Letter to Shareholders
www.apgsga.ch
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 3
COVID-19 pandemic puts a temporary brake on business development. Comprehensive measures to secure liquidity and reduce costs.
Focus on growth projects in the areas of digitalization, data, innovation. Financial situation sound.
In brief
- Advertising revenue: CHF 107.8 million -29.2% (Switzerland -28.6%, International -40.5%)
- EBITDA: CHF -0.2 million
- EBIT: CHF -5.1 million
- Consolidated net income: CHF -5.1 million
- Free cash flow: CHF 3.0 million
Financial highlights
in CHF 1 000 | 1st half of 2020 | 1st half of 2019 | Change |
Advertising revenue | 107 810 | 152 262 | -29.2% |
- Switzerland | 103 484 | 144 994 | -28.6% |
- International | 4 326 | 7 269 | -40.5% |
Operating income | 110 297 | 153 127 | -28.0% |
EBITDA | -206 | 29 741 | -100.7% |
- in % of operating income | -0.2% | 19.4% | |
EBIT | -5 092 | 24 441 | -120.8% |
- in % of operating income | -4.6% | 16.0% | |
Consolidated net income | -5 066 | 19 386 | -126.1% |
- in % of operating income | -4.6% | 12.7% | |
Cash flow from operating activities | 4 786 | 12 505 | -61.7% |
Free cash flow1 | 2 968 | 9 807 | -69.7% |
Investments in property, plant, and equipment | 3 018 | 2 738 | 10.2% |
- advertising panel | 2 718 | 2 168 | 25.4% |
- other investments | 300 | 570 | -47.4% |
Loss/Earnings per share, in CHF | -1.69 | 6.46 | -126.2% |
EBITDA: Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation of property, plant, and equipment, and amortization of intangible assets
EBIT: Earnings before interest and taxes
1 Cash flow from operating activities (operating cash flow) CHF 4 786 (previous year: 12 505) less cash flow from investing activities CHF 1 818
(previous year: 2 698), (see page 12 Consolidated statement of cash flows)
4 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
Dear Shareholder:
General business development
This year opened on a highly favorable note for APG|SGA. Both January and February brought evidence of substantial dynamism in revenue growth. The positive development of our growth projects inspired confidence as we looked ahead to the rest of the year.
In March, however, development of revenues and results was massively influenced from one day to the next as we felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was caused by two factors beyond our control.
First, the business model for any outdoor advertising company depends on the reach that advertising panels achieve among the population. For APG|SGA, this primarily means analog and digital advertising spaces in public areas, such as railway stations and airports. Although the lockdown measures ordered by the Federal Council were certainly in the public interest, they led to a massive drop in passing traffic in these communication spaces from March. This took away a key foundation of our business activities, and as a consequence a large number of advertisers canceled their outdoor campaigns with immediate effect. The second factor was the closure of retail businesses during the lockdown period, ordered as part of the extraordinary measures. No longer able to sell to customers in store, many businesses halted their advertising campaigns. Poor economic prospects and cost saving measures on the side of our customers acted as further dampeners on advertising activities.
The resulting drop in revenue hit the company directly, and with great force, particularly in the second quarter. We see this pressure on the result; given the historic collapse in revenue, higher minimum guarantees and concession fees have had a correspondingly negative impact.
When the pandemic broke out, we immediately took numerous extensive and consistent measures to secure liquidity and reduce costs. We experienced a great deal of solidarity from shareholders, employees and contract partners, who all helped to support the company through this unprecedented crisis.
Despite the persistence of poor general conditions and limited visibility over the coming reporting period, the fundamental factors for both outdoor advertising and APG|SGA remain positive, as the start of the year demonstrates. Despite the strict overall cost-saving measures in place, we have continued our digital project developments and expanded our service portfolio. In the last few months, we have also entered into various marketing contracts. We are therefore confident that we have laid the groundwork for sustainable expansion of our competitive position.
APG|SGA Group
In the first half of 2020, the APG|SGA Group achieved advertising revenues totaling CHF 107.8 million, representing a reduction in sales of 29.2%. Real estate revenue was CHF 0.8 million, about the same level as the previous year. Income from the sale of obsolete tangible assets was recorded under other operating income, which amounted to CHF 1.7 million in the reporting period. This resulted in operating income for the first half of 2020 of CHF 110.3 million, representing a fall of 28.0%.
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 5
Fees and commissions represented 63.6% of operating income in the first half-year 2020, clearly exceeding the previous year's level of 50.9%. The main drivers of this increase were concession contracts with non- sales volume related fees, combined with a sharp reduction in revenue. This key figure is also influenced by tougher competitive conditions in the procurement market for strategic contracts.
Personnel expenses fell by 15.5% in the reporting period. A freeze on bonuses, a temporary reduction in management remuneration and compensation for short-term work contributed to this reduction. Operating and administrative costs were 2.4% lower than the previous year's period. Although the reduction in expenses for core business was in the two-figure percentage range, expenditure on growth projects in the digital service portfolio and for digital booking and processing platforms increased.
The massive drop in revenue, a direct consequence of the COVID-19 crisis, greatly influenced the operational result despite strict cost-saving measures. For the reporting period, this resulted in an EBITDA of CHF -0.2 million (previous year: CHF 29.7 million) and an EBIT of CHF -5.1 million (previous year: CHF 24.4 million).
APG|SGA reports as per Swiss GAAP ARR guidelines and has opted not to capitalize losses carried forward. This means that despite the negative ordinary result before income tax, tax income is minimal. The consolidated net income for the first half of 2020 amounted to CHF -5.1 million (previous year: CHF 19.4 million).
Cash flow
Operating cash flow for the first half-year 2020 amounted to CHF 4.8 million (previous year:
CHF 12.5 million). As receivables from customers have decreased significantly, this drop of 61.7% was significantly lower than for consolidated net income.
Cash flow from operating activities is subject to seasonal fluctuations and is always significantly lower in the first half of the year than the second.
After deduction of cash flow from investment activities of CHF 1.8 million, this resulted in a free cash flow of CHF 3.0 million (previous year: CHF 9.8 million).
Balance sheet
The balance sheet total fell by CHF 16.7 million in the first half of 2020 to CHF 176.2 million.
Lower investment resulted in fixed assets falling by CHF 3.1 million to CHF 85.8 million. Intangible assets amounted to CHF 20.3 million, corresponding to 11.5% of total assets. Current assets fell by CHF 13.6 million, driven in particular by significantly lower trade accounts receivable. As at June 30, 2020, cash and cash equivalents stood at CHF 44.9 million.
Equity amounted to CHF 72.0 million, representing an equity ratio of 40.8%.
6 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
Swiss market
For the first half of 2020, advertising revenues for APG|SGA stood at CHF 103.5 million, 28.6% below the previous year. Almost every customer segment and category was affected equally by this drop, although - as expected - online and traditional retailers proved considerably more robust. Greater flexibility in booking and cancellation options meant that the drop in revenue was a little lower for digital products than for analog advertising options. Products in the communication spaces of railway stations, public transport, airports and the promotional space business were affected by an above-average rate of compensation claims due to reduced footfall. The months of March, April and May were particularly affected by this reduction in revenue, with the first signs of recovery becoming evident in late May and June.
To further this positive momentum, APG|SGA launched a major sales promotion campaign to support and boost its advertising activities as the first easing measures were introduced in early May. This "Welcome back out of home" package met with a considerable response, and numerous short-term campaigns were carried out.
Recent weeks have brought the first signs of recovery in the activities of agents and customers. APG|SGA has therefore progressively phased out short-time work in order to secure the operational conditions for active market development.
Throughout the first half of 2020, new high-performance digital branding zones in major SBB stations went into operation. The February launch of six exclusive branding zones with 77 "Rail ePanels" in Zurich's main station was followed in June by seven branding zones with 39 new screens in Bern and Lucerne stations.
In early June, APG|SGA launched its programmatic advertising service in collaboration with the leading international platform VIOOH. Large cities and railway stations now have more than 500 screens available for programmatically planned and booked campaigns. This allows customers to manage their campaigns efficiently and much more flexibly and to profit from additional targeting opportunities.
In the first half-year 2020, APG|SGA was able to further optimize its contract portfolio and create sound conditions for further growth through various tender procedures. APG|SGA and BLS are renewing their partnership and further expanding their collaboration. PostAuto awarded our company the contract to market advertising spaces on and in some 1,600 vehicles. This represents the lion's share of the PostAuto inventory
- in both revenue and number of advertising panels - and continues the longstanding collaboration between APG|SGA and Switzerland's largest public transport bus company, and underlines its leading market position in transport advertising. APG|SGA also renewed its successful partnership with transport operator TPF for the management of numerous advertising spaces in attractive locations in the city of Fribourg.
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 7
International markets
APG|SGA's international operations in the form of Serbian subsidiary Alma Quattro d.o.o. contributed 4.0% to group revenues in the reporting period.
Although the first months of the year saw a revenue increase over the previous year, Serbia witnessed a similarly sharp drop in revenues in April due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Since June, there has been a slow return of revenues.
Advertising revenues declined at a rate of 37.1% in local currency in the first half of 2020. The weakening of the Serbian dinar resulted in a reduction of 40.5% in Swiss francs.
Although Alma Quattro has a long-term exclusive contract with the capital Belgrade, early 2020 saw a competitor awarded the concession to operate more than 250 digital advertising panels in the city. In our view, this award violates the exclusivity clause of the contract with Alma Quattro. Legal proceedings to contest this award are currently underway. There have also been a number of attempts at the diplomatic level to protect investments and ensure fair proceedings and legal certainty.
Organization
At the APG|SGA AG General Meeting on May 14, 2020, Dr. Maya Bundt and Jolanda Grob were elected to the Board of Directors. All members up for reelection were confirmed for a further year. The Board of Directors comprises: Dr. Daniel Hofer (Chairman), Dr. Maya Bundt, Xavier Le Clef, Jolanda Grob, Stéphane Prigent, Robert Schmidli (Vice-Chairman) and Markus Scheidegger. Robert Schmidli, Markus Scheidegger and Jolanda Grob were elected to the Board of Directors' Remuneration Committee.
Outlook
The gradual easing of restrictive measures since May has shown how much people enjoy being "out of home" again. People are increasingly getting about on foot, by bicycle, on public transport or in cars, to the office, to school, or just shopping and enjoying their leisure time. This is good news for awareness of APG|SGA advertising space and is leading to increased advertiser requests and bookings. These positive indicators aside, the general conditions with respect to both the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy remain difficult to assess. A reliable forecast of business development in the second half of the year is thus not feasible.
The Board of Directors and the Executive Board feel strongly that APG|SGA is very robust overall and will emerge from this crisis stronger due to its proven business model. The convincing fundamental factors that speak in favor of out of home media remain unchanged. The generally strong dynamic of the outdoor advertising market will continue after the crisis in Switzerland has come to an end. We are therefore convinced that the medium and long-term market and earnings prospects in the operational business for APG|SGA, which plays a key role in both the analog and digital out of home media market in Switzerland, remain positive.
8 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
APG|SGA would like to take this opportunity to thank its employees, all of whom have responded with great commitment, flexibility, discipline and confidence to the extraordinary situation and measures such as short- time work, working from home and compliance with distancing and hygiene rules.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board, we would also like to thank our shareholders, market partners, advertising customers and concession issuers for their support and trust in our company in these challenging times.
Dr. Daniel Hofer | Markus Ehrle |
Chairman of the Board | Chief Executive Officer |
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 9
Consolidated balance sheet
Assets
in CHF 1 000 | 30.06.2020 | 31.12.2019 |
Buildings and land | 31 729 | 32 576 |
Advertising panel | 22 490 | 22 381 |
Other property, plant, and equipment | 3 447 | 4 074 |
Property, plant, and equipment | 57 666 | 59 031 |
Deferred tax assets | 1 367 | 1 351 |
Other financial investments | 6 532 | 7 400 |
Financial investments | 7 899 | 8 751 |
Goodwill | 5 473 | 5 648 |
Contractual advertising rights | 14 799 | 15 515 |
Intangible fixed assets | 20 272 | 21 163 |
Non-current assets | 85 837 | 88 945 |
Inventories | 4 159 | 3 865 |
Trade accounts receivable | 24 864 | 44 331 |
Other accounts receivable | 11 183 | 7 415 |
Deferred expenses and accrued income | 5 219 | 6 547 |
Cash and cash equivalents | 44 936 | 41 762 |
Current assets | 90 361 | 103 920 |
Total | 176 198 | 192 865 |
Shareholders' equity and liabilities
in CHF 1 000 | 30.06.2020 | 31.12.2019 |
Share capital | 7 800 | 7 800 |
Capital reserves, premiums | 12 942 | 13 246 |
Treasury shares | -313 | -853 |
Translation differences | -2 454 | -2 098 |
Retained earnings | 53 982 | 59 048 |
Shareholders' equity | 71 957 | 77 143 |
Financial liabilities | 322 | 350 |
Provisions | 7 320 | 7 979 |
Deferred tax liabilities | 3 008 | 3 302 |
Non-current liabilities | 10 650 | 11 631 |
Trade accounts payable | 5 136 | 7 989 |
Taxes payable | 2 998 | 7 265 |
Other accounts payable | 34 624 | 29 995 |
Accrued liabilities and deferred income | 49 902 | 56 454 |
Provisions | 931 | 2 388 |
Current liabilities | 93 591 | 104 091 |
Liabilities | 104 241 | 115 722 |
Total | 176 198 | 192 865 |
10 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
Consolidated income statement
in CHF 1 000 | 1st half of 2020 | 1st half of 2019 | Change | |
Advertising revenue | 107 | 810 | 152 262 | -29.2% |
Real estate revenue | 826 | 839 | -1.5% | |
Other operating income | 1 | 661 | 26 | |
Operating income | 110 | 297 | 153 127 | -28.0% |
Fees and commissions | -70 153 | -77 953 | -10.0% | |
Personnel expenses | -25 834 | -30 566 | -15.5% | |
Operating and administrative costs | -14 516 | -14 867 | -2.4% | |
Operating result before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) | -206 | 29 741 | -100.7% | |
Depreciation of tangible assets | -4 246 | -4 644 | -8.6% | |
Amortization of intangible assets | -465 | -481 | -3.3% | |
Amortization of goodwill | -175 | -175 | ||
Operating result (EBIT) | -5 092 | 24 441 | -120.8% | |
Financial result | -85 | -2 | ||
Result from joint ventures | -130 | |||
Ordinary result before income tax | -5 177 | 24 309 | -121.3% | |
Income tax | 111 | -4 923 | ||
Consolidated net income | -5 066 | 19 386 | -126.1% | |
Basic and diluted loss/earnings per share, in CHF | -1.69 | 6.46 | -126.2% |
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 11
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Capital | Treasury | |||||
in CHF 1 000 | Share | reserves | Translation | Retained | shareholders' | |
capital | premiums | shares | differences | earnings | equity | |
as at January 1, 2019 | 7 800 | 13 449 | -748 | -1 461 | 77 171 | 96 211 |
Consolidated net income | 19 386 | 19 386 | ||||
Translation differences | -253 | -253 | ||||
Distributions | -59 955 | -59 955 | ||||
Purchase of treasury shares | -342 | -342 | ||||
Sale of treasury shares | -215 | 911 | 696 | |||
Equity transaction costs | -4 | -4 | ||||
as at June 30, 2019 | 7 800 | 13 230 | -179 | -1 714 | 36 602 | 55 739 |
as at January 1, 2020 | 7 800 | 13 246 | -853 | -2 098 | 59 048 | 77 143 |
Consolidated net income | -5 066 | -5 066 | ||||
Translation differences | -356 | -356 | ||||
Purchase of treasury shares | -370 | -370 | ||||
Sale of treasury shares | -300 | 910 | 610 | |||
Equity transaction costs | -4 | -4 | ||||
as at June 30, 2020 | 7 800 | 12 942 | -313 | -2 454 | 53 982 | 71 957 |
12 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
Consolidated statement of cash flows
in CHF 1 000 | 1st half of 2020 | 1st half of 2019 | |
Consolidated net income | -5 066 | 19 | 386 |
Depreciation and amortization | 4 886 | 5 | 300 |
Changes in provisions | -704 | -187 | |
Changes in deferred taxes | -305 | -358 | |
Financial result with no cash impact | 46 | 20 | |
Gain from sale of non-current assets | -1 661 | -25 | |
Result from joint ventures | 130 | ||
Change in inventories | -300 | -995 | |
Change in accounts receivable | 15 555 | -2 027 | |
Change in deferred expenses and accrued income | 1 295 | -4 821 | |
Change in accounts payable and taxes payable | -2 432 | 305 | |
Change in accrued liabilities and deferred income | -6 528 | -4 223 | |
Cash flow from operating activities | 4 786 | 12 | 505 |
Capital expenditures in property, plant, and equipment | -3 018 | -2 738 | |
Capital expenditures in intangible assets | -1 324 | -24 | |
Sale of property, plant, and equipment | 1 711 | 30 | |
Sale of financial investments | 813 | 34 | |
Net cash used in investing activities | -1 818 | -2 698 | |
Purchase of treasury shares | -370 | -342 | |
Sale of treasury shares | 606 | 692 | |
Discharge of non-current financial liabilities | -22 | ||
Dividends to APG SGA SA shareholders | -59 956 | ||
Net cash used in financing activities | 214 | -59 606 | |
Currency translation effect on cash and cash equivalents | -8 | 2 | |
Change in cash and cash equivalents | 3 174 | -49 797 | |
Cash and cash equivalents as at January 1 | 41 762 | 60 128 | |
Cash and cash equivalents as at June 30 | 44 936 | 10 331 |
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 13
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Reporting principles of APG|SGA SA
This interim financial report includes the unaudited semi-annual financial statements for the reporting period ended on June 30, 2020. The consolidated semi-annual financial statements were prepared in compliance with interim financial statement requirements as per Swiss GAAP ARR 31 Complementary Recommendation for Listed Companies, which permits condensed reporting and disclosures in comparison to the annual financial statements, and with the listing rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange.
APG|SGA does not report any segment earnings in its financial reports, because its direct competitors in Switzerland and in Serbia also do not publish any segment earnings. Disclosing them would put APG|SGA at a significant competitive disadvantage due to the low level of diversification abroad.
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires that management makes estimates and assumptions that influence the disclosed assets, liabilities, contingent assets and liabilities on the closing date as well as income and expenditure for the reporting period. The actual results may deviate from these estimates.
Our business is influenced by seasonal effects.
Changes in the scope of consolidation and minority interests
In the first half of 2020, the scope of consolidation compared with the prior-year period was not changed.
In the first half of the previous year, the scope of consolidation compared with the same period in 2018 was also not changed.
Change in shareholders' equity
In light of the current COVID-19 crisis, the General Meeting on May 14, 2020 resolved that no dividend will be distributed for the financial year 2019.
14 APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020
Agenda
Announcement of annual results 2020 and publication of the annual report Monday, March 15, 2021
Financial media and analysts conference
Monday, March 15, 2021, Zurich
General Meeting
Wednesday, April 28, 2021, Geneva
Announcement of semi-annual results 2021
Thursday, July 29, 2021
Contacts
Markus Ehrle, Chief Executive Officer
T +41 58 220 71 73
Beat Hermann, Chief Financial Officer
T +41 58 220 77 47
APG|SGA SA Letter to shareholders July 30, 2020 15
Explanation of financial terms
EBIT
Earnings before interest and taxes
EBITDA
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation of property, plant and equipment, and amortization of intangible assets
Equity ratio
Shareholders' equity in % of balance sheet total
Free cash flow
Cash flow from operations minus cash flow from investments
This letter to shareholders is available in German, French and English.
The German version is legally binding.
www.apgsga.ch
APG|SGA AG Carrefour de Rive 1 CH-1207 Genève investors@apgsga.ch
Printed in Switzerland
July 2020
All rights reserved
APG|SGA AG is Switzerland's leading Out of Home media company. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, APG|SGA covers all aspects of outdoor advertising: on streets and squares, in railway stations, at airports, in shopping centers, in the mountains as well as in and on means of transport - from poster campaigns with the widest coverage and large formats to state-of-the-art digital advertising spaces, special advertising formats, promotions and mobile advertising. When communicating with customers, the authorities and the advertising industry, APG|SGA represents sustainability and innovation, aiming to inspire people with the very best communication solutions in public spaces.
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APG SGA SA published this content on 27 July 2020 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 01 August 2020 15:11:09 UTC