NEOPOST: H1 2015: FURTHER STRONG GROWTH FOR COMMUNICATION AND SHIPPING SOLUTIONS

H1 2015: FURTHER STRONG GROWTH FOR COMMUNICATION AND SHIPPING SOLUTIONS

• Sales up 10.4%, or -1.1% organically^[1]
• CSS activities: organic growth of 16.0%
• Current operating margin^[2] (before acquisition-related expense): 19.1%

      
2015 OUTLOOK CONFIRMED

• Organic growth in sales expected at between -1% and +1%
• Current operating margin (before acquisition-related expense) expected at between 19.5% and 20.5% of sales

CAPITAL ALLOCATION POLICY

• Aiming at greater flexibility to pursue the Group transformation and create value
• Decision to propose an annual dividend of €1.70 per share for the next 2 to 3 years

Paris, September 29, 2015

Neopost, the number two global supplier of Mail Solutions and a major player in digital Communication and Shipping Solutions, today announced its results for the first half of 2015 (period ended on July 31, 2015).

The Group recorded sales of €586.1 million in the first half of 2015, up 10.4% versus the first half of 2014. At constant exchange rates, sales declined 0.3%. Organic growth¹ was -1.1%. Current operating income before acquisition-related expense totaled €112.1 million compared with €118.7 million in first-half 2014. Current operating margin before acquisition-related expense stood at 19.1% of sales compared with 22.4% in first-half 2014. This change reflects the trend in the activity mix and investments in the development of new equipment and services.

Net attributable income totaled €64.7million in first-half 2015 compared with €69.0 million in first-half 2014.

Commenting, Denis Thiery, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Neopost, said: "We had yet another highly active first half of the year in terms of Group transformation. The integration of Temando, the creation of our joint venture with Esker, the identification of sites for our next 500 Packcity parcel lockers, and the placement of two new CVP-500 automated order packing systems testify to the vitality with which our teams are leading the transformation. In addition, commercial synergies between our Communication and Shipping Solutions businesses and our traditional client base are moving ahead at a sustained pace. The results achieved in the first half of the year are in line with our route plan. We confirm our outlook for the year and maintain our projections for 2017-2019."

Half-year highlights

Acquisition of a majority stake in Temando

On April 7, 2015 Neopost acquired a 55% stake in Temando, an Australian company that provides an intelligent fulfillment software platform to the e-commerce and logistics sectors, for AUD 50 million, of which AUD 20 million as part of a reserved capital increase to finance the development of Temando in the coming years.

Neopost and Temando have also signed a put and call option contract, on the basis of which Neopost may gradually acquire the remaining capital of Temando. Neopost is targeting a return on capital employed of over 15% within a five-year horizon.

ODIRNANE issuance

On June 11, 2015 Neopost successfully issued senior unsecured net share settled undated bonds convertible into new shares and/or exchangeable for existing shares (ODIRNANE) for an amount of €265 million at a fixed annual nominal rate of 3.375% for a seven-year period. The issuance is recognized in equity and related interests are treated as dividends, which strengthens Neopost's balance sheet structure.

The Group intends to anticipate the repayment of credit lines maturing in 2016 and 2017, which will allow for an extension of its debt maturity.

Agreement with Esker

Following the success of Neotouch in France, Neopost and Esker, one of the leading global providers of cloud-based digitized document process solutions, finalized the creation of a joint venture on July 31, 2015, owned 70% by Neopost and 30% by Esker. The purpose of the joint venture is to market software solutions to SME/SMI clients worldwide, which allow for the distribution of documents on demand, automation of supplier invoices as well as the digitization of customer invoices.

Activity

Mail Solutions

Mail Solutions sales fell 5.2% in first-half 2015 at constant exchange rates. The decrease was less significant in the second quarter than the first. This incipient improvement is expected to continue for the rest of the financial year thanks to the good back log level, the portfolio of commercial opportunities and a more favorable basis of comparison in the second half of the year. Performance in first-half 2015 was contrasted by region.

In North America, the Mail Solutions business declined moderately. Sales of equipment were down slightly. Recurring revenue also declined slightly, a result of the continued fall in revenue from rentals and supplies, while revenue from services, leasing and postal rate change increased.

In Europe, the decrease of the Mail Solutions business was sharper, mainly owing to the United Kingdom and France, along with lower revenue from postal rate change in Germany and the Nordic countries.

In the rest of the world, the positive performance of export equipment sales did not offset the decrease in equipment sales in Asia-Pacific.

Communication & Shipping Solutions

Communication & Shipping Solutions sales rose 21.0% in first-half 2015 at constant exchange rates. Excluding the scope effect related to the consolidation of ProShip, DCS and Temando, organic growth in the Communication & Shipping Solutions was strong at +16.0%.

The organic growth in Communication & Shipping Solutions recorded by the Neopost distribution network (Neopost Integrated Operations^[4]) was particularly high at +28.2%. This performance illustrates the strong ramp-up of commercial synergies, particularly the success of sales of software from dedicated subsidiaries including GMC Software Technology, Satori and ProShip, by the Neopost distribution network. It also illustrates the success of sales of proprietary solutions by the Neopost distribution network, such as OMS-500 and OMS-200, new multichannel output management software for SMEs launched in several countries; Neotouch, a digitized mail offer available in France; and NeoShip, a package shipping solution in the USA.

The organic growth for Communication & Shipping Solutions achieved by CSS Dedicated Units⁴ came out at 5.4% in first-half 2015. Customer Communication Management solutions were up whereas Data Quality business was down: its integration into the Enterprise Digital Solutions division to promote synergies with Customer Communication Management software is under way. In Shipping Solutions, Neopost benefitted from the growth of ProShip, the strong momentum of Temando since its integration, and the final phase of the contract with the French Army. In addition, the rollout of Packcity will rather be continued in the second half of 2015.

In all, Communication & Shipping Solutions accounted for 22% of Group sales in first-half 2015, compared with 19% in first-half 2014.

Current operating income

Current operating income before acquisition-related expense totaled €112.1 million compared with €118.7 million in first-half 2014. The variation results from the trend in the current operating margins of the Group's two segments and their respective weight:

• The operating margin, before acquisition-related expense, of Neopost Integrated Operations was 21.3%, down from 23.5% in first-half 2014 owing to mix effects and a decline in recurring revenue (rentals, supplies and postal rate change);
• For the CSS Dedicated Units, investments and expenses on the development of new solutions by the specialized subsidiaries, notably relating to Packcity, Temando, CVP-500 and SME Digital Solutions, were stepped up, which explains why the operating margin, before acquisition-related expense, came to 0.6% in first-half compared with 10.0% in first-half 2014.

Current operating margin by segment

After acquisition-related expense, current operating income in first-half 2015 totaled €106.0 million compared with €113.1 million in first-half 2014.

Net income

Overall, net financial income came to -€19.8 million in first-half compared with -€17.6 million a year earlier. The net cost of debt stood at €17.2 million compared with €18.7 million in first-half 2014. As expected, the Group benefited from the good refinancing conditions achieved in 2014. Furthermore, the Group recorded €2.6 million in losses for foreign exchange (mainly due to significant fluctuation of the sterling pound and the US dollar) and other financial items in first-half, compared with a gain of €1.1 million in the same period in 2014. The average tax rate was 24.2% compared with 28.1% in first-half 2014. Net attributable income totaled €64.7 million compared with €69.0 million in first-half 2014. Earnings per share came to €1.85 compared with €2.01 a year earlier. Net margin^[5] stood at 11.0% of sales compared with 13.0% in first-half 2014.

Healthy financial situation

Cash flow before the net cost of debt and income taxes is strongly recurring, and remained extremely high, at €142.7 million compared with €148.3 million in first-half 2014.

Apart from a €37 million payment for a VAT settlement in the United Kingdom, the change in the working capital requirement was fully consistent with the changes generally observed for this period of the year.

The portfolio of leasing and other financing services continued to make headway, totaling €802.3 million at July 31, 2015, up 5.7% year-on-year at constant exchange rates.

With regards to external growth, the Group allocated AUD 50 million to the acquisition of a majority stake in Temando, of which AUD 20 million to finance its future growth.

Taking account of the ODIRNANE issue, shareholders' equity came to €1,032.0 million at July 31, 2015 compared with €779.3 million a year earlier.

Net debt stood at €810.0 million at July 31, 2015 compared with €913.3 million at July 31, 2014. The Group would like to point out that its net debt is backed by future cash flows from its rental and leasing businesses.

As such, the gearing came out at 78% of shareholders' equity compared with 117% at July 31, 2014. At July 31, 2015, the leverage ratio (net debt / EBITDA^[6]) came at 2.6 compared with 2.8 a year earlier and the financial covenants were respected.

Capital allocation policy

The Group transformation has made sufficiently good headway for its profile to have already significantly changed. The initiated process however needs to be continued, in line with the 2017-2019 transformation plan. This is why Neopost aims at having greater flexibility in its capital allocation policy while optimizing its cost of capital.

Given the commitments notably relating to recent acquisitions and ongoing projects, and given the wish to be able to seize new acquisition and investment opportunities, the Group has decided to set the annual dividend to be submitted to the approval of the Annual General Meeting of shareholders at €1.70 per share for the next 2 to 3 years. The dividend will be made of an interim dividend paid in February and a final dividend paid in August. In case of excess cash flow, the dividend might be supplemented by share buybacks.

2015 outlook confirmed

Neopost confirms its expectations of organic sales growth between -1% and +1% at constant exchange rates in 2015.

In terms of profitability, the Group confirms that it expects current operating margin^[7] before acquisition-related expense between 19.5% and 20.5% of sales. This expectation is based on the following items:

• different profitability levels between the operating margins achieved by Neopost Integrated Operations and Communication & Shipping Solutions dedicated units;
• the rollout of the Packcity network;
• the continued development of the CVP-500;
• the launch of new projects such as SME Digital Solutions and Neopost Labs;
• the investments required for the development of Temando.

Denis Thiery concluded: "We wanted to gain greater flexibility in our capital allocation policy. To pursue the Group transformation, we need to continue investing, starting with the financing of commitments stemming from recent acquisitions and the development of identified projects. As of today, the return on capital invested in our acquisitions is fully in line with our ROCE objective of over 15%. We also want to be in a position to seize new acquisition and investment opportunities while continuing to optimize the cost of our capital. This is why we decided to adjust our distribution policy by setting the dividend price at €1.70 per share, a level more consistent with our ambitions of value-creating growth and one that nevertheless generates a return of around 6% on the basis of current share prices. Also, in the event of excess cash flows, this new flexibility would enable us to supplement our policy of returns to shareholders with share buybacks."

Calendar

Q3 sales will be published on December 1, 2015 after market close.

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Or visit our web site: www.neopost.com

Appendices

Glossary

• Mail Solutions: mailing systems, document management systems (folder/inserters for offices and mailrooms; other mail room equipment) and related services
• Communication & Shipping Solutions (CSS): digital solutions software (customer communication and data quality software), shipping solutions, print finishing and graphic solutions
• Neopost Integrated Operations (NIO): Neopost subsidiaries developing, producing and distributing Mail Solutions and CSS products and services to long-standing customers of the Group
• CSS Dedicated Units (CSS DU): entities distributing CSS solutions to key account customers: Enterprise Digital Solutions (GMC Software Technology, DMTI Spatial, Human Inference and Satori Software), Neopost Shipping (former Neopost ID, ProShip and Temando)
• Enterprise Digital Solutions : Customer Communication Management and Data Quality solutions

First-half 2015
Consolidated income statement

First-half 2015
Summary consolidated balance sheet

First-half 2015
Simplified cash flow statement