Harju Elekter’s last quarter showed a strong recovery in sales volumes and orders, but full operation was held back by the global shortage of raw materials. Uncertainty in the supply of raw materials that have become more expensive leads to the need for constant rescheduling, which is inefficient and costly. This has an impact on the Group’s financial results and profitability. Harju Elekter continues with investments to come out of the crisis stronger than when we entered it. In order to expand the business, Harju Elekter decided to invest in new factories in Sweden. The Group sees market potential in Sweden and investments help to increase the competitiveness of our Swedish company in different business areas. Harju Elekter is deeply engaged in becoming a major player in the Swedish electrification and automation market.
Revenue, Expenses, and Profit
The revenue of the Group was 42.2 (Q3 2020: 37.4) million euros in the third quarter, increasing by 12.9% compared to the comparable period. In the reporting quarter revenue increased in all areas of business activity, but the main contribution came from the sale of electrical equipment, which was 35.2 (Q3 2020: 31.7) million euros. This is mainly due to the increase in the volume of orders in the framework contracts. The revenue for the nine months decreased by 2.0% to 109.2 (9M 2020: 111.4) million euros compared to the comparable period. The manufacturing and sale of electrical equipment decreased the most, amounting to 91.0 (2020 9m: 95.0) million euros. At the same time, the revenue from the electrical works in the shipbuilding sector increased by 1.4 million to 4.3 million euros in a nine-month comparison. Fulfilling orders depends to a large extent on the global situation, where the availability of materials and components has deteriorated.
| EUR’000 | Q3 | Q3 | +/- | 9m | 9m | +/- | |
| 2021 | 2020 | Q3/Q3 | 2021 | 2020 | 9m/9m | ||
| Revenue | 42,168 | 37,360 | 12.9% | 109,195 | 111,372 | -2.0% | |
| Gross profit | 5,026 | 5,234 | -4.0% | 13,177 | 15,625 | -15.7% | |
| EBITDA | 2,158 | 2,913 | -25.9% | 5,281 | 7,939 | -33.5% | |
| EBIT | 1,183 | 2,002 | -40.9% | 2,350 | 5,211 | -54.9% | |
| Profit for the period | 931 | 1,694 | -45.0% | 1,716 | 4,369 | -60.7% | |
| Incl. attributable to owners of the parent company | 915 | 1,691 | -45.9% | 1,710 | 4,398 | -61.1% | |
| Earnings per share (euros) | 0.05 | 0.10 | -46.5% | 0.10 | 0.25 | -61.3% |
The total operating expenses for the reporting quarter were 41.0 (Q3 2020: 35.5) million euros. Costs of sales, which accounted for 89.7% of operating expenses, was 37.1 (Q3 2020: 32.1) million euros. Labour costs increased with quarterly and nine-year comparison, amounting to 7.3 (Q3 2020: 6.6) and 22.3 (9M 2020: 20.0) million euros, respectively. Labour costs were impacted by the hiring of new staff, by the increase in additional work, and by the constant readiness to continue the production cycle. The increase in labour costs and average wages is affected by wage pressures due to workforce shortages in all markets and by the rising share of Finnish and Swedish employees in the Group, as wages in Scandinavian countries are significantly higher than in Estonia and Lithuania.
The gross profit for the reporting quarter was 5,026 (Q3 2020: 5,234) thousand euros and the gross profit margin was 11.9% (Q3 2020: 14.0%). Quarterly operating profit (EBIT) amounted to 1,183 (Q3 2020: 2,002) thousand euros. The operating margin for the second quarter was 2.8% (Q3 2020: 5.4%).
The net profit for the reporting quarter was 931 (Q3 2020: 1,694) thousand euros of which the share of the owners of the parent company was 915 (Q3 2020: 1,691) thousand euros. The earnings per share were 0.05 (Q3 2020: 0.10) euros. While in the previous quarters there were problems with the sheet metal deficit and price increase, then in the reporting quarter the price of electricity increased and the supply difficulties of several other materials and main components and the pressure of rising price increased. Profitability was also affected by higher labour costs due to the hiring of new specialists.
Core Business and Markets
The Group’s core business, Production, accounted for 87.7% of the Group’s revenue in the reporting quarter as well as in the nine months. Postponement of orders from previous quarters to the third quarter increased the Production segment’s revenue year-on-year by 4.9 million euros to 37.0 million euros. In a nine-month comparison, the revenue of the Production segment remained at the same level, being 95.8 (9M 2020: 95.3) million euros.
Sales to the Estonian market remained practically at the same level in the reporting quarter, totalling 7.5 (Q3 2020:7.6) million euros in a year-on-year comparison. The revenue increased by 2.5 million euros to 19.5 million euros in nine-month comparison, accounting for 17.8% (9M 2020: 15.3%) of the Group revenue. Revenue was mainly earned from the production of prefabricated substations and retail and project-based sale of electrical products.
The Group’s revenue in Finland was 20.0 million euros in the reporting quarter. This is 3.6 million euros more than in the previous year and a historically a record result in the Finnish market when comparing third quarters. Production of the Finnish power grid companies comprised the greater part of the sales volume. In a nine-month comparison, the revenue of the Finnish market was lower than in the previous period, being 53.0 (9M 2020: 54.9) million euros. This was mostly affected by the decrease in orders caused by the snowy and cold winter, commencing with new long-term orders, but also some supply difficulties and shortage in materials. During the nine months, 48.6% (9M 2020: 49.3%) of the Group’s products and services were sold to the Group’s largest market, Finland.
The revenue earned from the Swedish market decreased slightly compared to both the reporting quarters and the nine months, amounting 5.8 (Q3 2020: 6.6) and 17.2 (Q3 2020: 17.5) million euros, respectively. The production and supply of substations for new framework contracts has been started. Sweden, the third largest market in the Group, accounted for 15.8% (9M 2020: 15.7%) of revenue in the nine months. The Group sees market potential in Sweden and is making investments to increase the revenue.
Sales to the Norway market are gradually recovering. In the third quarter, the Group sold products and services worth 5.1 (Q3 2020: 4.2) million euros to the Norwegian market. During the nine months, 9.0 million euros were earned from the Norwegian market, which was 5.0 million euros less than in the same period of the previous year. The decrease in Norwegian revenue was due to record high orders in the reference period, as well as the slow pace of recovery in the maritime industry. The Norwegian market accounted for 8.2% (9M 2020: 12.5%) of the nine-month revenue.
Investments
During the reporting period, the Group invested a total of 5.0 (9M 2020: 4.1) million euros in non-current assets, incl 0.5 (9M 2020: 2.1) million euros in investment properties, 4.0 (9M 2020: 1.8) million euros in property, plant, and equipment and 0.5 (9M 2020: 0.2) million euros in intangible assets. The Group directed the majority of the investments during the reporting period, i.e. 2.5 million euros, to the fourth phase of expansion of the Lithuanian subsidiary. The total cost of the investment was 5.5 million euros. In addition, Harju Elekter launched the preparations for the construction of the production and storage complex in the Allika Industrial Park, Laohotell III, and made investments in production technology and in solar power plants. As of the reporting date, the total value of the Group’s non-current financial investments was 21.3 (31.12.20: 11.9) million euros.
Share
The company’s share price on the last trading day of the reporting quarter on the Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange closed at 7.98 euros. As at 30 September 2021, AS Harju Elekter had 8,939 shareholders. The number of shareholders increased during the reporting quarter by 986.
Additional 278,675 shares were issued under the framework of the stock option plan for the employees of Harju Elekter and as of 2 August 2021, a total of 18,018,555 shares of AS Harju Elekter are traded.
| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION | ||||
| Unaudited | ||||
| EUR’000 | 30 September
2021 |
31 December 2020 | ||
| ASSETS | ||||
| Current assets | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 997 | 2,843 | ||
| Trade and other receivables | 32,467 | 27,226 | ||
| Prepayments | 1,601 | 820 | ||
| Inventories | 26,150 | 18,856 | ||
| Total current assets | 61,215 | 49,745 | ||
| Non-current assets | ||||
| Deferred income tax assets | 572 | 514 | ||
| Non-current financial investments | 21,321 | 11,918 | ||
| Investment properties | 23,369 | 23,605 | ||
| Property. plant and equipment | 24,750 | 22,494 | ||
| Intangible assets | 7,467 | 7,199 | ||
| Total non-current assets | 77,479 | 65,730 | ||
| TOTAL ASSETS | 138,694 | 115,475 | ||
| LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | ||||
| Liabilities | ||||
| Borrowings | 12,585 | 12,056 | ||
| Prepayments from customers | 4,958 | 4,182 | ||
| Trade and other payables | 23,830 | 15,837 | ||
| Tax liabilities | 2,870 | 2,871 | ||
| Current provisions | 93 | 34 | ||
| Total current liabilities | 44,336 | 34,980 | ||
| Borrowings | 12,252 | 7,032 | ||
| Other non-current liabilities | 63 | 66 | ||
| Total non-current liabilities | 12,315 | 7,098 | ||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES | 56,651 | 42,078 | ||
| Equity | ||||
| Share capital | 11,352 | 11,176 | ||
| Share premium | 1,601 | 804 | ||
| Reserves | 14,807 | 6,709 | ||
| Retained earnings | 54,427 | 54,858 | ||
| Total equity attributable to the owners of the parent company | 82,187 | 73,547 | ||
| Non-controlling interests | -144 | -150 | ||
| Total equity | 82,043 | 73,397 | ||
| TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | 138,694 | 115,475 |
| CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME | ||||||||
| Unaudited | ||||||||
| EUR’000 | Q3 | Q3 | 9m | 9m | ||||
| 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | |||||
| Profit for the period | 931 | 1,694 | 1,716 | 4,369 | ||||
| Other comprehensive income | ||||||||
| Items that may be reclassified to profit or loss | ||||||||
| Impact of exchange rate changes of a foreign subsidiaries | -8 | -2 | -13 | -16 | ||||
| Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss | ||||||||
| Gain on sales of financial assets | 0 | 0 | 265 | 80 | ||||
| Net gain/loss (-) on revaluation of financial assets | 49 | 98 | 8,369 | -747 | ||||
| Total comprehensive income for the period | 41 | 96 | 8,621 | -683 | ||||
| Other comprehensive income | 972 | 1,790 | 10,337 | 3,686 | ||||
| Total comprehensive income attributable to: | ||||||||
| Owners of the Company | 956 | 1,787 | 10,331 | 3,715 | ||||
| Non-controlling interests | 16 | 3 | 6 | -29 | ||||
Tiit Atso
Chairman of the Board
+372 674 7400
