London – Walstead, Europe’s leading commercial printing group, today announces its unaudited consolidated financial results for the six-month period ending 30 June 2019.

The group achieved gross revenue of €328.1 million, an increase of 35.1% on the same period last year (H1 2018: €242.8 million). Net revenue increased by 23.5% to €184.8 million (H1 2018: €149.7 million).

EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and exceptional charges) was virtually unchanged at €20.0 million (H1 2018: €20.1 million). Profits would have been significantly higher had we not been obliged to absorb a substantial increase in the cost of paper.

Manufacturing output (A4 pages or equivalent) rose by 18.9% to 201.6 billion A4 pages (H1 2018: 169.6 billion).

In the six-month period to 30 June 2019 external net debt reduced by €9.6 million to €88.2 million (31 December 2018: €97.8 million) due to €17.7 million of cash inflow from operating activities (H1 2018: €12.8 million). This resulted in the group’s debt leverage ratio improving to 1.8x (31 December 2018: 2.1x).

The group employs 3,551 staff (30 June 2018: 2,295).

Capital expenditure was €6.1 million (H1 2018: €6.0 million) which included the completion of the installation of two web offset presses at Walstead Iberia.

Walstead expects EBITDA of approximately €50.0 million for the full year.

Mark Scanlon, chairman of Walstead, commented: “During the first half of this year we continued to experience the adverse market conditions which originated in 2018 following a series of substantial price increases for paper. Trading in the second half of 2019 will remain challenging but our profits will be significantly higher than in H1 due to the pre-emptive cost-saving initiatives we implemented earlier this year, as well as seasonally higher volumes and revenues.

“One of the major events during the period was the rapid demise (following the rapid ascent) of Circle Media Group and the closure of most of its factories; hopefully, the latter will create a better balance between supply and demand in the various countries it operated in – we will see. Our business model and financial structure are very different to the opaque ones Circle operated. We do not overpay for acquisitions - we synergise, improve and restructure them; we manage our cash very tightly; we maintain serviceable levels of debt; our working capital is positive; and we have the cash headroom to effect restructuring should it become necessary.

“For some of our remaining competitors, insolvency is a real threat. I am confident that in contrast to this Walstead will continue to thrive because of our low-cost base, economies of scale, and sound financial footing.”