Interim report on the third quarter of 2021: Consistently good business performance in third quarter of 2021 as well

• Consolidated revenue rises 24.7 % to € 684.5 million in first nine months of the financial year
• Operating EBIT up considerably year-on-year at € 61.8 million (€ 10.3 million)
• Revenue and earnings forecast raised again for 2021 as a whole

Revenue: Up 24.7 % on previous year

Following a strong first half-year and a consistently positive business performance in the third quarter, the Villeroy & Boch Group’s consolidated revenue (including licence income) climbed by 24.7 % year-on-year to € 684.5 million. The Group is therefore well ahead of the previous year, which had been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and has even achieved a revenue level substantially higher than the pre-crisis level.

Operating EBIT rises to € 61.8 million

Due to the strong first half of the year and the very good third quarter, the Group was able to close the first nine months of the 2021 financial year with an operating result before interest and taxes (EBIT) of € 61.8 million (previous year: € 10.3 million) and thus achieve a significant increase in earnings. However, the previous year's result was burdened by the collapse in demand in connection with the COVID-19 crisis and the subsequent plant shutdowns and cutbacks.

Development in the divisions

The Bathroom and Wellness Division generated revenue of € 477.8 million in the first nine months of the 2021 financial year (previous year: € 383.8 million), up 24.5 % on the previous year. It should be remembered that the previous year had been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis in the second quarter of 2020 especially. Fortunately, revenue growth was generated in all business areas. The rise in revenue of € 94.0 million in total mainly took place in ceramic sanitary ware (€ +56.2 million), where the Group benefitted greatly from the home renovation trend. However, considerable revenue growth was also achieved in the wellness (€ +15.2 million) and fittings (€ +12.6 million) business areas. Mainly as a result of the extremely positive revenue performance, the Bathroom and Wellness Division closed the first nine months of the 2021 financial year with an operating result (EBIT) of € 50.2 million (previous year: € 19.3 million).

The Dining & Lifestyle Division generated revenue of € 204.7 million in the first nine months of the 2021 financial year, an increase of 25.6 % or € 41.7 million on the previous year (€ 163.0 million). The previous year’s revenue was severely impacted by the officially ordered worldwide closure of sales outlets and the global slump in demand as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Revenue growth was generated in almost all sales channels in the first nine months of the 2021 financial year. Above all, this is reflected in the revenue from e-commerce (€ +22.0 million) and with our retail outlet partners (€ +18.8 million). Also, revenue declines (€ -0.9 million) at our own retail stores, which were affected by the second lockdown in the first and second quarters of 2021, have almost been compensated. Thanks to the substantial increase in revenue, the Dining & Lifestyle Division ended the period with operating EBIT of € 11.6 million, up € 20.6 million as against the previous year, which was also affected by downtime costs at the plants in Merzig and Torgau.

Investments

€ 15.4 million was invested in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets in the first nine months of 2021 (previous year: € 10.7 million). The Bathroom and Wellness Division accounted for € 10.7 million, with the remaining € 4.7 million attributable to the Dining & Lifestyle Division. In the Bathroom and Wellness Division, new facilities were acquired in particular for the sanitary ware plant in Hungary and the bathroom furniture plant in Austria, as well tools for ViClean production. Investment in the Dining & Lifestyle Division essentially included the maintenance and modernisation of the logistics centre in Merzig, new acquisitions of isostatic presses and pressing tools, plus the energy optimisation of a kiln.

Outlook for 2021 as a whole

Following the strong first half of the year and the consistently positive business performance in the third quarter of 2021, the Management Board of Villeroy & Boch AG has again raised its revenue and earnings forecast for the 2021 financial year. As was already announced in the ad hoc disclosure of 29 September 2021, the Management Board is now forecasting that consolidated revenue will rise to more than € 920 million and that the operating Group result will grow to more than € 85 million. The earnings forecast has been raised again as higher revenue is expected for 2021. Based on the revised targets, the return on net operating assets is expected to range between 25 % and 30 %.

“The consistently good business performance in the third quarter as well reflects our current market presence,” said Frank Göring, CEO of the Villeroy & Boch Group.

As before, forecasts are still uncertain on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. Possible downturns in the Villeroy & Boch Group’s currently excellent performance in the fourth quarter of 2021 could arise from ongoing economic developments in the construction sector and the future spending patterns of private households, though this seems unlikely at the moment.