AAK: Interim Report for Q4 and Year-End Report 2015 – New Record High Operating Profit

Malmo / SE. (aak) Swedish AAK Group (former AarhusKarlshamn AB) announced its interim report for the fourth quarter and financial year 2015. «Based on AAK’s customer value propositions for health and reduced costs, and our customer product co-development and solutions approach, we continue to remain prudently optimistic about the future», says Arne Frank, CEO and President, AAK Group. «The main drivers are the continued positive underlying development in Food Ingredients and the continued improvement in Chocolate + Confectionery Fats».

Again, a record high operating profit, excluding acquisition costs of 15 million SEK, of 388 million SEK (343 excluding net positive, non-recurring items of 16 million SEK) was achieved, an improvement of 13 percent. Volumes increased by 6 percent. Organic volume growth was 1 percent.

Earnings per share decreased by 21 percent, to 5.65 SEK (7.12). This was due to an exceptional low tax cost related to non-recurring items in the fourth quarter, 2014. Calculated on a rolling 12 months basis, Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) was 15.7 percent (16.0 percent at December 31, 2014). Proposed dividend of 7.75 SEK (6.75), an increase by 1.00 SEK or 15 percent.