019 to CHF 121.3 million (-31.4%).

 

With a 50% share of sales, Europe (including Switzerland) remained the Mikron Group's principal sales market in the first half of 2020. Sales here fell by 39% compared with the first half of 2019. Sales in the USA rose by 9% com­pared with the first half of 2019, while sales in Asia fell by 52%.

 

Due to the significant drop in sales in the Mikron Machining Solutions busi­ness segment and the lack of volume at the Ber­lin site in the Mikron Automation business seg­ment, the Group's EBIT (before restructuring costs) of CHF -5.7 million in the first half of 2020 was significantly lower than in the first half of 2019 (CHF 7.5 million). The Automation business segment, whose results are strongly negatively impacted by the Berlin site, posted EBIT (before restructuring costs) of CHF 2.9 mil­lion (first half of 2019: CHF 6.4 million). EBIT before restructuring costs for the Mikron Ma­chining Solutions business segment, at CHF -9.0 million, was also well below the corre­sponding prior-year figure (first half of 2019: CHF 1.7 million). After restructuring costs of CHF 15.9 million, which include the sale of the Berlin and Kaunas sites and capacity adjustments in Agno and Rottweil, Group EBIT stands at CHF -21.6 mil­lion. Loss for the first half of 2020 is CHF -24.0 million (profit for first half of 2019: CHF 4.7 mil­lion).

 

Outlook

A forecast for the second half of the year is very difficult to make due to the unpredictable de­velopment of the corona pandemic, the gener­al uncertainty in the automotive industry and in view of general political risks. Mikron expects business in the pharmaceutical and medtech industries market segment to remain good. However, Mikron does not anticipate a rapid recovery in demand from the automotive in­dustry, with the result that the second half of the year is also expected to show an EBIT loss on a par with the first half (before restructuring costs). The expected restructuring costs have been fully recognized in the half-year financial statements, so that the second half of the year will not be affected.

 

 

 

Key Figures for the Mikron Group in the first half year 2020

 

		1.1.–30.6.20		1.1.–30.6.19		+/-
CHF million 1)
Order intake		125.7		163.9		-23.3%
- Machining Solutions		37.2		75.2		-50.5%
- Automation		88.5		88.8		-0.3%
Net sales		121.3		176.8		-31.4%
- Machining Solutions		47.3		83.6		-43.4%
- Automation		74.1		94.1		-21.3%
EBIT 2) before restructuring costs		-5.7		7.5		n.a.
EBIT 2)		-21.6		7.5		n.a.
Loss/profit		-24.0		4.7		n.a.
Operating cash flow		8.4		-12.0		n.a.

 

		30.6.20		30.6.19		+/-
Order backlog 2)		155.0		183.3		-15.4%
- Machining Solutions		28.9		60.8		-52.5%
- Automation		126.2		122.3		3.2%
Number of employees 2)		1,361		1,465		-7.1%
- Machining Solutions		655		704		-7.0%
- Automation		678		732		-7.4%
		30.6.20		31.12.19		+/-
Balance sheet total		266.2		289.5		-8.0%
Equity ratio		54.6%		58.5%		-3.9%

 

1) Except number of employees and equity ratio

2) Alternative performance measures, see Mikron semiannual report 2020, page 19.

 

 

Publication of semiannual results for 2020

The semiannual results will be published at the same time as this media release in the form of the 2020 Semiannual Report: www.mikron.com/reports

Media release (PDF) - (PDF, 68 KB) a

09 July2020

Mikron expects an operating loss for the first half of 2020

Mikron expects an operating loss for the first half of 2020

 

Biel, July 9, 2020, 7:00 a.m. - Due to the dramatic slump in demand from the automotive industry, exacerbated by the corona pandemic, Mikron expects the EBIT margin (before restructuring costs) to fall to around -5% in the first half of 2020 (first half of 2019: +4.8%). As announced in the press release of May 20, 2020, the half-year result will be additionally affected by restructuring costs and the sale of the units in Berlin and Kaunas (Lithuania) by around CHF 15 million.

Media release (PDF) - (PDF, 67 KB) a

02 July2020

Mikron to sell subsidiaries in Berlin and Lithuania

Mikron to sell subsidiaries in Berlin and Lithuania

 

Biel, July 2, 2020, 7:00 a.m. – As announced in its media release of May 20, 2020, the Mikron Group is disposing of its site in Berlin. On July 1, 2020, Mikron signed a sales contract, which also includes the site in Kaunas, Lithuania, with Callista Private Equity, Munich. The two sites have around 70 employees in total and operate solely in the automotive industry. The contractual parties have agreed not to disclose the sale price.

Media release (PDF) - (PDF, 202 KB) a