Signify's fourth quarter and full year results 2018

Forward-Looking Statements and Risks & Uncertainties

This document and the related oral presentation contain, and responses to questions following the presentation may contain, forward-looking statements that reflect the intentions, beliefs or current expectations and projections of Signify N.V. (the “Company”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), including statements regarding strategy, estimates of sales growth and future operational results. 

By their nature, these statements involve risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its Group Companies and a number of important factors could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement as a result of risks and uncertainties. Such risks, uncertainties and other important factors include but are not limited to: adverse economic and political developments, the impacts of rapid technological change, competition in the general lighting market, development of lighting systems and services, successful implementation of business transformation programs, impact of acquisitions and other transactions, impact of the Group’s operation as a separate publicly listed company, pension liabilities and costs, establishment of corporate and brand identity, adverse tax consequences from the separation from Royal Philips and exposure to international tax laws. Please see “Risk Factors and Risk Management” in Chapter 12 of the Annual Report 2017 for discussion of material risks, uncertainties and other important factors which may have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects of the Group. Such risks, uncertainties and other important factors should be read in conjunction with the information included in the Company’s Annual Report 2017 and the semi-annual report for 2018. 

Looking ahead, the Group is primarily concerned about the challenging economic conditions, currency headwinds and political uncertainties in the global and domestic markets in which it operates. Additional risks currently not known to the Group or that the Group has not considered material as of the date of this document could also prove to be important and may have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects of the Group or could cause the forward-looking events discussed in this document not to occur. The Group undertakes no duty to and will not necessarily update any of the forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Market and Industry Information

All references to market share, market data, industry statistics and industry forecasts in this document consist of estimates compiled by industry professionals, competitors, organizations or analysts, of publicly available information or of the Group’s own assessment of its sales and markets. Rankings are based on sales unless otherwise stated.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

Certain parts of this document contain non-IFRS financial measures and ratios, such as comparable sales growth, adjusted gross margin, EBITA, adjusted EBITA, and free cash flow, and other related ratios, which are not recognized measures of financial performance or liquidity under IFRS. The non-IFRS financial measures presented are measures used by management to monitor the underlying performance of the Group’s business and operations and, accordingly, they have not been audited or reviewed. Not all companies calculate non-IFRS financial measures in the same manner or on a consistent basis and these measures and ratios may not be comparable to measures used by other companies under the same or similar names. A reconciliation of these non-IFRS financial measures to the most directly comparable IFRS financial measures is contained in this document. For further information on non-IFRS financial measures, see “Chapter 18 Reconciliation of non-IFRS measures” in the Annual Report 2017.

Presentation

All amounts are in millions of euros unless otherwise stated. Due to rounding, amounts may not add up to totals provided. All reported data are unaudited. Unless otherwise indicated, financial information has been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies as stated in the Annual Report 2017 and semi-annual report 2018. 

Changes to financial reporting following organizational changes to further align the organizational structure with the strategy 

As the market trend of both professionals and consumers switching from buying lamps and luminaires to integrated LED luminaires is accelerating, the company has decided to modify the current portfolios of its business groups. As of January 1, 2018, Signify has implemented the following changes to the following portfolios: 

• Consumer and professional trade downlights, the recessed spots portfolio and the LED Light strips moved from Home and Professional to LED; 

• Consumer LED functional ceiling products moved from Home to LED; 

• LED battens moved from Home to Professional; and 

• Consumer and professional trade LED panels moved from Home and LED to Professional. 

• Next to this, the financial performance of the Ventures activities is reported in Other instead of in Professional and in Home, as these activities are managed outside of the aforementioned business groups. In addition, the switches business within Lamps has been moved to LED.

Therefore, with effect from the first quarter of 2018, Signify reports and discusses its financial performance based on the above portfolio changes. In March 2018, the company provided an update to show the effect of changes to the business portfolio as well as changes to the allocation methods of centrally-managed costs and expenses and threshold for other incidental items as adjusting items when presenting certain non-IFRS measures such as Adjusted EBITA. 

In addition, the cash flow presentation has been amended to better correspond to the balance sheet and to further improve transparency on cash flow movements. 

Market Abuse Regulation

This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.