Interim report January-September 2022
Q3 2022 (Q3 2021)
- Order intake decreased 30 per cent year-on-year to SEK 143 million (203)
- Sales increased 57 per cent to SEK 120 million (76)
- Operating profit totalled SEK 11 million (14), corresponding to 11 per cent (18) of revenue
- Adjusted operating profit totalled SEK 6 million (14)
- Profit after tax totalled SEK 8 million (10)
- Earnings per share amounted to SEK 0.13 (0.18)
- Cash flow from operating activities totalled SEK 39 million (32)
Events during the third quarter of 2022
On 23 September, Permascand announced that the partnership with Verdagy for the joint development of a new electrochemical cell for the production of green hydrogen had reached an important milestone in the form of successful pilot tests that validate the technology’s durability and scalability.
CEO comment
We once again posted robust sales in the third quarter, delivering on our strong order book. It is gratifying to see that in just the first three quarters of 2022, our sales have already surpassed full-year 2021. This is further proof that we are continuing to deliver according to our growth ambition.
Order intake for the quarter totalled SEK 143 million. Despite lower order intake than in the year-earlier quarter, order intake is one of the strongest we have recorded in a quarter, and our order intake for the January to September period was greater than in the corresponding year-earlier period. We are pleased to see that order intake once again picked up speed after the lower level in the second quarter. An important reason for this is falling prices in the global market for materials and raw materials. The year-earlier quarter was an exceptional period, where the entire annual order intake from one of our largest customers was concentrated in one and the same quarter.
Sales totalled SEK 120 million during the quarter, up 57 per cent year-on-year. Sales were primarily driven by sales in Water Treatment, where we successfully delivered on our order book, primarily derived from the strong order intake in Q3 2021 and on an ongoing basis in 2022. Industrial Solutions also performed favourably while sales in Electrification & Renewables were in line with the year-earlier quarter.
The recent turmoil in the global market has led to a shift in market dynamics meaning that the time between order intake and delivery has become shorter. Now our customers place several smaller orders rather than fewer large ones, which can sometimes entail variations that result in misleading comparative quarterly figures. Permascand’s performance should be viewed in the context of longer cycles. There it is clear that we are demonstrating a positive trend over time.
Gross profit for the quarter totalled SEK 26 million. Changes in capacity utilization have temporarily affected the result and reported gross margin negatively. The gross margin in the quarter was also negatively impacted by increased pricing pressure in Water Treatment.
Furthermore, during the quarter we encountered some operational challenges that disrupted our normally efficient operations and production. These included delayed deliveries of spare parts for machinery, employee absenteeism and disruptions to the power supply from a failing switchyard. Increased costs resulting from the interruptions have, to a certain extent, been reflected in the somewhat lower profitability for the quarter. Despite these challenges, we delivered solid figures and profitable growth and we are continuously reviewing our processes to further strengthen our supply chain and create better stability and resilience against long lead times and volatile prices.
Electrification & Renewables
The level of activity remains high and new milestones are continuously being reached. One of these is our partnership with Verdagy, where we successfully worked together to develop a new electrochemical cell for producing green hydrogen. During the quarter, we could announce successful pilot tests that validated the technology’s durability and scalability, which is a precondition for taking the next step and reaching a commercial scale. We look forward to the first commercial order in hydrogen, which is expected to come in 2023. In the area of power transmission, we are seeing increased interest in our expertise in corrosion protection related to investments in green electricity supply.
Industrial Solutions
In line with previous assessments, the activity level and demand remained high in Industrial Solutions, with a strong order intake and sales for the quarter as a result. We have a strong order book in the segment and several future new-build projects are being evaluated.
Water Treatment
We once again reported favourable order intake and strong sales in Water Treatment for the quarter, in parallel with the start of several new customer projects. We have an overall strong position in the market together with our customers, enabling us to continue to capitalise on the installations required in order for marine transport to meet regulatory requirements. It is also gratifying that we delivered our first order for industrial water treatment during the quarter.
Outlook
We are still experiencing a high level of activity among our customers and we have great expectations that ongoing projects will lead to order placements towards the end of the year and in the beginning of 2023. In line with the previous year, we expect stronger order intake in the fourth quarter for delivery next year, and negotiations involving several customer projects are in their final stage. With an impressive sales record on an annualised basis, robust order books and strong finances, we are continuing to develop on our profitable journey of growth and achieving our financial targets as we progress.
Peter Lundström, CEO Permascand
Report presentation
CEO Peter Lundström and CFO Linda Ekman will present the report in a conference call today 11 November at 10:30 CET. The presentation will be held in English and will conclude with a Q&A session.
Webcast
https://ir.financialhearings.com/permascand-top-holding-q3-2022
Phone number
To participate via telephone please dial-in on the numbers below.
SE: +46-8-5051-6386
UK: +44-20-319-84884
US: 1-412-317-6300, Pin code: 9111060#
Link to report
The report is attached to this announcement and can be found at: https://permascand.com/investors/financial-reports/
