Business news from Ukraine

STATE BUDGET REVENUES 6.9% EXCEED TARGET

The revenues of the state budget of Ukraine in July 2021 amounted to UAH 92.58 billion, which is 6.9% more than the planned figure and 34% less than in July 2020, according to the data of the State Treasury Service.
According to the data released by the service, the general fund of the state budget in July was replenished with UAH 75.57 billion, which is 2.2% more than the plan and 30.4% lower than the figure for July 2020.
As for the indicators of budget revenues for January-July, in 2021 they were exceeded by 7% of the plan and were 16.3% higher than last year’s level for the specified period.
In general, over the seven months of this year, the state budget received UAH 684.5 billion, including almost UAH 581.5 billion in the general fund, which is 4.6% more than the plan and 14.3% more than in January-July 2020.
The Treasury said customs in July this year brought UAH 33 billion, which is 0.5% more than the expected figure and 29.3% more than in the same month in 2020. In January-July of this year, customs revenues amounted to UAH 207 billion, which is 4.1% more than the indicative of the Ministry of Finance.
Tax revenues in July brought to the budget UAH 39.5 billion, this amount is 4.2% more than the planned level and by 33.4% – than last year.
In January-July 2021, tax revenues brought almost UAH 330.5 billion to the budget and were 6% more than the expected figure and by 10.4% than in January-July 2020.
According to the State Treasury, VAT refunds last month decreased slightly to UAH 11.15 billion compared to UAH 11.99 billion in June and UAH 12.9 billion in May.

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UKRAINE REDUCES ELECTRICITY EXPORT REVENUES

In January-August 2020 Ukraine reduced electricity export revenues by 18.3% (by $43.883 million) compared to the same period in 2019, to $196.325 million, in particular electricity was supplied at $7.66 million in August.
According to the State Customs Service, in the first eight months of this year electricity was exported to Hungary at $92.2 million, Poland for $56.586 million, Romania for $35.811 million and other countries for $11.728 million.
In addition, in January-August Ukraine imported electricity at the value of $111.340 million (at $1.336 million in August), including from Slovakia at $53.07 million, Hungary at $36.921 million, Belarus at $10.479 million and other countries at $10.87 million.
As reported, in 2019 Ukraine increased its electricity export revenue by 14.1% (by $46.825 million) compared to 2018, to $378.767 million, including $231.359 million for electricity export to Hungary, $84.584 million for export to Poland, $41.683 million for export to Moldova and $21.141 million for export to other countries.
In addition, in 2019 Ukraine electricity imports accounted for $121.401 million, including $43.115 million import value from Belarus, $36.336 million from Slovakia, $26.485 million from Hungary and $15.465 million from other countries.
In physical terms, in 2019 Ukraine’s electricity exports increased by 4.9% (by 303.6 million kWh) compared to 2018, to 6.469 billion kWh, and electricity imports amounted to 2.698 billion kWh.

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STATE BUDGET REVENUES 15% OVERFULFILLED IN AUG 2020

State budget revenues in August 2020 amounted to UAH 100.2 billion, which is 15.2% higher than the planned figure and 14.3% higher than last year’s level, according to data from the State Treasury Service.
According to the agency, the general budget fund received UAH 85.4 billion in July, which is 19.7% more than the plan and 10% more than in August 2019. According to the service, in general, in January-August 2020 the state budget received UAH 688 billion, which is 2.8% less than the target, but 2.5% more than last year’s figure for this period.
In particular, the general fund for the eight months of this year received UAH 594 billion, the backlog of the plan was 3%, but this figure corresponds to the level of the eight months of 2019.
Customs in August brought almost UAH 26.9 billion, which is 1.1% more than the plan and 6.5% higher than in August 2019. Following the results of the eight months, customs receipts amounted to UAH 177.6 billion, lagging behind the expected level by 15.9%, and from last year’s level by 13.8%.
Tax revenues in August exceeded the plan by 33.2% and were 12% higher compared to August last year, amounting to UAH 56 billion. In the eight months, the tax service overfulfilled the plan by 5.3% with the revenues being UAH 356 billion, which is 17.3% more than in January-August-2019.
According to the service, VAT refunds in August fell to UAH 8.57 billion compared to UAH 9.13 billion a month earlier.

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REVENUES OF LARGEST UKRAINIAN MINING AND SMELTING GROUP FALL BY 13% IN APR

The revenue of Metinvest B.V. (the Netherlands), the parent company of the Metinvest mining and smelting group, in April 2020 decreased by 13.2%, or $113 million compared to the previous month, to $742 million from $855 million. According to the company’s preliminary unaudited consolidated monthly financial statements, EBITDA for April totaled $126 million, which is $45 million less than in March ($171 million), while EBITDA from participation in joint venture was $15 million (in March $28 million).
According to the report, the adjusted EBITDA of the group’s metallurgical division in April 2020 amounted to $64 million (in March $108 million), including “minus” $1 million from participation in joint venture (“minus” $3 million). The mining division’s EBITDA is $94 million ($100 million in March), including $16 million ($31 million) from joint venture. The management company’s expenses amounted to $6 million ($9 million).
The total revenue in April consisted of $580 million of the metal division (in March $672 million), $240 million from mining ($277 million), and $78 million of intra-group sales ($94 million).

The total debt of the company in April decreased by $34 million compared with March, to $3.073 billion from $3.107 billion. At the same time, the amount of cash decreased by $58 million, to $270 million from $328 million.
The funds used in investing activities amounted to $67 million, in financial activities $11 million.

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METINVEST CUTS CONSOLIDATED REVENUES BY 11%

MetinvestB.V. (the Netherlands), the parent company of the Metinvest mining and metallurgical group, received consolidated revenues declined by 11% in January-March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, to $2.536 billion.
According to the preliminary unaudited consolidated financial statements released on Friday, May 29, the adjusted EBITDA was $373 million over the first quarter, which is 14% lower than during the same period in 2019.
Within the reporting period, consolidated revenues decreased mainly due to lower metal sales prices that followed the global benchmarks, as well as the effects of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on business activity and steel demand in several strategic markets for the Group. Furthermore, resale volumes decreased. In addition, selling prices of coking coal concentrate and coke fell following a drop in coking coal benchmark quotations.
Moreover, the iron ore sales mix and geography were affected by weak demand in Europe and reduced pellet premiums. At the same time, Metinvest boosted its revenues from merchant iron ore concentrate due to higher sales volumes and selling prices amid global supply disruptions.
In the first quarter of 2020, revenues in Ukraine declined by 6% compared to the same period in 2019, to $726 million, mainly due to lower selling prices of steel products, coke and coking coal concentrate, as well as lower coke resale volumes. The share of Ukraine in consolidated revenues rose by 2 percentage points (p.p.), to 29%.
Other markets’ sales decreased by 13%, to $1.810 billion accounting for 71% of total revenue. In particular, revenues from Europe decreased by 23%, mainly due to lower selling prices of steel products and pellet premiums, as well as lower shipments of iron ore products (down 42%) and flat (down 7%) products. As a result, the region’s share in overall revenue declined by 5 p.p., to 32%.
The revenue of the metallurgical segment decreased by 14%, to $2.018 billion in the first quarter of 2020 mainly driven by lower sales of flat products ($203 million), coke ($59 million) and square billets ($33 million). Overall, the segment accounted for 80% of the overall top line, own 1 p.p. lower compared to the same period in 2019.
The mining segment’s revenues decreased by 2%, to $518 million, primarily driven by a lower contribution from pellets ($81 million) and other products and services ($34 million). This was partly compensated by greater revenues from iron ore concentrate ($88 million) and coking coal concentrate ($16 million). In the reporting period, the segment accounted for 20% of the overall top line, to 1 p.p. higher than the same period in 2019.
The group’s consolidated EBITDA amounted to $373 million in January-March, which is 14% lower than in January-March 2019. This was driven by a decrease in the Mining segment’s contribution of $89 million and an increase in eliminations of $70 million. The metallurgical segment’s EBITDA increased by $98 million.
The decrease in consolidated EBITDA was primarily driven by lower average selling prices for Metinvest’s metal products, coke and coking coal concentrate, as well as weaker pellet premiums ($ 189 million) and the 9% year-over-year appreciation of the hryvnia against the U.S. dollar to an average of UAH 25.04 the U.S. dollar compared with UAH 27.30 per the U.S. dollar in January-March 2019 ($54 million). In addition, this was due to a 15% salary increase mainly for production personnel in April 2019 and corresponding social security expenses ($25 million), a deteriorated contribution from the Zaporizhstal JV ($11 million), as well as greater spending on goods transportation services ($10 million), mainly due to a 3.7 fold increase in iron ore sales volumes to Southeast Asia.
These factors were partially compensated by lower spending on raw materials by $152 million, mainly as a result of reduced purchase prices of coking coal, coke, scrap and iron ore materials ($93 million); lower consumption of coking coal due to a 12% y-o-y drop in coke output; lower y-o-y inventory destocking; and lower raw material transportation costs. It was also compensated by lower expenses on energy materials of $37 million, mainly due to a decrease in natural gas prices by 42% and PCI coal by 23%, a higher contribution from the Southern GOK JV ($14 million); greater sales volumes ($5 million), primarily iron ore and coking coal concentrate. In addition, a decrease in other expenses by $20 million, mainly amid lower repair and maintenance expenses.
In the first quarter of 2020, the consolidated EBITDA margin remained flat at 15% compared to the same period in 2019. The Metallurgical segment’s EBITDA margin increased by 5 p.p., to 8%, while the mining segment’s fell by 5 p.p., to 37%.
As of March 31, 2020, total debt was up 2% since the beginning of 2020, to $3.107 billion. This was mainly due to greater use of trade finance facilities ($31 million); a consolidation of Dnipro Coke’s debt ($28 million) after obtaining the controlling interest in the asset in March; and an increase in interest accrued under bonds ($20 million). Thus, in 2020, EUR 34 million has been secured for such purpose sat Ilyich Steel through two buyer credit facilities granted by Raiffeisen Bank International: one of EUR 24.4 million for up to 11 years for the construction of an air separation unit and vaporisation station covered by an export guarantee from France; and another of EUR 9.8 million for up to ten years for the purchase and installation of a hydraulic down coiler for the HSM1700covered by an export guarantee from Austria.
As of March 31, 2020, cash and cash equivalents amounted to $328 million (an increase of 20% since the beginning of 2020), net debt amounted to $2.779 billion (an increase of 1% from the beginning of 2020), and the ratio of net debt to EBITDA for the last 12 months amounted to 2.4x (an increase of 0.1x from the beginning of 2020).

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UKRAINE INCREASES REVENUES FROM ELECTRICITY EXPORTS BY 14.4% TO $271 MLN IN NINE MONTHS

Ukraine in January-September 2019 increased revenue from electricity exports by 14.4% (by $34.105 million) compared to the same period in 2018, to $271.49 million, in particular, in September this figure was $31.263 million.
According to the State Fiscal Service, electricity for $167.111 million was supplied to Hungary in the nine months, power worth $61.237 million to Poland, while Moldova received electricity for $32.814 million, other countries for $10.328 million.
In addition, Ukraine imported electricity for $31.174 million in January-September 2019, including for $14.791 million from Slovakia, $13.063 million from Belarus, $2.434 million from Hungary, and $885,000 from other countries.
As reported, in 2018 Ukraine exported electricity worth $331.942 million, in particular to Hungary for $189.958 million, Poland for $78.763 million, Moldova for $53.144 million, other countries for $10.078 million. In monetary terms, Ukrainian electricity exports in 2018 increased by 40.9% compared to 2017.
In natural terms, Ukraine in 2018 increased exports of electricity by 19.3% (by 999.4 million kWh) compared to 2017, to 6.166 billion kWh.
According to the updated forecast balance, in 2019 Ukraine plans to export 5.832 billion kWh of electricity, which is 5.4% less than in 2018 (6.166 billion kWh). Imports are expected to amount to 1.488 billion kWh.

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