Interim Report for Duni AB (publ) 1 January - 31 March 2018

MALMÖ, Sweden, April 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Result on par with last year, despite high pulp prices

1 January - 31 March

• Net sales amounted to SEK 1,080 m (1,004). Adjusted for exchange rate movements, net sales increased by 4.4%.
• Earnings per share after dilution amounted to SEK 1.22 (1.22).
• Underlying growth in all business areas.
• Record-high pulp prices exerted pressure on gross margins in the Table Top and Consumer business areas.
• Price increase compensation was a central activity during the quarter.
• Acquisition of Biopac UK Ltd, which as from February has been consolidated in the Meal Service business area.

KEY FINANCIALS

SEK m	3 months Jan-Mar 2018	3 months Jan-Mar 2017	12 months Apr-Mar 2017/2018	12 months Jan-Dec 2017
Net sales	1,080	1,004	4,517	4,441
Operating income1)	90	89	492	491
Operating margin1)	8.4%	8.9%	10.9%	11.1%
Income after financial items	78	78	439	439
Net income	59	58	334	334
1)For key financials and reconciliation of alternative key financials, see pages 27-28.

CEO's comments

"Sales in Q1 2018 amounted to SEK 1,080 m (1,004). Just over 2 percentage points of the increase can be attributed to the acquisition of Sharp Serviettes in New Zealand, which took place in Q2 2017, and of Biopac in UK this year. More than 3 percentage points of the increase is a result of positive currency effects. The underlying organic, currency-adjusted growth was, in other words, around 2% in the quarter, despite fewer sales days.

Operating income was SEK 90 m (89). The income was affected negatively by the record-high pulp prices. The already announced price increases will compensate for these increased costs in primarily Q2. The income for the quarter was affected positively by currency effects.

Pulp prices have continued to rise during the quarter. We follow the development closely and evaluate the ongoing need for further price adjustments.

Net debt at the end of the quarter amounted to SEK 987 m (887). Since Duni's net debt is mainly raised in foreign currency, the consolidated amount is affected by the weak Swedish krona.

The Table Top business area reported net sales of SEK 534 m (511) and operating income of SEK 62 m (64). Sales increased in all significant markets, except in the Nordic region. The growth is driven by Duni's premium napkins, which continue to develop positively. The somewhat weaker result is mainly related to the high paper pulp prices. During the quarter, Table Top initiated a marketing concept for napkins to make it easier for the customer to find the right product for their specific occasion.

The Meal Service business area increased its sales to SEK 178 m (162) and its operating income to SEK 6 m (2). The relatively high growth is driven by the acquisition of Biopac in the UK and the growth in Duni's ecoecho environmentally-profiled range. The improvement in result from the previous year is a consequence of higher sales, and was also affected positively by improved procurement terms.

The Consumer business area's sales increased to SEK 265 m (247), while its operating income increased to SEK 18 m (16). The period was affected positively by a successful campaign in Germany.

The New Markets business area increased its net sales to SEK 81 m (70), while its operating income fell to SEK 4 m (7). The sales increase was mainly related to the acquisitions in New Zealand and Thailand. The business area achieved several market investments and organizational improvements, to ensure continued strong organic growth. These investments explain the lower operating income during the quarter.

Overall, a stable result showing some growth but with strong negative impacts seen in high raw material prices and yet, positive currency effects," says Johan Sundelin, President and CEO, Duni.

For additional information please contact:

Johan Sundelin
President and CEO
[phone]

Mats Lindroth
CFO
[phone]

Helena Haglund
Group Accounting Manager
[phone]

Duni AB (publ)
Box 237
SE-201 22 Malmö
Tel.: [phone]
www.duni.com

Registration number: 556536-7488

Duni is a leading supplier of attractive and convenient products for table setting and take-away. The Duni brand name is sold in more than 40 markets and enjoys a number one position in Central and Northern Europe. Duni has around 2,400 employees in 23 countries, headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, and production units in Sweden, Germany, Poland, Thailand and New Zealand. Duni is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm under the ticker name "DUNI". The ISIN code is SE0000616716. This information is information that Duni AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 07:45 CET on 20 April 2018.

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http://news.cision.com/duni-ab/r/interim-report-for-duni-ab--publ--1-january---31-march-2018,c2500686

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/295/2500686/825779.pdf	INTERIM REPORT FOR DUNI AB (PUBL) 1 JANUARY '" 31 MARCH 2018
http://news.cision.com/duni-ab/i/johansundelin,c2391963	JohanSundelin