Monday
Real estate company Immofinanz has divested the Grand Hotel and Casino in Swiss ski resort St. Moritz to international investor. The sale price was not disclosed. The move is part of Immofinanz' decision to focus on its core markets.
Tuesday
Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG said on Tuesday its turnover decreased to EUR 7.05m in the first quarter of fiscal 2012/13 from EUR 8.07m a year earlier. EBIT fell to EUR 214,000 from EUR 465,000. The company said its business development is stable and expects EUR 33m in turnover for the entire year.
Austrian crane maker Palfinger said it has decided to set up a joint
venture with Italian Sky Aces for the production of small
truck mounted platforms. Palfinger will control majority in the new
firm.
Wednesday
Raiffeisen
Bank International (RBI) said on Wednesday it slipped into the red with a net loss of EUR 117m for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared with a profit of EUR 222m a year earlier. The result was due to considerable credit risk provisions. For full 2012 the bank posted a net profit of EUR 725m, down by one fourth in annual terms.
Beko Holding reported that its net profit decreased by 22% to EUR 2.4m in the first quarter of fiscal 2012/13. Sales remained stable at EUR 13.7m. The company did not give any forecast for the entire year.
Fly Niki, a subsidiary of Air Berlin, announced it will fly two times per day from Vienna to Moscow from April 27. Currently the air carrier serves the route once a day.
Thursday
Oil and gas group OMV reported a turnover of EUR 42.649bn for 2012, am increase of one fourth compared with 2011. Net profit grew by 12.8% to EUR 1.79bn. The executive board has proposed a dividend of EUR 1.20 per share, up from EUR 1.10. For 2013 the company expects a rise in the investment volume to about EUR 2.8bn, while production will remain stable.
Fire fighting vehicles maker Rosenbauer said its 2012 turnover increased by 19% to a record-high of EUR 645m due to improved exports. Pre-tax profit however fell by 4% to EUR 38.8m. The results were negatively affected by the intensified price competition. The company expects good utilisation for 2013.
Water technology specialist BWT reported a record-high turnover of EUR 502.3m for 2012, an increase of 4.9% in annual terms. Net profit went up 4.7% to EUR 14.4m. Dividends will be kept unchanged at EUR 0.28. For 2013 the firm sees a higher turnover but with increasing advertising and financing costs.
Friday
Insurer Uniqa reported a net profit of EUR 130.2m for 2012, beating analysts' expectations. After the loss-making 2011, Uniqa will now propose a EUR 0.25 dividend per share for 2012.
Building group Porr said that it had ended 2012 in the black, compared with a EUR 72.2m loss a year earlier. The production output came around the 2011 level of EUR 2.9bn.
Builder Strabag revealed a cooperation agreement with mining giant Rio Tinto for the development of tunnel and shaft drilling systems.
Austrian fruit and sugar group Agrana said it is investing USD 40m in the construction of a new plant in the USA for its fruit preparations business.
Показват се публикациите с етикет English. Показване на всички публикации
Показват се публикациите с етикет English. Показване на всички публикации
понеделник, 25 февруари 2013 г.
вторник, 12 февруари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 4 - 10 Feb
Monday
Real estate developer Immofinanz said it had sold six properties worth a total of EUR 81m. One of the objects is located in Nice and its divestment marks the exit of Immofinanz from France.
Energie Burgenland AG, which is 49%-owned by Burgenland Holding AG and 51% by the province of Burgenland, will pay EUR 17m in dividend for 2012.
Tuesday
Fibre producer Lenzing rejected on Tuesday that it has concrete plans to build a plant in Burma. The speculations surfaced after Lenzing took part in a visit of the Chamber of Economy in the Asian country.
Wednesday - Nothing of interest
Thursday
Steel company Voestalpine reported a 10.2% fall in net profit to EUR 369.5m in the first nine months of its fiscal year. Sales decreased by 2.5% to EUR 8.65bn. The company retained its outlook.
Catering company Do & Co boosted its net profit by 23.9% to EUR 18.4m in the first three quarters of fiscal 2012/13. Revenues went up 22.2% to EUR 442.2m. The company registered growth in all its three divisions.
Kapsch said on Thursday it will deliver mobile radio technology for the Bulgarian railway infrastructure. The Austrian company is part of a consortium led by French Thales.
Gurktaler AG, a spin-off of Austrian champagne producer Schlumberger, will start trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange as of Friday. This is the first IPO in Austria since November 2011.
Machinery group Andritz has received all regulatory approvals for the takeover of German Schuler without any conditions. The deal will be carried out as of March 1.
Friday
Teak Holz International reported EBIT of just EUR 10,000 for the first quarter of its fiscal year, down from EUR 1.7m a year earlier. The result was burdened by unfavourable US dollar-euro exchange rates. Revenues rose slightly from EUR 90,000 to EUR 109,000.
Austrian champagne producer Schlumberger reported external sales of EUR 176.1m for the first nine months of its fiscal year, down 6.0% in annual terms. The company said the Christmas sales were weaker than a year earlier. Schlumberger sees stable sales and earnings for full 2012/13.
Real estate developer Immofinanz said it had sold six properties worth a total of EUR 81m. One of the objects is located in Nice and its divestment marks the exit of Immofinanz from France.
Energie Burgenland AG, which is 49%-owned by Burgenland Holding AG and 51% by the province of Burgenland, will pay EUR 17m in dividend for 2012.
Tuesday
Fibre producer Lenzing rejected on Tuesday that it has concrete plans to build a plant in Burma. The speculations surfaced after Lenzing took part in a visit of the Chamber of Economy in the Asian country.
Wednesday - Nothing of interest
Thursday
Steel company Voestalpine reported a 10.2% fall in net profit to EUR 369.5m in the first nine months of its fiscal year. Sales decreased by 2.5% to EUR 8.65bn. The company retained its outlook.
Catering company Do & Co boosted its net profit by 23.9% to EUR 18.4m in the first three quarters of fiscal 2012/13. Revenues went up 22.2% to EUR 442.2m. The company registered growth in all its three divisions.
Kapsch said on Thursday it will deliver mobile radio technology for the Bulgarian railway infrastructure. The Austrian company is part of a consortium led by French Thales.
Gurktaler AG, a spin-off of Austrian champagne producer Schlumberger, will start trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange as of Friday. This is the first IPO in Austria since November 2011.
Machinery group Andritz has received all regulatory approvals for the takeover of German Schuler without any conditions. The deal will be carried out as of March 1.
Friday
Teak Holz International reported EBIT of just EUR 10,000 for the first quarter of its fiscal year, down from EUR 1.7m a year earlier. The result was burdened by unfavourable US dollar-euro exchange rates. Revenues rose slightly from EUR 90,000 to EUR 109,000.
Austrian champagne producer Schlumberger reported external sales of EUR 176.1m for the first nine months of its fiscal year, down 6.0% in annual terms. The company said the Christmas sales were weaker than a year earlier. Schlumberger sees stable sales and earnings for full 2012/13.
четвъртък, 7 февруари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 28 Jan - 3 Feb
Monday
Austrian credit card provider Paylife is before a takeover by Swiss Six, Wirtschaftsblatt reported on Monday. Currently Paylife's biggest shareholders Bank Austria, Erste Bank, Bawag and ÖVAG have approved the deal. However, Raiffeisen Zentralbank, another stakeholder in Paylife, has the pre-emptive right to buy the shares but it is expected to also exit Paylife.
Austrian State Printing House (OeSD) closed the first three quarters of its fiscal year with a revenue of EUR 33.8m, up from EUR 31.8m a year earlier. Net profit rose to EUR 4.4m from EUR 3.7m. The company projects at least stable operating development for the fourth quarter.
Tuesday
Ams, former austriamicrosystems, said its net profit soared 132% to EUR 81.9m in 2012. Sales grew 41% to EUR 387.6m as the company benefited from the boom in the smartphone and tablet sector. Ams projects a cooling off of the business development in 2013.
Teak Holz International ended fiscal 2011/12 with EBIT of EUR 8.4m -- growth from EUR 2.4m a year earlier. Group profit soared to EUR 3.9m from EUR 0.4m. The results were boosted by the good tree growth and to the favourable development of the US dollar-euro exchange rate.
Bank Austria will manage its activities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from Prague as the headquarters in Bratislava will be closed. In addition, Bank Austria's parent, UniCredit, will merge its business in the Baltic countries.
Wednesday
Office furniture maker Bene will launch an international restructuring programme. Some 100 of the 1,300 worldwide jobs will be cut.
C.A.T. oil reported an all-time high order backlog of EUR 392m for 2013 and a total of EUR 530m for the current year and for 2014 and 2015.
Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) plans to buy 100 new trains from Siemens for EUR 581m. The trains will be used for the S-Bahn network and for regional transport.
Thursday
Pharma company Sanochemia ended fiscal 2011/12 with a net loss of EUR 1.4m, compared with a profit of EUR 0.9m a year earlier. Sales decreased to EUR 30.2m from EUR 34.1m. The company did not give a concrete outlook for the current fiscal year.
Stefan Pierer, CEO of Austrian motorcycle producer KTM, plans to buy Swedish-Italian sector player Husqvarna from BMW, different media reported. With the takeover, KTM will turn into one of the biggest sector players in Europe.
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) said on Thursday evening it expects a net profit of over EUR 700m for 2012, compared with EUR 968m for 2011. Due to considerable write-downs, the fourth quarter was ended in the red.
Friday
The results of OMV for the fourth quarter of 2012 were burdened by about EUR 120m due to reserves for possible losses at the EconGas subsidiary. In addition, hedges had a negative impact of EUR 36m on the EBIT. The refinery margin worsened compared with the previous quarter.
Machinery group Andritz received a EUR 125m order in Canada. Andritz Hydro will provide parts for new hydropower plant Muskrat Falls.
Austria's unemployment rose by 6.4% year-on-year to 338,421 in January 2013. Under the country's own calculation methodology the unemployment rate stood at 9.1%, up by 0.5 percentage points.
OMV has completed the sale of its 62 gas filling stations in Croatia to local company Crodux. The divestment is part of OMV's strategy to leave the retail market of Croatia and Bosnia.
Austrian credit card provider Paylife is before a takeover by Swiss Six, Wirtschaftsblatt reported on Monday. Currently Paylife's biggest shareholders Bank Austria, Erste Bank, Bawag and ÖVAG have approved the deal. However, Raiffeisen Zentralbank, another stakeholder in Paylife, has the pre-emptive right to buy the shares but it is expected to also exit Paylife.
Austrian State Printing House (OeSD) closed the first three quarters of its fiscal year with a revenue of EUR 33.8m, up from EUR 31.8m a year earlier. Net profit rose to EUR 4.4m from EUR 3.7m. The company projects at least stable operating development for the fourth quarter.
Tuesday
Ams, former austriamicrosystems, said its net profit soared 132% to EUR 81.9m in 2012. Sales grew 41% to EUR 387.6m as the company benefited from the boom in the smartphone and tablet sector. Ams projects a cooling off of the business development in 2013.
Teak Holz International ended fiscal 2011/12 with EBIT of EUR 8.4m -- growth from EUR 2.4m a year earlier. Group profit soared to EUR 3.9m from EUR 0.4m. The results were boosted by the good tree growth and to the favourable development of the US dollar-euro exchange rate.
Bank Austria will manage its activities in the Czech Republic and Slovakia from Prague as the headquarters in Bratislava will be closed. In addition, Bank Austria's parent, UniCredit, will merge its business in the Baltic countries.
Wednesday
Office furniture maker Bene will launch an international restructuring programme. Some 100 of the 1,300 worldwide jobs will be cut.
C.A.T. oil reported an all-time high order backlog of EUR 392m for 2013 and a total of EUR 530m for the current year and for 2014 and 2015.
Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) plans to buy 100 new trains from Siemens for EUR 581m. The trains will be used for the S-Bahn network and for regional transport.
Thursday
Pharma company Sanochemia ended fiscal 2011/12 with a net loss of EUR 1.4m, compared with a profit of EUR 0.9m a year earlier. Sales decreased to EUR 30.2m from EUR 34.1m. The company did not give a concrete outlook for the current fiscal year.
Stefan Pierer, CEO of Austrian motorcycle producer KTM, plans to buy Swedish-Italian sector player Husqvarna from BMW, different media reported. With the takeover, KTM will turn into one of the biggest sector players in Europe.
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) said on Thursday evening it expects a net profit of over EUR 700m for 2012, compared with EUR 968m for 2011. Due to considerable write-downs, the fourth quarter was ended in the red.
Friday
The results of OMV for the fourth quarter of 2012 were burdened by about EUR 120m due to reserves for possible losses at the EconGas subsidiary. In addition, hedges had a negative impact of EUR 36m on the EBIT. The refinery margin worsened compared with the previous quarter.
Machinery group Andritz received a EUR 125m order in Canada. Andritz Hydro will provide parts for new hydropower plant Muskrat Falls.
Austria's unemployment rose by 6.4% year-on-year to 338,421 in January 2013. Under the country's own calculation methodology the unemployment rate stood at 9.1%, up by 0.5 percentage points.
OMV has completed the sale of its 62 gas filling stations in Croatia to local company Crodux. The divestment is part of OMV's strategy to leave the retail market of Croatia and Bosnia.
сряда, 30 януари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 21 - 27 Jan
Monday
Real estate company Conwert has completed the buy of 60% in Hamburg-based Kommunale Wohnen AG (KWG). Thus the German portfolio of Conwert will be boosted by two thirds to 24,500 units. The purchase price will be paid in cash and in shares.
Circuit board producer AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG ended the first three quarters of its fiscal year with a net profit of EUR 5.4m, down from EUR 21.9m a year earlier. Sales rose to EUR 405.1m from EUR 371.8m due to improved capacity utilisation at the HDI-plant in Shanghai.
Tuesday
AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG announced it will invest EUR 350m in a new business field - IC substrates. The production, in collaboration with a partner, will be launched in China.
Austrian C.A.T. oil revealed new orders from Russia. Subsidiary CATObneft boosted an existing order with EUR 38m to EUR 65m and received a new one worth EUR 63m for sidetrack drilling.
Wednesday
Fibre producer Lenzing reviews the possible sale of its Plastics division. The company's CEO Peter Untersberger said that the deal is not an urgent divestment.
Refractory material maker RHI said the technical defect which occurred during the start-up of a new fusion plant in Norway in November will result in a lower EBIT margin for the first quarter of 2013 than a year earlier. However, the firm confirmed its 2013 forecast.
Update Software closed 2012 with an EBIT loss of EUR 1m, compared with a profit of EUR 0.1m for 2011. Sales went up 4% to EUR 33m. For 2013 the company targets an EBIT-margin of about 2% and sales growth of 10% to 15%.
Thursday
Vienna Insurance Group ended 2012 with a pre-tax profit rise of 5% to EUR 585m. The premium income grew 9.5% to EUR 9.9bn. The insurer said it will retain its dividend policy.
Telekom Austria (TA) announced on Thursday the issue of a new hybrid bond. According to financial sources, the volume stands at several EUR 100m.
Real estate developer Warimpex Finanz- und Beteiligungs AG announced it had completed the construction of the Le Palais office building in Warsaw. Over 75% of the 5,300 sq m of the building were rented out.
Friday
Telekom Austria revealed on Friday the volume of its hybrid bond, which stood at EUR 600m. With the proceeds the company wants to finance the takeover of discounter Yesss!. The bond, with no set maturity, will bear an annual coupon of 5.625%.
Real estate company Conwert has completed the buy of 60% in Hamburg-based Kommunale Wohnen AG (KWG). Thus the German portfolio of Conwert will be boosted by two thirds to 24,500 units. The purchase price will be paid in cash and in shares.
Circuit board producer AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG ended the first three quarters of its fiscal year with a net profit of EUR 5.4m, down from EUR 21.9m a year earlier. Sales rose to EUR 405.1m from EUR 371.8m due to improved capacity utilisation at the HDI-plant in Shanghai.
Tuesday
AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik AG announced it will invest EUR 350m in a new business field - IC substrates. The production, in collaboration with a partner, will be launched in China.
Austrian C.A.T. oil revealed new orders from Russia. Subsidiary CATObneft boosted an existing order with EUR 38m to EUR 65m and received a new one worth EUR 63m for sidetrack drilling.
Wednesday
Fibre producer Lenzing reviews the possible sale of its Plastics division. The company's CEO Peter Untersberger said that the deal is not an urgent divestment.
Refractory material maker RHI said the technical defect which occurred during the start-up of a new fusion plant in Norway in November will result in a lower EBIT margin for the first quarter of 2013 than a year earlier. However, the firm confirmed its 2013 forecast.
Update Software closed 2012 with an EBIT loss of EUR 1m, compared with a profit of EUR 0.1m for 2011. Sales went up 4% to EUR 33m. For 2013 the company targets an EBIT-margin of about 2% and sales growth of 10% to 15%.
Thursday
Vienna Insurance Group ended 2012 with a pre-tax profit rise of 5% to EUR 585m. The premium income grew 9.5% to EUR 9.9bn. The insurer said it will retain its dividend policy.
Telekom Austria (TA) announced on Thursday the issue of a new hybrid bond. According to financial sources, the volume stands at several EUR 100m.
Real estate developer Warimpex Finanz- und Beteiligungs AG announced it had completed the construction of the Le Palais office building in Warsaw. Over 75% of the 5,300 sq m of the building were rented out.
Friday
Telekom Austria revealed on Friday the volume of its hybrid bond, which stood at EUR 600m. With the proceeds the company wants to finance the takeover of discounter Yesss!. The bond, with no set maturity, will bear an annual coupon of 5.625%.
понеделник, 21 януари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 14 - 20 Jan
Monday
Moody's has confirmed its Baa1 credit rating on Telekom Austria but reduced its outlook to negative from stable. The agency expects the operating performance of the Telekom to remain weak.
Telekom Austria will continue the business of the recently acquired discounter Yesss!. The latter will concentrate on pre-paid cards, while Telekom Austria's own discount brand Bob will focus on contract clients.
Fund manager C-Quadrat boosted its assets under management by 46% to EUR 4.26bn in 2012. The increase was due to the takeover of UK BCM and Austrian Absolute Portfolio Management (APM).
Tuesday
Erste Group announced on Tuesday that it had to write down EUR 300m from the value of its shareholdings, and especially at Romanian subsidiary BCR. The bank projects a net profit of EUR 450m for 2012. The outlook for Erste's operating profit and risk costs was affirmed.
Construction group Strabag has decided to postpone investments worth millions planned for gravity-based foundations technology for offshore wind facilities. The company has intended to invest in the construction of a plant and in ships transporting the foundations.
C.A.T. oil said it had secured two large-scale orders in Russia. The orders, worth EUR 110m and EUR 80m, are for hydraulic fracturing.
Builder Porr plans to merge its subsidiary Porr Umwelttechnik GmbH (PUT) with Styria-based Tieber Gesellschaft m.b.H.. Porr will control 51% in the new company.
The EC has approved the resale of the stake of Austria's top utility Verbund in electricity distributor Steweag-Steg (SSG) to Energie Steiermark AG.
Refractory materials producer RHI has agreed to buy 43.6% in Indian Orient Refractories Ltd for some EUR 31m.
Wednesday
Austria's inflation rate came in at 2.4% in 2012, down from 3.3% in 2011. In December the inflation was unchanged at 2.8% in annual terms. The euro-zone harmonised consumer price index fell to 2.6% for 2012 from 3.6% in 2011. Wifo and IHS, the country's leading economic institutes, see 2.1% and 1.8% as inflation rate, respectively, for the current year.
Pharma-company Sanochemia said on Wednesday it is currently negotiating over the exclusive distribution of its radiology products in the USA. A contract is expected to be signed in the third quarter.
Austrian car parts supplier HTI High Tech Industries AG (HTI) plans to seek a new strategic partner. The company will target a revenue of about EUR 110m for 2013 as well as a breakeven profit.
Thursday
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment (SBO) announced growth of 25.8% in sales to EUR 514m in 2012 thanks to the booming oilfield sector. Pretax profit rose by 40.7% to EUR 110m.
Vienna Airport registered a record-high of 22,165,794 passengers in 2012, up 5% on the year. The biggest increase was registered in the traffic towards eastern Europe. Cargo volume however decreased by 9.2%. For 2013 the airport operator sees growth of 1% to 2% and sales increase of above EUR 625m.
Real estate company CA Immo AG wants to dispose of completed projects in order to improve its capital ratio. The proceeds will be used for redeeming credits and other liabilities.
Oberbank ended 2012 with a pretax profit of EUR 132m, or with an increase of 5%. The bank envisages to widen its branch network once again in 2013. The focus will be on Austria and Bavaria.
Friday
Real estate company Conwert announced write-offs worth EUR 187m for 2012, which will result in a net loss of EUR 137m for the year. The company does not project write-offs in 2013 and thus will be managed to end the year in the black.
Oil and gas group OMV has agreed to divest of its obligatory oil inventories subsidiary to ELG. The deal will have a positive one-off effect of some EUR 440m on OMV's EBIT. OMV Refining & Marketing controls 55.6% in ELG.
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska acquired further 0.3% in Austrian builder Strabag from the latter's CEO - Hans-Peter Haselsteiner. In November 2012 Deripaska secured 17% in Strabag for EUR 19.25 per share.
Moody's has confirmed its Baa1 credit rating on Telekom Austria but reduced its outlook to negative from stable. The agency expects the operating performance of the Telekom to remain weak.
Telekom Austria will continue the business of the recently acquired discounter Yesss!. The latter will concentrate on pre-paid cards, while Telekom Austria's own discount brand Bob will focus on contract clients.
Fund manager C-Quadrat boosted its assets under management by 46% to EUR 4.26bn in 2012. The increase was due to the takeover of UK BCM and Austrian Absolute Portfolio Management (APM).
Tuesday
Erste Group announced on Tuesday that it had to write down EUR 300m from the value of its shareholdings, and especially at Romanian subsidiary BCR. The bank projects a net profit of EUR 450m for 2012. The outlook for Erste's operating profit and risk costs was affirmed.
Construction group Strabag has decided to postpone investments worth millions planned for gravity-based foundations technology for offshore wind facilities. The company has intended to invest in the construction of a plant and in ships transporting the foundations.
C.A.T. oil said it had secured two large-scale orders in Russia. The orders, worth EUR 110m and EUR 80m, are for hydraulic fracturing.
Builder Porr plans to merge its subsidiary Porr Umwelttechnik GmbH (PUT) with Styria-based Tieber Gesellschaft m.b.H.. Porr will control 51% in the new company.
The EC has approved the resale of the stake of Austria's top utility Verbund in electricity distributor Steweag-Steg (SSG) to Energie Steiermark AG.
Refractory materials producer RHI has agreed to buy 43.6% in Indian Orient Refractories Ltd for some EUR 31m.
Wednesday
Austria's inflation rate came in at 2.4% in 2012, down from 3.3% in 2011. In December the inflation was unchanged at 2.8% in annual terms. The euro-zone harmonised consumer price index fell to 2.6% for 2012 from 3.6% in 2011. Wifo and IHS, the country's leading economic institutes, see 2.1% and 1.8% as inflation rate, respectively, for the current year.
Pharma-company Sanochemia said on Wednesday it is currently negotiating over the exclusive distribution of its radiology products in the USA. A contract is expected to be signed in the third quarter.
Austrian car parts supplier HTI High Tech Industries AG (HTI) plans to seek a new strategic partner. The company will target a revenue of about EUR 110m for 2013 as well as a breakeven profit.
Thursday
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment (SBO) announced growth of 25.8% in sales to EUR 514m in 2012 thanks to the booming oilfield sector. Pretax profit rose by 40.7% to EUR 110m.
Vienna Airport registered a record-high of 22,165,794 passengers in 2012, up 5% on the year. The biggest increase was registered in the traffic towards eastern Europe. Cargo volume however decreased by 9.2%. For 2013 the airport operator sees growth of 1% to 2% and sales increase of above EUR 625m.
Real estate company CA Immo AG wants to dispose of completed projects in order to improve its capital ratio. The proceeds will be used for redeeming credits and other liabilities.
Oberbank ended 2012 with a pretax profit of EUR 132m, or with an increase of 5%. The bank envisages to widen its branch network once again in 2013. The focus will be on Austria and Bavaria.
Friday
Real estate company Conwert announced write-offs worth EUR 187m for 2012, which will result in a net loss of EUR 137m for the year. The company does not project write-offs in 2013 and thus will be managed to end the year in the black.
Oil and gas group OMV has agreed to divest of its obligatory oil inventories subsidiary to ELG. The deal will have a positive one-off effect of some EUR 440m on OMV's EBIT. OMV Refining & Marketing controls 55.6% in ELG.
Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska acquired further 0.3% in Austrian builder Strabag from the latter's CEO - Hans-Peter Haselsteiner. In November 2012 Deripaska secured 17% in Strabag for EUR 19.25 per share.
сряда, 16 януари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 7 - 13 Jan
Monday
Laakman Holding Ltd and T&F Tax and Finance SA have acquired 9.4% in Austrian fund manager C-Quadrat Investment AG. In 2012 the Austrian firm bought UK sector player BCM from Laakman Holding, paying 30% of the purchase price in stock.
The B&C Industrial Holding and Linz-based Oberbank will unite their shares in aluminium specialist AMAG and therefore plan to file a mandatory takeover offer for the entire company. The partners will offer EUR 20.81 per share plus dividend for 2012 and will not target a squeeze-out or a complete takeover. B&C currently owns 29.99% in AMAG and Oberbank has 5.01%.
Tuesday
Telekom Austria said on Tuesday it expects its 2013 revenue to be about EUR 4.1bn, compared with the projected EUR 4.2bn for 2012. The company forecasts that its business will continue to be affected by the tough competition, regulatory measures, the economic crisis and currency-related risks. It projects a dividend for both 2012 and 2013 of EUR 0.05 per share. Telekom Austria plans to focus on the mobile phone markets in Austria, Bulgaria and Croatia in 2013.
Porr Umwelttechnik, part of Austrian builder Porr, has acquired the brown coal power plant Voitsberg, formerly part of the A-Tec group of Mirko Kovats. The facility will be thus dismantled in 18 months.
Wednesday
Austrian flyniki, subsidiary of Air Berlin, transported 3.74m passengers in 2012, up 6.3% on the year. The company's capacity grew 3.9% and the seat load factor by 1.8 percentage points.
Austrian holding company Unternehmens Invest AG, or UIAG, ended fiscal 2011/12 with a profit from ordinary operations of EUR 2.03m, compared with EUR 1.98m in 2010/11. The management will offer the payment of EUR 0.20 in dividend per share.
Real estate developer UBM Realitätenentwicklung has taken the 50% stake of its partner Warimpex in the Angelo hotel in Berlin. UBM plans to invest about EUR 50m in the expansion of the four-star hotel.
Oil and gas group OMV, together with its partners Statoil and ConocoPhillips will invest EUR 4.4bn in the further development of the Aasta Hansteen gas field in the Norwegian Sea. OMV holds 15% in the project and therefore will invest some EUR 600m.
Thursday
Sugar group Agrana announced that its sales grew 22.4% on the year to EUR 2.39bn in the first nine months of fiscal 2012/13 thanks to good performance of the sugar and fruit segments. Net profit went up 6.9% to EUR 138.6m. For full 2012/13 Agrana projects sales of over EUR 3bn and a high price level. The company added that it is still interested in the takeover of sugar refineries in the western Balkans.
Machinery maker Andritz has received an order for the delivery of a biomass boiler plant in Sweden. The launch of the plant is planned for the third quarter of 2015.
The members of the Shah Deniz gas consortium have agreed to the option of getting 50% in the Nabucco gas pipeline project. Nabucco and Shah Deniz also reached an agreement on the joint financing of the project.
Austrian construction firms Alpine, Porr and Gebrüder Haider have received an order from motorway operator Asfinag for the S10 highway.
Austria's cartel authorities approved the acquisition of parts of eight hydropower plants along the Inn by Verbund. The plants are owned by German sector player E.On. In return, Verbund will transfer its stake in Turkish joint venture Enerjisa.
Friday
Austrian motorcycle producer KTM announced that its 2012 revenue grew by 16% on the year to EUR 610m. The company sold 107,142 motorcycles, an increase of 32%.
Fire-fighting vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer said it has lost an order worth EUR 33m in Brazil. This would affect the 2012 results with some EUR 3.1m.
Dutch Heineken plans to relocate its CEE-headquarters from Vienna to Amsterdam, Oberösterreichische Nachrichten reported on Sunday. The change is not so dramatic, the paper quoted Markus Liebl, the CEO of local Heineken unit, Beau Union.
Laakman Holding Ltd and T&F Tax and Finance SA have acquired 9.4% in Austrian fund manager C-Quadrat Investment AG. In 2012 the Austrian firm bought UK sector player BCM from Laakman Holding, paying 30% of the purchase price in stock.
The B&C Industrial Holding and Linz-based Oberbank will unite their shares in aluminium specialist AMAG and therefore plan to file a mandatory takeover offer for the entire company. The partners will offer EUR 20.81 per share plus dividend for 2012 and will not target a squeeze-out or a complete takeover. B&C currently owns 29.99% in AMAG and Oberbank has 5.01%.
Tuesday
Telekom Austria said on Tuesday it expects its 2013 revenue to be about EUR 4.1bn, compared with the projected EUR 4.2bn for 2012. The company forecasts that its business will continue to be affected by the tough competition, regulatory measures, the economic crisis and currency-related risks. It projects a dividend for both 2012 and 2013 of EUR 0.05 per share. Telekom Austria plans to focus on the mobile phone markets in Austria, Bulgaria and Croatia in 2013.
Porr Umwelttechnik, part of Austrian builder Porr, has acquired the brown coal power plant Voitsberg, formerly part of the A-Tec group of Mirko Kovats. The facility will be thus dismantled in 18 months.
Wednesday
Austrian flyniki, subsidiary of Air Berlin, transported 3.74m passengers in 2012, up 6.3% on the year. The company's capacity grew 3.9% and the seat load factor by 1.8 percentage points.
Austrian holding company Unternehmens Invest AG, or UIAG, ended fiscal 2011/12 with a profit from ordinary operations of EUR 2.03m, compared with EUR 1.98m in 2010/11. The management will offer the payment of EUR 0.20 in dividend per share.
Real estate developer UBM Realitätenentwicklung has taken the 50% stake of its partner Warimpex in the Angelo hotel in Berlin. UBM plans to invest about EUR 50m in the expansion of the four-star hotel.
Oil and gas group OMV, together with its partners Statoil and ConocoPhillips will invest EUR 4.4bn in the further development of the Aasta Hansteen gas field in the Norwegian Sea. OMV holds 15% in the project and therefore will invest some EUR 600m.
Thursday
Sugar group Agrana announced that its sales grew 22.4% on the year to EUR 2.39bn in the first nine months of fiscal 2012/13 thanks to good performance of the sugar and fruit segments. Net profit went up 6.9% to EUR 138.6m. For full 2012/13 Agrana projects sales of over EUR 3bn and a high price level. The company added that it is still interested in the takeover of sugar refineries in the western Balkans.
Machinery maker Andritz has received an order for the delivery of a biomass boiler plant in Sweden. The launch of the plant is planned for the third quarter of 2015.
The members of the Shah Deniz gas consortium have agreed to the option of getting 50% in the Nabucco gas pipeline project. Nabucco and Shah Deniz also reached an agreement on the joint financing of the project.
Austrian construction firms Alpine, Porr and Gebrüder Haider have received an order from motorway operator Asfinag for the S10 highway.
Austria's cartel authorities approved the acquisition of parts of eight hydropower plants along the Inn by Verbund. The plants are owned by German sector player E.On. In return, Verbund will transfer its stake in Turkish joint venture Enerjisa.
Friday
Austrian motorcycle producer KTM announced that its 2012 revenue grew by 16% on the year to EUR 610m. The company sold 107,142 motorcycles, an increase of 32%.
Fire-fighting vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer said it has lost an order worth EUR 33m in Brazil. This would affect the 2012 results with some EUR 3.1m.
Dutch Heineken plans to relocate its CEE-headquarters from Vienna to Amsterdam, Oberösterreichische Nachrichten reported on Sunday. The change is not so dramatic, the paper quoted Markus Liebl, the CEO of local Heineken unit, Beau Union.
понеделник, 7 януари 2013 г.
Austrian Corporate & Econ News - 31 Dec - 6 Jan
Monday and Tuesday - Holidays
Wednesday
The number of unemployed in Austria rose by 6% to 322,981 in December 2012 as the labour market continues to be burdened by the weak economic development. Under the country's own estimation methodology, the unemployment rate stood at 8.6%.
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has retained its BBB- rating on construction group Strabag, with a "stable" outlook. The keeping of the rating was attributed to the diversified business activities, the access to raw materials and high liquidity of Strabag.
Thursday
Telekom Austria envisages the issue of a EUR 800m hybrid bond, which will cover the company's investment needs. The company plans to invest mainly in new frequency acquisitions and in prolonging the already existing contracts.
In a separate news, Telekom Austria said it has wrapped up the takeover of discount sector player Yesss!. The purchase price stood at EUR 390m.
Friday
Renault Austria registered stable passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sales in 2012. Scenic and Megane were the two most sought after Renault models in the country.
Kapsch has confirmed its interest in the possible auction of Germany's toll system after 2015, the company told WirtschaftsWoche.
Wednesday
The number of unemployed in Austria rose by 6% to 322,981 in December 2012 as the labour market continues to be burdened by the weak economic development. Under the country's own estimation methodology, the unemployment rate stood at 8.6%.
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has retained its BBB- rating on construction group Strabag, with a "stable" outlook. The keeping of the rating was attributed to the diversified business activities, the access to raw materials and high liquidity of Strabag.
Thursday
Telekom Austria envisages the issue of a EUR 800m hybrid bond, which will cover the company's investment needs. The company plans to invest mainly in new frequency acquisitions and in prolonging the already existing contracts.
In a separate news, Telekom Austria said it has wrapped up the takeover of discount sector player Yesss!. The purchase price stood at EUR 390m.
Friday
Renault Austria registered stable passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sales in 2012. Scenic and Megane were the two most sought after Renault models in the country.
Kapsch has confirmed its interest in the possible auction of Germany's toll system after 2015, the company told WirtschaftsWoche.
вторник, 6 ноември 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 29 Oct - 4 Nov
Monday
Refractory materials maker RHI is reportedly before the 80m euro takeover of Indian Orient Refractories, Indian Economic Times wrote on Monday. Initially RHI plans to buy 48.61% in the company. The deal is expected to be wrapped up in November, the paper added.
Securities Commission Malaysia has approved the buy of Latexx Partners Berhad by Austrian rubber specialist Semperit AG. The Austrian and German authorities are still to give their nods to the deal.
Gas Connect Austria, the gas grid operator of OMV, has sold 45% in AGGM Austrian Gas Grid Management AG to EVN Netz GmbH, OÖ. Ferngas Netz GmbH and Gasnetz Steiermark GmbH. OMV will keep a majority in AGGM.
Tuesday
Erste Group revealed on Tuesday a net profit of 597.3m euro for the first three quarters of 2012, compared with almost 1bn euro loss in the same period last year. Operating profit remained stable at 2.618bn euro and the bank expects its full-2012 result to be slightly lower than in 2011.
Crane maker Palfinger plans to take over Norwegian marine and offshore crane producer Bergen Group Dreggen AS. The buyer did not disclose the purchase price for the company with annual sales of 30m euro.
Machinery specialist Andritz bought Dutch sector player Royal GMF-Gouda for an unrevealed price. Royal GMF-Gouda employs 140 and has annual sales of 40m euro.
Wednesday
Industrial group Hirsch Servo AG said on Wednesday its net loss widened to 7.5m euro in fiscal 2011/12 from 2.59m euro a year earlier. Revenue went down 7.4% to 85.8m euro. In view of the unstable market development, the firm did not make a forecast for the current fiscal year.
Real estate developer Warimpex said it has agreed to sell its InterContinental hotel in Warsaw to DekaBank. The deal price stands at at least 100m euro.
Austria's energy companies OMV, Verbund and EVN have improved their position in the list of the biggest and most profitable energy firms worldwide. The chart is calculated by sector information services provider Platts. In it OMV ranks this year at #51, Verbund at #166 and EVN at #232.
Thursday - All Saints' Day
Friday
Pankl Racing raised its sales by 16% to 28.1m euro in the third quarter of 2012. Operating profit stood unchanged at 0.7m euro. The supplier of parts for the automotive and aviation industry projects 20% sales growth for full 2012.
The number of unemployed in Austria grew 6.3% on the year to 249,912 in October. Under the country's own definition, the unemployment rate came in at 6.7%, up by 0.3 points.
The brown coal power plant which Verbund is currently constructing in Turkey may be environmentally-risky and may miss the efficiency standards of the European Union, Wirtschaftsblatt reported quoting an analysis of URS. Verbund, however, referred to the fact that the World Bank has already given its okay to the project.
Refractory materials maker RHI is reportedly before the 80m euro takeover of Indian Orient Refractories, Indian Economic Times wrote on Monday. Initially RHI plans to buy 48.61% in the company. The deal is expected to be wrapped up in November, the paper added.
Securities Commission Malaysia has approved the buy of Latexx Partners Berhad by Austrian rubber specialist Semperit AG. The Austrian and German authorities are still to give their nods to the deal.
Gas Connect Austria, the gas grid operator of OMV, has sold 45% in AGGM Austrian Gas Grid Management AG to EVN Netz GmbH, OÖ. Ferngas Netz GmbH and Gasnetz Steiermark GmbH. OMV will keep a majority in AGGM.
Tuesday
Erste Group revealed on Tuesday a net profit of 597.3m euro for the first three quarters of 2012, compared with almost 1bn euro loss in the same period last year. Operating profit remained stable at 2.618bn euro and the bank expects its full-2012 result to be slightly lower than in 2011.
Crane maker Palfinger plans to take over Norwegian marine and offshore crane producer Bergen Group Dreggen AS. The buyer did not disclose the purchase price for the company with annual sales of 30m euro.
Machinery specialist Andritz bought Dutch sector player Royal GMF-Gouda for an unrevealed price. Royal GMF-Gouda employs 140 and has annual sales of 40m euro.
Wednesday
Industrial group Hirsch Servo AG said on Wednesday its net loss widened to 7.5m euro in fiscal 2011/12 from 2.59m euro a year earlier. Revenue went down 7.4% to 85.8m euro. In view of the unstable market development, the firm did not make a forecast for the current fiscal year.
Real estate developer Warimpex said it has agreed to sell its InterContinental hotel in Warsaw to DekaBank. The deal price stands at at least 100m euro.
Austria's energy companies OMV, Verbund and EVN have improved their position in the list of the biggest and most profitable energy firms worldwide. The chart is calculated by sector information services provider Platts. In it OMV ranks this year at #51, Verbund at #166 and EVN at #232.
Thursday - All Saints' Day
Friday
Pankl Racing raised its sales by 16% to 28.1m euro in the third quarter of 2012. Operating profit stood unchanged at 0.7m euro. The supplier of parts for the automotive and aviation industry projects 20% sales growth for full 2012.
The number of unemployed in Austria grew 6.3% on the year to 249,912 in October. Under the country's own definition, the unemployment rate came in at 6.7%, up by 0.3 points.
The brown coal power plant which Verbund is currently constructing in Turkey may be environmentally-risky and may miss the efficiency standards of the European Union, Wirtschaftsblatt reported quoting an analysis of URS. Verbund, however, referred to the fact that the World Bank has already given its okay to the project.
понеделник, 29 октомври 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 22-28 Oct
Monday
Austrian circuit board producer AT&S raised its sales by 5% to 255m euro in the first half of its fiscal year. Net profit, however, collapsed by 85% to 2.08m euro. The fall in earnings was attributed to high write-offs and underutilisation as well as to sinking demand. Company's CEO Andreas Gerstenmayer is still optimistic for the entire year.
Ams, former austriamicrosystems, announced a 27% increase in sales to 103.3m euro in the third quarter of 2012. EBIT grew 96% to 25.5m euro. The company benefited from increasing demand for smartphone and tablet PC applications. The firm projects 40% increase in sales for the full year. Ams also revealed the planned takeover of IDS, a RFID design house.
Tuesday
Despite the announced on Monday fall in earnings, circuit board maker AT&S does not see any reason for a profit warning for full 2012/13, CFO Thomas Obendrauf said at a news conference. According to him, the company can still meet its targets.
US Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) has lowered its stake in Austria's building material producer Wienerberger to under the 5% threshold.
Wednesday
Austrian construction group Porr on Wednesday opened a new plant for the production of concrete rail sleepers in Serbian town Svilajnac. Porr has invested 5.6m euro in the factory, which will employ 30 initially.
In view of the results from the first three quarters of the year, power supplier Verbund improved its outlook for full 2012 to 830m euro in EBIT and 380m euro in net profit. The company's net profit grew 5.3% to 332.2m in the first nine months, while revenue went up 4.2% to 2.29bn euro.
Building group Strabag mulls over participating in the tender for the concession of the Brenner Autobahn in Trentino-Alto Adige. Italy's infrastructure sector is especially important for the Austrian company, a spokesperson told APA news agency.
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) is currently considering two or three small-scale acquisitions, CEO Peter Hagen told journalists. The purchase prices may stand in the double-digit million euro range. The company has around 1.5bn euro for possible takeovers in its war chest.
Thursday
Technology company Andritz said it had received an order worth between 250m and 300m euro in Laos. Andritz will deliver equipment for the Xayaburi power plant.
UBM Realitätenentwicklung AG, a subsidiary of Porr, plans to raise the volume of its last year issued bond by up to 25m euro to 100m euro.
The takeover of water technology specialist BWT AG by the WAB Gruppe was approved by the corresponding authorities.
The Strauss group has acquired 37.93% of the voting rights in construction company Porr. The price for the already announced mandatory takeover offer for the rest in Porr will probably stand at 52 euro per ordinary share.
Friday - National Holiday
Austrian circuit board producer AT&S raised its sales by 5% to 255m euro in the first half of its fiscal year. Net profit, however, collapsed by 85% to 2.08m euro. The fall in earnings was attributed to high write-offs and underutilisation as well as to sinking demand. Company's CEO Andreas Gerstenmayer is still optimistic for the entire year.
Ams, former austriamicrosystems, announced a 27% increase in sales to 103.3m euro in the third quarter of 2012. EBIT grew 96% to 25.5m euro. The company benefited from increasing demand for smartphone and tablet PC applications. The firm projects 40% increase in sales for the full year. Ams also revealed the planned takeover of IDS, a RFID design house.
Tuesday
Despite the announced on Monday fall in earnings, circuit board maker AT&S does not see any reason for a profit warning for full 2012/13, CFO Thomas Obendrauf said at a news conference. According to him, the company can still meet its targets.
US Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) has lowered its stake in Austria's building material producer Wienerberger to under the 5% threshold.
Wednesday
Austrian construction group Porr on Wednesday opened a new plant for the production of concrete rail sleepers in Serbian town Svilajnac. Porr has invested 5.6m euro in the factory, which will employ 30 initially.
In view of the results from the first three quarters of the year, power supplier Verbund improved its outlook for full 2012 to 830m euro in EBIT and 380m euro in net profit. The company's net profit grew 5.3% to 332.2m in the first nine months, while revenue went up 4.2% to 2.29bn euro.
Building group Strabag mulls over participating in the tender for the concession of the Brenner Autobahn in Trentino-Alto Adige. Italy's infrastructure sector is especially important for the Austrian company, a spokesperson told APA news agency.
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) is currently considering two or three small-scale acquisitions, CEO Peter Hagen told journalists. The purchase prices may stand in the double-digit million euro range. The company has around 1.5bn euro for possible takeovers in its war chest.
Thursday
Technology company Andritz said it had received an order worth between 250m and 300m euro in Laos. Andritz will deliver equipment for the Xayaburi power plant.
UBM Realitätenentwicklung AG, a subsidiary of Porr, plans to raise the volume of its last year issued bond by up to 25m euro to 100m euro.
The takeover of water technology specialist BWT AG by the WAB Gruppe was approved by the corresponding authorities.
The Strauss group has acquired 37.93% of the voting rights in construction company Porr. The price for the already announced mandatory takeover offer for the rest in Porr will probably stand at 52 euro per ordinary share.
Friday - National Holiday
понеделник, 15 октомври 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 8-14 Oct
Monday
Austrian rubber specialist Semperit AG Holding has agreed to buy 47.3% in Malaysian Latexx Partners Berhad. The target company is one of the biggest makers of medical gloves in the world.
Erste Group is considering whether to keep its loss-making business in Ukraine. A decision will be taken by the end of the year, a spokesperson said on Monday.
Tuesday
Real estate company Immofinanz said that it had secured long-term refinancing worth 80m euro from German bank Helaba. The refinancing will be used for the office projects Brama Zachodnia and IO-1 in Warsaw.
Semperit AG Holding announced on Tuesday that it had secured a total of 59.3% in Malaysian Latexx Partners. The Austrian company revealed on Monday its takeover offer for up to 100% in the medical glove producer.
Following last week's divestment, the stake of Erste Privatstiftung and its partners in Erste Group has decreased to 24.17%, the bank said in a statement.
Wednesday
Strauss und Partner Beteiligungs GmbH will have to file a takeover offer for all shares in Austria's second biggest building company Porr, the company said. The offer has to be completed by the end of October.
Thursday
Austrian sugar producer Agrana said on Thursday its net profit grew to 99.6m euro in the first half of fiscal 2012/13 from 77.7m euro a year earlier due to higher sugar prices. Revenues went up to 1.603bn euro from 1.285bn euro. For full 2012/13 the company projects revenues of above 3bn euro, while prices are to remain high.
Vienna Airport serviced 2.17m passengers in September, an increase of 3.6% on the year. The operator registered growth of 5.9% for the first nine months of the year. Freight volumes, however, decreased in September by 11.5%.
Verbund has divested its 49% stake in Energie Klagenfurt GmbH (EKG) for 70m euro. Regional utility Klagenfurter Stadtwerke is now the sole owner of EKG.
US Century Casinos, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, has agreed to buy further 33.3% in Casinos Poland Ltd. (CPL). If the deal is approved Century Casinos will control two thirds in the Polish firm.
Friday
Austria's major power utility Verbund has confirmed that there are ongoing considerations regarding the future of its business in Turkey. The options range from divestment to acquisitions, Verbund said in a statement.
Erste Group wants to expand its activities in Turkey, especially in the field of Investment Banking and Capital Markets, Ingo Bleier, head of investment banking, told local daily Hürriyet. Erste Group stepped on the Turkish market in 2009.
Austrian rubber specialist Semperit AG Holding has agreed to buy 47.3% in Malaysian Latexx Partners Berhad. The target company is one of the biggest makers of medical gloves in the world.
Erste Group is considering whether to keep its loss-making business in Ukraine. A decision will be taken by the end of the year, a spokesperson said on Monday.
Tuesday
Real estate company Immofinanz said that it had secured long-term refinancing worth 80m euro from German bank Helaba. The refinancing will be used for the office projects Brama Zachodnia and IO-1 in Warsaw.
Semperit AG Holding announced on Tuesday that it had secured a total of 59.3% in Malaysian Latexx Partners. The Austrian company revealed on Monday its takeover offer for up to 100% in the medical glove producer.
Following last week's divestment, the stake of Erste Privatstiftung and its partners in Erste Group has decreased to 24.17%, the bank said in a statement.
Wednesday
Strauss und Partner Beteiligungs GmbH will have to file a takeover offer for all shares in Austria's second biggest building company Porr, the company said. The offer has to be completed by the end of October.
Thursday
Austrian sugar producer Agrana said on Thursday its net profit grew to 99.6m euro in the first half of fiscal 2012/13 from 77.7m euro a year earlier due to higher sugar prices. Revenues went up to 1.603bn euro from 1.285bn euro. For full 2012/13 the company projects revenues of above 3bn euro, while prices are to remain high.
Vienna Airport serviced 2.17m passengers in September, an increase of 3.6% on the year. The operator registered growth of 5.9% for the first nine months of the year. Freight volumes, however, decreased in September by 11.5%.
Verbund has divested its 49% stake in Energie Klagenfurt GmbH (EKG) for 70m euro. Regional utility Klagenfurter Stadtwerke is now the sole owner of EKG.
US Century Casinos, listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, has agreed to buy further 33.3% in Casinos Poland Ltd. (CPL). If the deal is approved Century Casinos will control two thirds in the Polish firm.
Friday
Austria's major power utility Verbund has confirmed that there are ongoing considerations regarding the future of its business in Turkey. The options range from divestment to acquisitions, Verbund said in a statement.
Erste Group wants to expand its activities in Turkey, especially in the field of Investment Banking and Capital Markets, Ingo Bleier, head of investment banking, told local daily Hürriyet. Erste Group stepped on the Turkish market in 2009.
вторник, 9 октомври 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 1-7 Oct
Monday
The number of unemployed in Austria grew by 5% to 229,025 in September, showing the continuing signs of the economic crisis. The country's unemployment rate thus stood at 4.5% under Eurostat calculations.
Online gaming specialist bwin.party has agreed to sell poker platform Ongame to Amaya Gaming Group for a total of 25m euro. The deal is expected to be closed in the fourth quarter of the year.
Champagne producer Schlumberger plans to spin off its herbal drinks production (including Leibwächter and Gurktaler Alpenkräuter) into a new public limited company.
Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung envisages to sell up to 14m shares in Erste Group, which will reduce the shareholding of the private foundation to about 20.2%. The divestment will be implemented via an Accelerated Bookbuilt Offering.
Tuesday
Car maker BMW plans to withdraw the production of its Mini model from Austria and to concentrate it in the UK and the Netherlands. Currently Austro-Canadian contractor Magna is building the model for BMW in Graz.
Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG said on Tuesday it had entered into a licence agreement with US Katama Pharmaceuticals. The contract is for the clinical research and the exclusive distribution of muscle relaxant tolperisone.Siemens Austria will deliver eight trams of the new Avenio type to the city of Munich. The order volume stands at 30m euro.
Raiffeisen Bank International will open its first ten Raiffeisen branches in Slovakia by the end of the year. The branches will specialise on the retail segment.
Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung has pocketed some 235m euro from the divestment of 14m shares in Erste Group. Due to high demand, the offer was ended in several hours.
Real estate company Immofinanz is investing some 115m euro in a new retail centre in Poland.
Wednesday
Rating agency Standard & Poor's has confirmed the A- rating on the operational units of Austrian insurer Uniqa. The group's holding company has kept its BBB+ rating. The outlook is "stable".
Fibre producer Lenzing said it had fully acquired Czech pulp specialist Biocel Paskov. So far Lenzing had owned 75% in the Czech firm.
Both Erste Group and Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) have managed to fulfil the increased capital requirements of the European Banking Authority (EBA). Erste Group had a core capital ratio of 9.9% in mid-2012, while RZB registered a ratio of 10%.
Thursday
Klagenfurter Stadtwerke, the utility company of the province of Klagenfurt, said it wants to buy back the shares of leading company Verbund in its subsidiary Energie Klagenfurt (EKG). Verbund bought 49% in EKG in 2005.
Friday
Motorcycle maker KTM AG said Friday it sold 79,117 units in the first nine months of 2012, an increase of 33% on the year. The company's share on the European market came in at 7.3%. KTM predicts sales of over 100,000 for full 2012.
OMV announced it had signed the development and production lease deed for the Latif gas field in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The oil and gas group expects the field to contribute around 6,000 boe/d in 2014.
The shareholders of real estate company Immofinanz AG approved the payment of 0.15 euro as a dividend per share for fiscal 2011/12.
The number of unemployed in Austria grew by 5% to 229,025 in September, showing the continuing signs of the economic crisis. The country's unemployment rate thus stood at 4.5% under Eurostat calculations.
Online gaming specialist bwin.party has agreed to sell poker platform Ongame to Amaya Gaming Group for a total of 25m euro. The deal is expected to be closed in the fourth quarter of the year.
Champagne producer Schlumberger plans to spin off its herbal drinks production (including Leibwächter and Gurktaler Alpenkräuter) into a new public limited company.
Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung envisages to sell up to 14m shares in Erste Group, which will reduce the shareholding of the private foundation to about 20.2%. The divestment will be implemented via an Accelerated Bookbuilt Offering.
Tuesday
Car maker BMW plans to withdraw the production of its Mini model from Austria and to concentrate it in the UK and the Netherlands. Currently Austro-Canadian contractor Magna is building the model for BMW in Graz.
Sanochemia Pharmazeutika AG said on Tuesday it had entered into a licence agreement with US Katama Pharmaceuticals. The contract is for the clinical research and the exclusive distribution of muscle relaxant tolperisone.Siemens Austria will deliver eight trams of the new Avenio type to the city of Munich. The order volume stands at 30m euro.
Raiffeisen Bank International will open its first ten Raiffeisen branches in Slovakia by the end of the year. The branches will specialise on the retail segment.
Erste Österreichische Spar-Casse Privatstiftung has pocketed some 235m euro from the divestment of 14m shares in Erste Group. Due to high demand, the offer was ended in several hours.
Real estate company Immofinanz is investing some 115m euro in a new retail centre in Poland.
Wednesday
Rating agency Standard & Poor's has confirmed the A- rating on the operational units of Austrian insurer Uniqa. The group's holding company has kept its BBB+ rating. The outlook is "stable".
Fibre producer Lenzing said it had fully acquired Czech pulp specialist Biocel Paskov. So far Lenzing had owned 75% in the Czech firm.
Both Erste Group and Raiffeisen Zentralbank (RZB) have managed to fulfil the increased capital requirements of the European Banking Authority (EBA). Erste Group had a core capital ratio of 9.9% in mid-2012, while RZB registered a ratio of 10%.
Thursday
Klagenfurter Stadtwerke, the utility company of the province of Klagenfurt, said it wants to buy back the shares of leading company Verbund in its subsidiary Energie Klagenfurt (EKG). Verbund bought 49% in EKG in 2005.
Friday
Motorcycle maker KTM AG said Friday it sold 79,117 units in the first nine months of 2012, an increase of 33% on the year. The company's share on the European market came in at 7.3%. KTM predicts sales of over 100,000 for full 2012.
OMV announced it had signed the development and production lease deed for the Latif gas field in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The oil and gas group expects the field to contribute around 6,000 boe/d in 2014.
The shareholders of real estate company Immofinanz AG approved the payment of 0.15 euro as a dividend per share for fiscal 2011/12.
понеделник, 1 октомври 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 24-30 Sep
Monday
As of Monday office furniture maker Bene will switch to the mid market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange. So far the company has traded on the prime market.
Real estate firm Immofinanz opted for a share repurchase programme with a value of 50m euro. The programme will be implemented by investing 0.05 euro per share from the planned dividend of 0.20 per share.
Telekom Austria announced on Monday a cut in its planned dividend for 2012 to 0.05 euro per share from the envisaged 0.38 euro. The decision was explained with the worsening competition situation in Austria. The company, however, confirmed its outlook for 2012.
Tuesday
Immofinanz said on Tuesday that its EBIT rose by 31.1% to 188.5m euro in the first quarter of fiscal 2012/13. Thanks to the buyout of Moscow's Golden Babylon Rostokino shopping centre, the rental income went up 14.2% to 162.3m euro. Due to negative effects from currency and derivative valuations, the company registered a fall in net profit of above 60%. CEO Eduard Zehetner projects the stable development to continue until the end of the year.
Austrian investor Ronny Pecik has divested his last stake of 16% in Telekom Austria to America Movil, a company of billionaire Carlos Slim.
Vienna's commercial court ordered brewery Ottakringer to pay a cash compensation of 8.60 euro per share for all its shares before the merger with mineral water company Vöslauer in 2009. The ruling comes after minority shareholders complained that Vöslauer was overvalued during the transaction.
Wednesday
The current stock repurchasing programme of Frauenthal Holding will run between September 26 and October 10, the company said. The move concerns some 7.1% of the share capital.
Steel group Voestalpine plans to issue a bond worth 500m euro and bearing maturity of six years. The bond will have a coupon of 4%.
UK-Austrian online betting company bwin.party may be a target for a possible takeover, Guardian reported on Wednesday. A possible price may stand at 180 pence per share.
Thursday
Oil and gas group OMV has issued two bonds worth a total of 1.5bn euro. The bonds are already trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange.
Austria's top utility Verbund has no plans to withdraw from its Turkish business, CEO Wolfgang Anzengruber told Kurier. The manager referred to the firm's plans to build together with local partner Sabanci further 12 hydropower plants in the country.
Construction company Strabag said it was awarded a 112m euro contract to build a waste treatment plant in Ljubljana.
Friday
Economic institutes Wifo and IHS have reduced their forecasts for Austria's economic growth for 2013 to 1% and 1.3%, respectively. Previously Wifo projected 1.3% and IHS 1.7%. For 2012 Wifo continues to expect 0.6% and IHS 0.8% in growth.
The merger of Österreichische Volksbanken-AG (ÖVAG) and Investkredit Bank AG was officially registered on Friday. The transaction will have a retroactive effect as of December 31, 2011.
Verbund and Energie Steiermark opened on Friday a new 18.5 MW hydropower plant on the Mur river. The plant near Graz is the first from a group of five facilities along the river. The utilities invested 90m euro in the plant.
The sale of 12.85% in Austrian regional power utility Kelag to German RWE was completed on Friday. The province of Carinthia has earned 100m euro from the divestment.
As of Monday office furniture maker Bene will switch to the mid market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange. So far the company has traded on the prime market.
Real estate firm Immofinanz opted for a share repurchase programme with a value of 50m euro. The programme will be implemented by investing 0.05 euro per share from the planned dividend of 0.20 per share.
Telekom Austria announced on Monday a cut in its planned dividend for 2012 to 0.05 euro per share from the envisaged 0.38 euro. The decision was explained with the worsening competition situation in Austria. The company, however, confirmed its outlook for 2012.
Tuesday
Immofinanz said on Tuesday that its EBIT rose by 31.1% to 188.5m euro in the first quarter of fiscal 2012/13. Thanks to the buyout of Moscow's Golden Babylon Rostokino shopping centre, the rental income went up 14.2% to 162.3m euro. Due to negative effects from currency and derivative valuations, the company registered a fall in net profit of above 60%. CEO Eduard Zehetner projects the stable development to continue until the end of the year.
Austrian investor Ronny Pecik has divested his last stake of 16% in Telekom Austria to America Movil, a company of billionaire Carlos Slim.
Vienna's commercial court ordered brewery Ottakringer to pay a cash compensation of 8.60 euro per share for all its shares before the merger with mineral water company Vöslauer in 2009. The ruling comes after minority shareholders complained that Vöslauer was overvalued during the transaction.
Wednesday
The current stock repurchasing programme of Frauenthal Holding will run between September 26 and October 10, the company said. The move concerns some 7.1% of the share capital.
Steel group Voestalpine plans to issue a bond worth 500m euro and bearing maturity of six years. The bond will have a coupon of 4%.
UK-Austrian online betting company bwin.party may be a target for a possible takeover, Guardian reported on Wednesday. A possible price may stand at 180 pence per share.
Thursday
Oil and gas group OMV has issued two bonds worth a total of 1.5bn euro. The bonds are already trading on the Vienna Stock Exchange.
Austria's top utility Verbund has no plans to withdraw from its Turkish business, CEO Wolfgang Anzengruber told Kurier. The manager referred to the firm's plans to build together with local partner Sabanci further 12 hydropower plants in the country.
Construction company Strabag said it was awarded a 112m euro contract to build a waste treatment plant in Ljubljana.
Friday
Economic institutes Wifo and IHS have reduced their forecasts for Austria's economic growth for 2013 to 1% and 1.3%, respectively. Previously Wifo projected 1.3% and IHS 1.7%. For 2012 Wifo continues to expect 0.6% and IHS 0.8% in growth.
The merger of Österreichische Volksbanken-AG (ÖVAG) and Investkredit Bank AG was officially registered on Friday. The transaction will have a retroactive effect as of December 31, 2011.
Verbund and Energie Steiermark opened on Friday a new 18.5 MW hydropower plant on the Mur river. The plant near Graz is the first from a group of five facilities along the river. The utilities invested 90m euro in the plant.
The sale of 12.85% in Austrian regional power utility Kelag to German RWE was completed on Friday. The province of Carinthia has earned 100m euro from the divestment.
Austrian Economic News - Week 17 -23 Sep
Monday
Cardboard maker Mayr-Melnhof Packaging (MMP) said on Monday it had taken over Plegacol in Columbia, in a move to secure its market leadership in the country. Plegacol has annual sales of EUR 15m.
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) announced it has bought almost 75% in QBE Makedonija. Thus, VIG will control one-fifth of the insurance market in the Balkan country.
Refractory material maker RHI said it would have to revise its EUR 80m new plant project in Brazil. The move became necessary after the country's government decided to implement measures protecting the local producers.
Österreichische Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) has earned some USD 174m from the divestment of its container leasing business to Fortress Investment Group, APA reported quoting informed sources.
McDonald's will launch in Austria sales of noodle boxes for the next two to three months. The project will be exclusive for the country only.
ORF-Radio Niederösterreich reported on Monday that OMV has decided to withdraw from its shale gas plans in the country because of economic reasons. The initial plans of the oil and gas group were met with strong resistance from environmentalists and local residents.
Tuesday
Austria's utilities Verbund and EVN launched officially on Tuesday their first joint hydropower plant. The facility, in which 215m euro were invested, is located in northern Albania.
SW Umwelttechnik, a specialist in environment technologies, said it had received orders in Romania and Hungary worth 11m euro. The orders concern drinking water and sewage projects.
Austrian insurer Uniqa is in exclusive negotiations with the bidding group around Oliver W. Braun for the sale of its hotel portfolio. Uniqa operates 12 hotels in Vienna, Baden, Prague and Brno.
The stake of the shareholder syndicate of Uniqa has increased from 91.13% to 92.11% following the latest capital increase in the company.
Wednesday
Office furniture company Bene said on Wednesday its revenue in the first half of fiscal 2012/13 increased by 14.3% to 100.8m euro. Net loss was reduced to 3.7m euro from 4.4m euro. The company said it is "cautiously optimistic" for the rest of the year.
The European Commission has given its green light to the state rescue of ailing bank ÖVAG. Among the conditions of the EC is the reduction of the bank's total assets to 18.4bn euro by the end of 2017.
Austrian DIY store chain bauMax plans to return to profit in three years, CEO Martin Essl told weekly News. The company will put on ice expansion plans and new investments and seek further costs savings.
Oil group OMV announced it is issuing a 1.5bn euro Eurobond in two tranches. The proceeds will be used for the repurchasing of current bonds.
Thursday
Crane maker Palfinger said on Thursday it had bought small Brazilian company Tercek. The firm has a patent for electrical bus lifts for passengers with limited mobility.
The European Commission has approved the planned E-mobility joint venture between Siemens Austria and utility Verbund, saying it would not affect competition.
Friday
Troubled Österreichische Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) will have to reduce by half its current employee number of 2,000 by 2017, CEO Stephan Koren said on Friday. The move becomes necessary after the bank was rescued by the Austrian government and now has to apply to strict conditions set from the European Commission. Most of the job cuts will be implemented via the divestment of units. The manager also added that there will be mergers among the 62 regional Volksbanken.
Cardboard maker Mayr-Melnhof Packaging (MMP) said on Monday it had taken over Plegacol in Columbia, in a move to secure its market leadership in the country. Plegacol has annual sales of EUR 15m.
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) announced it has bought almost 75% in QBE Makedonija. Thus, VIG will control one-fifth of the insurance market in the Balkan country.
Refractory material maker RHI said it would have to revise its EUR 80m new plant project in Brazil. The move became necessary after the country's government decided to implement measures protecting the local producers.
Österreichische Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) has earned some USD 174m from the divestment of its container leasing business to Fortress Investment Group, APA reported quoting informed sources.
McDonald's will launch in Austria sales of noodle boxes for the next two to three months. The project will be exclusive for the country only.
ORF-Radio Niederösterreich reported on Monday that OMV has decided to withdraw from its shale gas plans in the country because of economic reasons. The initial plans of the oil and gas group were met with strong resistance from environmentalists and local residents.
Tuesday
Austria's utilities Verbund and EVN launched officially on Tuesday their first joint hydropower plant. The facility, in which 215m euro were invested, is located in northern Albania.
SW Umwelttechnik, a specialist in environment technologies, said it had received orders in Romania and Hungary worth 11m euro. The orders concern drinking water and sewage projects.
Austrian insurer Uniqa is in exclusive negotiations with the bidding group around Oliver W. Braun for the sale of its hotel portfolio. Uniqa operates 12 hotels in Vienna, Baden, Prague and Brno.
The stake of the shareholder syndicate of Uniqa has increased from 91.13% to 92.11% following the latest capital increase in the company.
Wednesday
Office furniture company Bene said on Wednesday its revenue in the first half of fiscal 2012/13 increased by 14.3% to 100.8m euro. Net loss was reduced to 3.7m euro from 4.4m euro. The company said it is "cautiously optimistic" for the rest of the year.
The European Commission has given its green light to the state rescue of ailing bank ÖVAG. Among the conditions of the EC is the reduction of the bank's total assets to 18.4bn euro by the end of 2017.
Austrian DIY store chain bauMax plans to return to profit in three years, CEO Martin Essl told weekly News. The company will put on ice expansion plans and new investments and seek further costs savings.
Oil group OMV announced it is issuing a 1.5bn euro Eurobond in two tranches. The proceeds will be used for the repurchasing of current bonds.
Thursday
Crane maker Palfinger said on Thursday it had bought small Brazilian company Tercek. The firm has a patent for electrical bus lifts for passengers with limited mobility.
The European Commission has approved the planned E-mobility joint venture between Siemens Austria and utility Verbund, saying it would not affect competition.
Friday
Troubled Österreichische Volksbanken AG (ÖVAG) will have to reduce by half its current employee number of 2,000 by 2017, CEO Stephan Koren said on Friday. The move becomes necessary after the bank was rescued by the Austrian government and now has to apply to strict conditions set from the European Commission. Most of the job cuts will be implemented via the divestment of units. The manager also added that there will be mergers among the 62 regional Volksbanken.
вторник, 18 септември 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 10 -16 Sep
We're back
Monday
Steel group voestalpine plans to close its saw band steel production in Traismauer, Lower Austria, and to transfer it in Kematen an der Ybbs. All employees will be able to move to the nearby location. The decision will trigger investments of some EUR 113m.
Verbund, Austria's leading power supplier, announced at the start of the week that it had launched the Casimcea I wind park on Romania's Black Sea coast. The park will produce 240 GWh of electricity per year, enough to supply around 155,000 households.
Tuesday
Vienna Airport said on Tuesday it had handled 2.1m passengers in August, an increase of 3% compared with August 2011. Freight volumes, however, decreased by 10.3%.
Insurer Uniqa announced that as part of its plans for a re-IPO, it has carried out measures for streamlining its structure and for making the firm more suitable for the stock market. At the same time, the company's supervisory board approved the increase of the capital to EUR 214m.
Wednesday
Competitors and interest groups have filed with the European Commission a questionnaire with more than 200 points concerning the announced e-mobility joint venture between Siemens Austria and Verbund, daily Der Standard reported on Wednesday. The JV plans to build 4,500 charging stations by 2020.
Erste Group revealed that it expects to be able to have an equity capital ratio of up to 13% as of 2013, compared with the 8% required by Austrian regulations currently.
Steel group Voestalpine disclosed its plans to boost capital by 3.4m shares, or 2%, in order to cater for employee stock option programmes.
Thursday
Toll systems specialist Kapsch TrafficCom, machinery group Andritz and fibre producer Lenzing are the three listed Austrian companies which have performed best during the last three crisis-hit years, a study of Contrast-Mangement Consulting showed on Thursday. The companies benefited from niche positioning and technology leadership.
Vaccine maker Intercell announced that its vaccine against Japanese Enzephalitis has been approved for marketing in India. It will be produced by local partner Biological E. Ltd.
Office furniture producer Bene said that it had attracted EUR 2.8m in orders in the Middle East between May and July.
Friday
Austrian lingerie company Wolford doubled its net loss to EUR 3.2m in the first quarter of 2012/13, from EUR 1.8m a year earlier. Sales increased by 4.1% to EUR 33.1m. The results were burdened by the opening of new stores, the firm said on Friday.
Austria's annual inflation rate rose to 2.2% in August from 2.1% in July boosted by fuel prices, Statistik Austria reported. The euro-zone HCPI came in at 2.3%.
The WAB Gruppe, around Andreas Weißenbacher, CEO of BWT, filed a mandatory takeover offer for the water technology company. WAB, which has more than 30% in BWT, proposed EUR 16 per share.
On Friday oil and gas group OMV said it agreed to divest 15% in Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) to Slovak Eustream. The deal price was not revealed.
Fibre producer Lenzing officially launched the construction of a new production site in Lenzing. The company plans to invest EUR 130m and to open 110 jobs.
The supervisory board of utility Verbund is said to have approved the sale of the company's stake in power distributor Steweag-Steg (SSG) to Energie Steiermark AG, according to media reports from Friday.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation is said to be interested in the takeover of the petrol filling stations of OMV in Croatia, daily Vecernji list wrote. The Austrian company wants to withdraw from its retail business in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Strauss group will have to file a mandatory takeover offer for builder Porr, the Austrian Takeover Commission decided. However, as the increase of Strauss' stake in Porr was implemented under the condition that it would not have to make such an offer, it is still unclear whether the deal will be carried out.
Monday
Steel group voestalpine plans to close its saw band steel production in Traismauer, Lower Austria, and to transfer it in Kematen an der Ybbs. All employees will be able to move to the nearby location. The decision will trigger investments of some EUR 113m.
Verbund, Austria's leading power supplier, announced at the start of the week that it had launched the Casimcea I wind park on Romania's Black Sea coast. The park will produce 240 GWh of electricity per year, enough to supply around 155,000 households.
Tuesday
Vienna Airport said on Tuesday it had handled 2.1m passengers in August, an increase of 3% compared with August 2011. Freight volumes, however, decreased by 10.3%.
Insurer Uniqa announced that as part of its plans for a re-IPO, it has carried out measures for streamlining its structure and for making the firm more suitable for the stock market. At the same time, the company's supervisory board approved the increase of the capital to EUR 214m.
Wednesday
Competitors and interest groups have filed with the European Commission a questionnaire with more than 200 points concerning the announced e-mobility joint venture between Siemens Austria and Verbund, daily Der Standard reported on Wednesday. The JV plans to build 4,500 charging stations by 2020.
Erste Group revealed that it expects to be able to have an equity capital ratio of up to 13% as of 2013, compared with the 8% required by Austrian regulations currently.
Steel group Voestalpine disclosed its plans to boost capital by 3.4m shares, or 2%, in order to cater for employee stock option programmes.
Thursday
Toll systems specialist Kapsch TrafficCom, machinery group Andritz and fibre producer Lenzing are the three listed Austrian companies which have performed best during the last three crisis-hit years, a study of Contrast-Mangement Consulting showed on Thursday. The companies benefited from niche positioning and technology leadership.
Vaccine maker Intercell announced that its vaccine against Japanese Enzephalitis has been approved for marketing in India. It will be produced by local partner Biological E. Ltd.
Office furniture producer Bene said that it had attracted EUR 2.8m in orders in the Middle East between May and July.
Friday
Austrian lingerie company Wolford doubled its net loss to EUR 3.2m in the first quarter of 2012/13, from EUR 1.8m a year earlier. Sales increased by 4.1% to EUR 33.1m. The results were burdened by the opening of new stores, the firm said on Friday.
Austria's annual inflation rate rose to 2.2% in August from 2.1% in July boosted by fuel prices, Statistik Austria reported. The euro-zone HCPI came in at 2.3%.
The WAB Gruppe, around Andreas Weißenbacher, CEO of BWT, filed a mandatory takeover offer for the water technology company. WAB, which has more than 30% in BWT, proposed EUR 16 per share.
On Friday oil and gas group OMV said it agreed to divest 15% in Central European Gas Hub (CEGH) to Slovak Eustream. The deal price was not revealed.
Fibre producer Lenzing officially launched the construction of a new production site in Lenzing. The company plans to invest EUR 130m and to open 110 jobs.
The supervisory board of utility Verbund is said to have approved the sale of the company's stake in power distributor Steweag-Steg (SSG) to Energie Steiermark AG, according to media reports from Friday.
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation is said to be interested in the takeover of the petrol filling stations of OMV in Croatia, daily Vecernji list wrote. The Austrian company wants to withdraw from its retail business in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Strauss group will have to file a mandatory takeover offer for builder Porr, the Austrian Takeover Commission decided. However, as the increase of Strauss' stake in Porr was implemented under the condition that it would not have to make such an offer, it is still unclear whether the deal will be carried out.
понеделник, 30 юли 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 23 -29 Jul
Monday
Bar a couple of more important news in the evening, the week started
slowly for Austria's business world. In the morning fibre specialist
Lenzing announced that it would intensify its collaboration with
paper group Sappi, based in South Africa. Austrian bank BAWAG PSK and
insurer Generali revealed on Monday their decision to prolong their
cooperation until at least 2023. The current exclusive partnership
expires in 2017.
In the evening austriamicrosystems, which is listed in Zurich, published its first-half financial figures. Due to considerable growth in demand, EBIT soared to EUR 39.6m from EUR 15.8m a year earlier, while revenue grew 65% to EUR 186.8m. The firm sees its revenue for 2012 up by about 40% compared with last year.
After the closing bell of the stock exchange, it became clear that the recently launched mandatory takeover offer of Cross for motorcycle producer KTM and auto-parts supplier Pankl is facing a little interest. Thus, the offer was prolonged by three months until October 23.
In the evening austriamicrosystems, which is listed in Zurich, published its first-half financial figures. Due to considerable growth in demand, EBIT soared to EUR 39.6m from EUR 15.8m a year earlier, while revenue grew 65% to EUR 186.8m. The firm sees its revenue for 2012 up by about 40% compared with last year.
After the closing bell of the stock exchange, it became clear that the recently launched mandatory takeover offer of Cross for motorcycle producer KTM and auto-parts supplier Pankl is facing a little interest. Thus, the offer was prolonged by three months until October 23.
Tuesday
The financial-figures report of printed circuit board maker AT&S led
the news on Tuesday. The Styria-based firm revealed a net profit of EUR
0.52m for the first quarter of 2012/13, compared with EUR 2.06m a year
earlier. Sales, however, grew 14% to EUR 126.03m. The quarter was
affected by events in the Mobile Device segment, the firm said.
Bad news for the workers of collapsed German catalogue retailer Neckermann. The company decided to lay off all its 300 employees in Graz. Last but not least, credit agency Moody's has confirmed its triple-A rating on the bonds of Erste Group - one of the leading banks in Austria.
Bad news for the workers of collapsed German catalogue retailer Neckermann. The company decided to lay off all its 300 employees in Graz. Last but not least, credit agency Moody's has confirmed its triple-A rating on the bonds of Erste Group - one of the leading banks in Austria.
Wednesday
On Wednesday it was top power utility Verbund, which revealed its
financial figures in the morning. The company benefited from the good
water supply in Austria and reported a 12.4% increase in net profit to
EUR 198.2m in the first half of 2012. Revenues grew 7% to EUR 1.563bn.
For full 2012 Verbund projects an operating profit of about EUR 800m and
net profit of EUR 350m.
In the evening leading construction company Strabag announced that it won't be able to reach its target of EUR 300m in EBIT for 2012 and expects to achieve only two-thirds of the aim. The reduction was due to delay of public projects in CEE, especially in Poland.
In addition, Oberbank revealed two bond initiatives via which it will raise up to EUR 130m. Throughout the day, Erste Group said it had boosted its stake in real estate developer Immo AG to more than 10%.
In the evening leading construction company Strabag announced that it won't be able to reach its target of EUR 300m in EBIT for 2012 and expects to achieve only two-thirds of the aim. The reduction was due to delay of public projects in CEE, especially in Poland.
In addition, Oberbank revealed two bond initiatives via which it will raise up to EUR 130m. Throughout the day, Erste Group said it had boosted its stake in real estate developer Immo AG to more than 10%.
Thursday
Thursday was slow on news with only refractory material maker RHI and
construction group Strabag announcing something of an importance. RHI
said it had raised EUR 130m via the issue of bonded loans (or
Schuldscheindarlehen). The proceeds will be used for securing the
company's liquidity. Strabag confirmed on Thursday that it is
withdrawing from a contract for the construction of a bridge in Croatia
worth EUR 20m. The move was due to the lack of a "notice of commence".
Friday
On Friday the Austrian Competition Watchdog approved the increase stake of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim in Telekom Austria. America Movil, a company of Slim, holds 9.89% in Telekom Austria and will raise its shareholding to 25.9% with the buy of the shares of Austrian investor Ronny Pecik.
Schlumberger, Austria's top producer of champagne, is reportedly planning to bundle all its production in Lower Austria. Thus, the site in Vienna will cater only for administration, daily Der Standard reported.
On Friday catering specialist Do&Co announced it had won a new order from British Airways. The Austrian company will serve meals on all London - New York flights.
четвъртък, 26 юли 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 16 -22 Jul
Monday
Austria's annual inflation rate stood at 2.2% in June 2012, compared
with 2.3% in April and 2.1% in May. Prices were boosted by the "home,
water and energy" and "food" categories. The harmonised euro-zone index
came in at 2.2%.
*
Duropack, a subsidiary of Constantia Packaging, plans a squeeze-out at its Croatian unit Belisce. Duropack owns currently 95.73% in Belisce.
*
Duropack, a subsidiary of Constantia Packaging, plans a squeeze-out at its Croatian unit Belisce. Duropack owns currently 95.73% in Belisce.
*
The Strauss group has raised
its share of the voting rights in Austrian builder Porr to 43.94% from
6.01% with the buy of the shares of B&C and UniCredit Bank Austria
in it. The move has to be approved by the takeover commission.
Tuesday
Austrian toll system specialist Kapsch TrafficCom said its sales grew
45% to EUR 550m in fiscal 2011/12. Net profit, however, went down 3% to
EUR 27.5m due to delay in projects. The company is in principle
optimistic for the current fiscal year.
*Moody's has kept the credit rating of Bank Austria at A3 despite the reduction of the rating for its parent, Italian UniCredit.
*
Stephan
Koren, who will become CEO of troubled OeVAG as of September, said that
the bank needs substantial restructuring but can be saved. Koren's
mandate will run for five years.
Wednesday
Russian investor Oleg Deripaska has repurchased further 0.6% of his
former stake in Austrian construction group Strabag. Now Deripaska owns a
total of 17.6% in Strabag. The investor had to abandon his shares,
bought via borrowed capital, during the financial crisis but secured
then a repurchasing right.
Thursday
update software
AG reported on Thursday an EBIT-loss of EUR 0.3m for the second quarter
of 2012, compared with EUR 0.3m in profit a year earlier. Revenues edged
up 4% to EUR 8.4m. The company attributed the EBIT-loss to the growth
in employees number and investments in product portfolio. For full 2012
update predicts revenues of EUR 36m and a break-even operating profit.
*
Sanochemia
Pharmazeutika AG plans to raise up to EUR 15m via a bond issue. The
interest rate will stand at 7.75%. The proceeds will be used for the
growth initiatives of the pharmaceuticals developer.
*
Motorcycle
producer KTM said it sold a record-high of 50,233 motorcycles in the
first half of the year - growth of 36% in annual terms. Thus the firm
reached for the first time a share of 7% on the European market.
Friday
Oil and gas group OMV said its production grew to 305,000 boe per day in
the second quarter of the year from 275,000 boe a year earlier and
299,000 boe in the first quarter. The growth was due to the return of
the production in Libya to normal levels. In view of oil price hedging
effects, the company's EBIT was burdened by EUR 35m.
*
Austrian
lingerie maker Wolford said its net profit decreased to EUR 1.4m in
fiscal 2011/12 from EUR 5.1m a year earlier due to effects from a tax
audit. Sales went up 1.3% to EUR 154.1m. The company will propose an
unchanged dividend of EUR 0.40 per share.
вторник, 3 юли 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 25 Jun - 1 Jul
Monday
Steel group Voestalpine has decided to launch a new bond programme
worth up to EUR 1bn. However, the firm does not have concrete issue
plans for the summer season.
*
Sugar, stark and fruit company Agrana announced that its first-quarter revenues rose to EUR 775m from EUR 613m a year earlier. Operating profit grew to EUR 70.9m from EUR 61.6m.
Sugar, stark and fruit company Agrana announced that its first-quarter revenues rose to EUR 775m from EUR 613m a year earlier. Operating profit grew to EUR 70.9m from EUR 61.6m.
Tuesday
Insurance group Uniqa announced the start of its planned capital
increase with the volume of EUR 500m. The issue price stands at EUR
10.50 per share, with a subscription ratio of 29:10. The increase is
part of Uniqa's plans to boost its free float next year.
*
Austria's second biggest construction group Porr announced the lay-off of 74 of its 270 employees at its Vienna headquarters, daily Standard reported. The move is part of the company's restructuring efforts and its intentions to cut massively the costs.
*
Austria's second biggest construction group Porr announced the lay-off of 74 of its 270 employees at its Vienna headquarters, daily Standard reported. The move is part of the company's restructuring efforts and its intentions to cut massively the costs.
Wednesday
Austrian lighting producer Zumtobel said its net profit collapsed 69%
to EUR 16m in fiscal 2011/12. Sales increased 4.2% to EUR 1.280bn.
Dividend payment will be cut to EUR 0.20 from EUR 0.50. The company has
withdrawn its forecast for an average sales growth of 10% per year.
*
Technology group Andritz has raised EUR 350m with the issue of a new bond. The seven-year bond will bear a coupon of 3.875%.
Thursday
Economic research institutes Wifo and IHS said on Thursday they see
Austria's gross domestic product rising respectively by 0.6% and 0.8% in
2012. For 2013 Wifo projects 1.3% growth, while IHS expects 1.7%. Wifo,
however, pointed out that the uncertainty for 2013 is extremely high.
*
The Austrian Federal Competition Authority has filed the planned takeover of Yesss, the low-cost subsidiary of Orange, by Telekom Austria for an in-depth examination by the Cartel Court. The authorities fear that the deal would have a negative impact on competition. This will also delay the planned takeover of Orange Austria by "3" (Hutchison 3G).
The Austrian Federal Competition Authority has filed the planned takeover of Yesss, the low-cost subsidiary of Orange, by Telekom Austria for an in-depth examination by the Cartel Court. The authorities fear that the deal would have a negative impact on competition. This will also delay the planned takeover of Orange Austria by "3" (Hutchison 3G).
Friday
Petrom, the Romanian subsidiary of OMV, has divested its gas bottling
unit Petrom LPG to Crimbo Gas International. No financial details were
provided.
*
Motorcycle producer KTM has completed its latest capital increase that involved the issue of 336,000 new shares.
*
Hypo NÖ Gruppe Bank AG has agreed to buy first facility, a subsidiary of utility EVN.
*Austrian insurer Uniqa said it had completed the divestment of its 91.7% stake in German Mannheimer AG Holding to Continentale Versicherungsverbund. The deal price was not disclosed.
понеделник, 25 юни 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 18 - 24 Jun
Monday
Technology group Andritz announced on Monday evening it plans to issue a
corporate bond worth up to EUR 350m. The bond, whose issue needs the
approval of the Financial market authority (FMA), will have a maturity
of seven years.
Tuesday
Moody's kept its ratings on the covered bonds of Bank Austria and Hypo Niederösterreich at their highest level of Aaa.
*
TeleTrader Software plans to operate as a limited liability company or GmbH in the future. The move will result in the delisting of the firm from the Vienna Stock Exchange.
*
TeleTrader Software plans to operate as a limited liability company or GmbH in the future. The move will result in the delisting of the firm from the Vienna Stock Exchange.
*
Car parts supplier HTI High Tech
Industries AG received the green light by its shareholders to raise its
share capital by up to EUR 22m. The increase may take place in the next
five years.
Wednesday
Office furniture maker Bene said today it booked EBIT of EUR 0.3m for
the first quarter of its fiscal year, compared with a loss of EUR 1.3m a
year ago. Sales increased 8% to EUR 47.8m due to stabilisation of the
company's core markets. Bene projects a positive result for fiscal
2012/13 as a whole.
*
Industrial group Frauenthal plans to grow via acquisitions in the next one year. The company has EUR 80m at its disposal after the recent sale of its catalyst division. Frauenthal, however, does not expect to achieve the same result in 2012 as in 2011.
*
UNIQA said it will buy out the minority stakes of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in its subsidiaries in Poland, Hungary and Croatia. The deal price was not revealed. The purchase will take place in the forthcoming weeks.
*
Oil and gas group OMV revealed several asset deals in the UK, which will allow the company to focus more on its business to the west of the Shetland area.
*
Industrial group Frauenthal plans to grow via acquisitions in the next one year. The company has EUR 80m at its disposal after the recent sale of its catalyst division. Frauenthal, however, does not expect to achieve the same result in 2012 as in 2011.
*
UNIQA said it will buy out the minority stakes of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in its subsidiaries in Poland, Hungary and Croatia. The deal price was not revealed. The purchase will take place in the forthcoming weeks.
*
Oil and gas group OMV revealed several asset deals in the UK, which will allow the company to focus more on its business to the west of the Shetland area.
Thursday
Oil group OMV announced it had entered into an upstream joint venture with German Wintershall and the Abu Dhabi
National Oil Company (ADNOC). The joint venture will evaluate the potential of a field in Shuwaihat, in the UAE.
*
Siemens has received an order for the modernization of the coupled tandem pickling line of steel maker Voestalpine in Linz. The order value stands in the two-digit million euro field.
*
Auto parts supplier HTI projects a pre-tax profit of about EUR 1m for 2012, compared to a loss of EUR 2.3m a year earlier. Sales are seen at least matching the 2011 level of EUR 207m.
*
Siemens has received an order for the modernization of the coupled tandem pickling line of steel maker Voestalpine in Linz. The order value stands in the two-digit million euro field.
*
Auto parts supplier HTI projects a pre-tax profit of about EUR 1m for 2012, compared to a loss of EUR 2.3m a year earlier. Sales are seen at least matching the 2011 level of EUR 207m.
Friday
The US subsidiary of aviation and car parts supplier Pankl said it
had received a new order from US aircraft maker Sikorsky Aircraft. The
value of the multi-year order stands at USD 20m.
*
Verbund, Austria's leading power utility, launched officially its 838-MW combined cycle gas turbine plant in Mellach, near Graz. The plant will help the saving of two million tonnes of CO2 per year.
вторник, 19 юни 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 11 -17 Jun
Monday
Austrian builder Strabag said on Monday it had received a USD 43.2m
order for road rehabilitation in Moldova. The project will run for 24
months.
*
Austrian Airlines (AUA) will transfer further flights to its parent Lufthansa, sister firm Swiss as well as to Augsburg Airways and Welcome Air. The move became necessary after 120 pilots left the company after the implemented change of the pay conditions.
*
Austrian Airlines (AUA) will transfer further flights to its parent Lufthansa, sister firm Swiss as well as to Augsburg Airways and Welcome Air. The move became necessary after 120 pilots left the company after the implemented change of the pay conditions.
*
Austrian
insurer Uniqa announced that it is before the divestment of its hotel
portfolio. Via the decision Uniqa plans to focus on its core business.
Tuesday
Vienna Airport announced on Tuesday it serviced 1.99m passengers in
May 2012, up 4.2% on year. Since the start of the year, the airport,
which recently opened its Check-in 3 terminal, has handled 8.36m passengers,
an increase of 8.1%.
*
Austrian Airlines (AUA) said it carried 4.375m passengers in January to May 2012, a rise of 7.9% in
annual terms. Occupancy rate improved 3.3% percentage points to 73%. The
number of passengers in May inched up 1% to 1.036m.
Wednesday
Real estate developer Immofinanz plans to issue a bond worth up to EUR
75m. The bond is expected to bear a coupon of 5.25% and have a maturity
of five years.
*
Bank Austria has decided to divest of its heritage-protected
headquarters on the Schottenring in Vienna's
downtown. The deal is expected to take place by the end of the year. The
bank, however, will continue to use the building until 2016/17.
*
Vienna
Airport said that it had opened insolvency proceedings against
Artifacts, Saveria and Striberny, companies owned by Rakesh Sardana,
which run stores at the airport. Vienna Airport spoke for "significant payment arrears" on behalf of the firms.
*Real estate developer Conwert has successfully issued a bond worth EUR 65m. The five-year bond bears a coupon of 5.75%.
*
Following
a new syndicate contract between Knünz GmbH and Pierer GmbH, their
joint vehicle Cross Motorsport Systems has to file a compulsory takeover
bid for Pankl Racing Systems. The offer is expected to stand at EUR
18.03 apiece.
Thursday
Cross Industries has to file a mandatory takeover offer for
motorcycle producer KTM after the signing of a new syndicated contract between Stefan
Pierer and
Rudolf Knünz, the owners of Cross. The offer price is seen at EUR 44 per
share.
*
Austrian annual inflation rate decreased to
2.1% in May from 2.3% in April and thus reached its lowest level since
November 2010. The euro-zone consumer price index was assessed at 2.3%.
*
Volksbank
International (VBI), bought by Russian Sberbank in mid-February, had
ended 2011 with a loss of EUR 160.4m, compared to EUR 15.1m in profit
for 2010. The bank, a former subsidiary of OeVAG, was burdened by
write-downs for EUR 158.6m.
*
Real estate developer
Immofinanz has fixed the volume of its planned corporate bond at EUR
100m, with an interest rate of 5.25%.
Friday
Mexico's billionaire Carlos Slim has secured a minority stake in Telekom
Austria, the company announced on Friday. Presently Slim, via his
America Movil, controls 6.75% in the telecommunications provider, while
he has 3.14% via Immobiliaria Carso. The businessman has however agreed
with Austrian investor Ronny Pecik to take the latter's stake in TA and
thus to boost his shareholding to 25.9%. State holding ÖIAG, which owns
28.4% in the firm, has welcomed the entry of Slim.
понеделник, 11 юни 2012 г.
Austrian Economic News - Week 4 -10 Jun
Monday
Regional energy provider EVN said it had agreed to a new credit line
worth some EUR 500m. The credit will have a maturity of five years and
will serve as liquidity reserve.
*
Steel major
voestalpine will close down its rails production plant in Duisburg,
Germany, by the end of 2013. The move is part of the company's decision
to focus only on specialised railway products.
*
Technology
group Andritz has secured further almost 10% in German Schuler. Thus,
the Austrian company has got hold of 63.5% in the metal press
specialist.
Tuesday
Austrian utilities Verbund and EVN are interested in the sale of four
hydropower plants in Albania, daily Wirtschaftsblatt reported. Verbund
has confirmed its interest to the paper.
*
Mexican billionaire
Carlos Slim has acquired a 4.1% stake in Telekom Austria, media reported
on Tuesday. According to a report of magazine News, Slim, who is the
richest man in the world, plans to tie up his stake with that of Ronny
Pecik and thus to take control of almost 25% in the telecommunications
provider.
*
Vienna Airport officially opened its new terminal Check-in 3. A poll among the first passengers showed that it is valued positively by majority of them. The terminal, so far known as Skylink, was delayed several times due to exploding costs.
Vienna Airport officially opened its new terminal Check-in 3. A poll among the first passengers showed that it is valued positively by majority of them. The terminal, so far known as Skylink, was delayed several times due to exploding costs.
Wednesday
US rating agency Moody's has reduced the credit ratings of Austria's
top banks - Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI),
UniCredit Bank Austria and Erste
Group Bank AG. The move was attributed to the unfavourable conditions in
some of the markets in CEE as well as the increased risks from further
shocks triggered by the euro debt crisis. The outlook for Erste and Bank
Austria was lowered to "negative".
*
Real estate developer Immofinanz started its residential project Debowe
Tarasy in Poland on Wednesday. The project value stands at EUR 21.7m.
*
Wiener Privatbank plans to buy Matejka & Partner Asset Management GmbH from the Themis private foundation. The deal price was not disclosed.
Wiener Privatbank plans to buy Matejka & Partner Asset Management GmbH from the Themis private foundation. The deal price was not disclosed.
Thursday - Public Holiday
Friday
Auto parts supplier Miba said it raised its net profit by 35.1%
year-on-year to EUR 13.15m in the first quarter of fiscal 2012/13. Sales
increased 16% to EUR 160.9m. However, the company does not expect in
the current year the same strong growth rates as in the previous two
years.
*
EnergieAllianz Austria, which consists of Bewag,
EVN and Wien Energie, will reduce its electricity prices as of July 1.
An average household will thus save around EUR 26 per year. Leading utility
Verbund also announced plans to cut prices.
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