Consolidated net profit of Metinvest B.V. (the Netherlands), the parent company of the Metinvest international vertically integrated mining and metallurgical group, grew by 93% in 2018 compared with 2017, to $1.188 billion from $617 million.
According to the audited financial statements published on Thursday, revenue rose by 335, to $11.88 billion from $8.931 billion, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased 23%, to $2.513 billion from $2.044 billion. Gross profit rose by 28%, to $2.787 billion.
The total debt of the company fell by 9%, to $2.743 billion, and cash and cash equivalents grew by 8%, to $280 million.
“In 2018, Metinvest delivered some of its best results in the last four years, proving that it has indeed turned a corner through proactive operational, strategic and financial management,” Chief Executive Officer of Metinvest Yuriy Ryzhenkov said, commenting on the results.
“The operational results were decent: production rose by 3% year-on-year for hot metal, was largely unchanged for crude steel and iron ore concentrate, jumped by 11% for coke and climbed by 9% for coal,” he said.
Amid this, the group reinvigorated its CAPEX programme in the year, spending nearly $900 million to modernise and catch up on deferred maintenance of assets in the largest such outlay since 2011. Metinvest’s Technological Strategy 2030, which serves as a roadmap to guide the group in fulfilling its strategic priorities, aims to strengthen core production processes to lay a solid foundation for future upgrades to downstream facilities.
Among others, the main achievement of the Mariupol steelmakers was the construction of continuous casting machine No. 4 at Illich Steel, which was completed without major delays and on budget. The machine has eliminated casting bottlenecks and effectively expanded the plant’s annual crude steel production capacity by around 40% to 4.3 million tonnes.
“Importantly, around one third of the project cost was financed using long-term funding guaranteed by the Austrian export credit agency,” Ryzhenkov said.
At the iron ore producers, Metinvest is conducting an extensive heavy truck fleet upgrade to improve output volumes and production efficiency. At Northern GOK and Central GOK, pelletising machines are undergoing large-scale maintenance to allow the group to further capitalise on strong pellet premiums, he said.
Metinvest remains committed to securing its long-term future. To this end, in 2018, the group acquired minority stakes in two assets that are an ideal fit for the business model and will help to strengthen vertical integration and improve resilience to economic cycles. The stakes of 24.99% in the Pokrovske coal business and 23.71% in Yuzhcoke will secure long-term supplies of high-quality Ukrainian coking coal and coke to improve Metinvest’s self-sufficiency in these key inputs.
Underpinned by favourable steel and iron ore prices and ongoing economic growth in Ukraine, the Group delivered its strongest financial results in 2018. Revenues soared by 33% year-on-year due to an enhanced focus on priority markets, while EBITDA rose by 23% year-on year, with both the steel and mining segments contributing equally. Free cash flow generation for the reporting period reached $673 million, up nearly five-fold year-on-year, driven by the robust EBITDA and dividends from a mining joint venture.
“After successfully refinancing its bonds and pre-export facility, Metinvest has normalised its debt portfolio to achieve a sustainable maturity profile, improving the investment case as a result. These achievements received official acclaim when the transaction won the Emerging EMEA Bond of 2018 nomination in the International Financing Review annual awards,” the top manager said.
“In 2019, global iron ore and steel prices are an ongoing source of uncertainty. Trade tensions and concerns about a potential global economic slowdown are creating price pressure. This year will also bring presidential and parliamentary elections in Ukraine, which could cause some turbulence,” Ryzhenkov said.
At the same time, Metinvest will continue to prioritise improving operational performance and implementing the long-term upgrade programme; emphasising health and safety, of both staff and contractors; and reducing environmental impact.
“I would like to thank our clients, investors, creditors, employees and other stakeholders for their support during 2018,” he said.
PrJSC ASKA-Life insurance company (Kyiv) in 2018 saw a net profit of UAH 11.6 million, which is 27.7% more than in 2017.
According to official information for the agenda of a meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 23, the insurer’s retained earnings amounted to UAH 52.204 million, which is 28.6% more than a year earlier.
The company’s assets last year increased slightly, to UAH 188.7 million.
Net worth grew by 10.3%, to UAH 77.1 million. At the same time, charter capital remained at the level of UAH 19.385 million.
Cash and cash equivalents increased by 3.2%, to UAH 57.8 million.
Debtor indebtedness decreased by 15.6%, to UAH 28.154 million.
Long-term liabilities decreased by 20.4%, to UAH 88.822 million, current liabilities increased by 3.6 times, to UAH 23.262 million.
ASKA-Life insurer, registered in 2003, specializes in life insurance.
UNIQA Life insurance company (Kyiv) in 2018 saw its net profit rise by 52.6% compared with 2017, to UAH 40.554 million, according to materials for the agenda of a general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 25.
In addition, the company last year increased its assets by 10.6%, to UAH 1.189 billion. The insurer’s net worth rose by 3.8%, to UAH 415.8 million, charter capital remained at the level of 2017, at UAH 100.09 million.
Total debtor indebtedness decreased by 36.9%, to UAH 39.4 million. Cash and cash equivalents rose by 3.5 times, to UAH 39.320 million.
Long-term liabilities increased by 15% and amounted to UAH 715.1 million, current liabilities were up by 10.4%, to UAH 58.483 million.
UNIQA Life insurance company, established in July 2006, is a subsidiary of UNIQA Group, one of the leading insurance concerns of Central and Eastern Europe.
The leading Ukrainian mobile communications operator Kyivstar (Kyiv) in 2018 saw UAH 6.802 billion in net profit, which is 10.3% more than in 2017, according to a company announcement on holding the annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 22, 2019.
According to the report, the retained earnings of the company at the end of the year totaled UAH 15.778 billion compared with UAH 16.217 billion a year ago.
“To determine that the accumulated retained earnings of the company as of the end of 2018 are retained earnings that are subject to further distribution in the form of dividends (annual or interim) or any other use as decided by the general meeting of shareholders of the company,” the company said in a draft decision of the meeting.
In accordance with the announcement, at the end of 2018, Kyivstar had UAH 5.2 billion of free cash.
Its noncurrent liabilities for the year increased slightly, to UAH 0.34 billion, while the current liabilities by 80.3%, to UAH 7.78 billion, and the total receivables decreased 23.8%, to UAH 1.03 billion.
In 2018, the company increased its fixed assets by 13.5%, to UAH 8.11 billion, and its total assets increased by 14.1%, to UAH 24.81 billion.
Kyivstar is a Ukrainian mobile communications operator. VEON international group (earlier VimpelCom) is the shareholder in Kyivstar. The group’s shares are listed on NASDAQ (New York).
PrJSC Carlsberg Ukraine (Zaporizhia), one of the largest brewing companies in Ukraine, in 2018 increased its net profit by 1.5 times compared with 2017, to UAH 1.634 billion.
According to a company report in the information disclosure system of the National Commission on Securities and the Stock Market, its assets amounted to UAH 4.757 billion (6.3% less), retained earnings some UAH 1.643 billion (11% less). The total debtor indebtedness amounted to UAH 648.3 million (20% more), current liabilities some UAH 1.585 billion (5.5% less). The company has no long-term liabilities.
The company plans to pay UAH 1.329 billion in dividends for 2018, the payment term is until October 24, 2019. The rest of the profit will remain at the disposal of Carlsberg Ukraine.
Carlsberg Ukraine is part of Carlsberg Group, one of the leading brewing groups in the world, whose products are sold in more than 150 countries.
Bogdan Motors automobile company, which unites the production assets of Bogdan Corporation, in 2018, according to preliminary data, received a net profit of UAH 25.83 million, while a year earlier its loss was UAH 957.19 million.
According to the agenda of a general meeting of shareholders scheduled for April 22, the uncovered loss of Bogdan Motors amounted to UAH 6.418 billion by the beginning of the current year.
According to the draft decision of the meeting, it is planned to keep profit undistributed and not to pay dividends.
The current liabilities of the company over the past year increased by almost 11.4%, to UAH 7.914 billion, while it had no long-term liabilities.
The total debtor indebtedness last year rose by 43.7%, to UAH 825.898 million, assets as a whole increased by 31%, to UAH 2.593 billion.
By January 1, 2019, the net worth of Bogdan Motors amounted to ‘minus’ UAH 5.231 billion, charter capital to UAH 1.101 billion.
