Lapeyre Interim Results

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain 20 September 2000 First-Half 2000 Consolidated Sales and Earnings The Board of Directors met on September 14, 2000 and examined the consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2000. CONSOLIDATED SALES: UP 12.8% SALES BY BUSINESS June 30, 2000 June 39, 1999 % EUR m FRF m EUR m FRF m Change B2C Market 453.3 2,973.5 395.1 2,592.0 14.7% LAPEYRE-GME-K PAR K 436.9 2,865.9 379.7 2,490.8 15.0% LAPEYRE EUROPE 16.4 107.6 15.4 101.2 6.2% B2B Market 164.2 1,077.0 152.2 998.4 7.9% SGM - 0XX0 - LES ZELLES 102.9 675.0 85.3 559.5 20.7% SOFIPLAS - LAPEYRE DEUTSCHLAND 61.3 402.0 66.9 438.9 -8.4% ERG-OKFENS TOTAL LAPEYRE GROUP 617.5 4,050.5 547.3 3,590.4 12.8% In France, business was good in a promising market. In the rest of Europe, Group companies suffered from market conditions that remained unfavorable in Germany and weakened in Poland. At comparable scope of consolidation, sales were up by 11.3% for the period. FIRST-HALF 2000 CONSOLIDATED EARNINGS The new French consolidated accounting standards have been applied as from 2000. Although the change had no material Impact on the accounts, first-half 1999 figures have been restated on the same basis. First-Half 2000 First-Half 1999 % EUR m FRF m EUR m FRF m Change Sales 617.5 4,050.5 547.3 3,590.4 12.8% Operating income 61.8 405.4 57.9 379.8 6.7% Consolidated net income 31.3 205.3 32.1 210.6 -2.4% Operating income of the French companies rose by 17.6% in the first half. However, higher raw materials prices and underperformance in Germany and Spain held growth in consolidated operating income to just 6.7%. Net income for the period was down 2.4% due to non-operating expenses (related primarily to Lapeyre Espana and Deutschland) and to the amortization of goodwill on Lapeyre Deutschland. Cash flow remained strong at EUR 55.7 million or 9% of sales. Working capital requirement was stable as a percentage of sales. Net debt totalled EUR 7.5 million. Shareholders' equity amounted to EUR 518.4 million. OUTLOOK In France, the favorable general economic environment should sustain strong sales and earnings at all Group companies. The reduced VAT rate on installation services will be especially beneficial to the B2C business as installable product backlog is already deep. In Brazil, a partnership agreement, with a majority interest, has been signed with Telhanorte, the country's second largest building materials wholesaler. Overall, growth in sales should be comparable to that reported in the first half, but operating income will be affected by the sharp decline in operating income from the German, Polish and Spanish subsidiaries. Lapeyre - Investor Relations Patrick Mallet Tel: +33 (0)1.48.11.74.14 - Fax: +33 (0)1.43.52.64.46
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