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Second quarter 20201 - Demonstrating resilience in a challenging market environment
COVID-19 update – Fast adaptation while maintaining stringent health & safety standards
Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Signify (Euronext: LIGHT), the world leader in lighting, today announced the company’s 2020 second quarter results. “In Q2, the engagement of our teams to face the challenges posed by the pandemic have been second to none. The implementation of the safety measures helped to keep our people safe. We successfully managed to maintain operational profitability while improving free cash flow in adverse conditions. I am proud to finish the quarter with a strengthened cohesion across the organization, evidenced by our highest ever employee Net Promotor Score,” said CEO Eric Rondolat. “We remain very cautious about market developments but confident on our ability to further adapt. The disciplined execution of our strategy and the acceleration of the integration of Cooper Lighting will continue to drive our growth platforms and new business opportunities. Last but not least, let me share our excitement for achieving carbon neutrality in 2020, and for renewing our five-year sustainability program with even more ambitious commitments later in the year.”
Resilience in a challenging quarter
Health & safety of Signify’s employees and stakeholders remained the number one priority. 79% of all our locations are open. The supply chain is 98% operational and employees are gradually returning to the offices in a structured and safe way. At a very early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak, Signify identified a broad range of mitigating actions to preserve profitability. These measures included non-structural cost savings of EUR 43 million in the second quarter, related to solidarity measures which were supported by our employees and government contributions. Next to this, the company has also implemented a range of measures to safeguard free cash flow, of which EUR 40 million was related to a temporary positive impact from real estate proceeds and government-extended payment terms for taxes.
Continuous commitment to Sustainability
In the first half of 2020:
In June 2020, Signify announced that it will start phasing out plastics with the aim to be plastic-free on all consumer-related packaging in 2021.
New sustainability targets as part of our coming five-year program will be announced in the second half of 2020.
Outlook
Considering the persistent uncertainty about the future course of the pandemic, and the length and depth of the impact on the global economy, Signify still does not provide financial guidance at this point in time. However, Signify is confident in the underlying resilience of its businesses and operating model, and that its liquidity needs are well covered by the financial framework it has in place. In line with the company’s policy to prioritize future deleveraging, Signify confirms its intention to utilize up to EUR 350 million to reduce gross debt in 2020.
Conference call and audio webcast
Eric Rondolat (CEO) and René van Schooten (CFO) will host a conference call for analysts and institutional investors at 9:00 a.m. CET to discuss second quarter and first half 2020 results. A live audio webcast of the conference call will be available via the Investor Relations website.
Financial calendar
October 23, 2020: Third quarter results 2020
January 29, 2021: Fourth quarter and full year results 2020
1 This press release contains certain non-IFRS financial measures and ratios, such as comparable sales growth, EBITA, adjusted EBITA and free cash flow, and related ratios, which are not recognized measures of financial performance or liquidity under IFRS. For a reconciliation of these non-IFRS financial measures to the most directly comparable IFRS financial measures, see appendix B, Reconciliation of non-IFRS financial measures, of this press release.
2 Excluding Cooper Lighting
3 Pro-forma incl. Cooper Lighting and Klite
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 COVID-19, 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, reputational and adverse effects on business due to activities in Environment, Health & Safety, compliance risks, ability to attract and retain talented personnel, adverse currency effects, pension liabilities, and exposure to international tax laws. Please see “Risk Factors and Risk Management” in Chapter 12 of the Annual Report 2019 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 2019.
Looking ahead to the second half of 2020, the Group is primarily concerned about the challenging macro conditions and political uncertainties, particularly related to the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 2019.
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 2019 and semi-annual report 2020.
Market Abuse Regulation
This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.
Signify Investor Relations
Rogier Dierckx
Tel: +31 6 1138 4609
E-mail: rogier.dierckx@signify.com
Signify Corporate Communications
Elco van Groningen
Tel: +31 6 1086 5519
E-mail: elco.van.groningen@signify.com
Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is the world leader in lighting for professionals, consumers and the Internet of Things. Our Philips products, Interact systems and data-enabled services, deliver business value and transform life in homes, buildings and public spaces. In 2023, we had sales of EUR 6.7 billion, approximately 32,000 employees and a presence in over 70 countries. We unlock the extraordinary potential of light for brighter lives and a better world. We have been in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index since our IPO for seven consecutive years and have achieved the EcoVadis Platinum rating for four consecutive years, placing Signify in the top one percent of companies assessed. News from Signify can be found in the Newsroom, on X, LinkedIn and Instagram. Information for investors is located on the Investor Relations page.
