Accor: High quality first-half 2008 results
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Accor: High quality first-half 2008 results
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Category: Worldwide - Industry economy
- Figures / Studies
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-08-28
Significant progress in implementing the strategic plan
A transformed, less cyclical Group
Solid first-half revenue performance: up 5.2% like-for-like1, up 11.8% in Services and
up 5.1% in Hotels
• Improvement in operating margin: 0.8 points like-for-like, particularly a strong increase
in Services (up 1.1 pt)
• Operating profit before tax and non-recurring items: €393 million, up 16.0% like-for-like
and 25.0% like-for-like and excluding the impact of the return to shareholders
• Sharp improvement in profitability: ROCE2 of 14.5%, vs. 12.8% at June-end 2007
Full-year target for operating profit before tax and non-recurring items:
between €910 million and €930 million, up 16.0% like-for-like and excluding the impact
of the return to shareholders
At a time of transformation
The Group’s first-half 2008 results reflect the impact of the strategic initiatives deployed since early
2006.
Disposals of non-strategic businesses and restructuring of real estate to improve profitability
To refocus the Group on its two core Hotels and Services businesses, a number of non-strategic
assets have been sold, for a total of €1.4 billion.
As part of the Hotels business’ “Asset Right” strategy, hotel ownership structures have been changed
in a commitment to improving return on capital employed and reducing earnings volatility. This
process has generated nearly €4 billion since 2005.
This strategy has also benefited Accor shareholders, who have had €2.4 billion returned to them
since 2006 in the form of share buybacks and special dividends.
This transformation has one-off impacts on interim results:
- Revenue declined 6.2% (€249 million) year-on-year, due to a loss of 12.6% (€507 million) in
revenue from asset disposals.
- Operating profit before tax and non-recurring items rose by 3.6% as reported, reduced by
4% (€14 million) due to asset sales and 9% (€35 million) due to the return to shareholders.
On a like-for-like basis, operating profit before tax and non-recurring items increased by
16.0%, and by 25.0% excluding the impact on financial expense of the return to shareholders.
- Net profit stood at €310 million versus €596 million in first-half 2007, a 48.0% decline that
primarily reflected the €255 million decrease in capital gains.
This transformation has long-term positive impacts on Group performance:
- Operating margin, improved by 1.6 points over the period.
- Return on capital employed, at 14.5% at June 30, 2008, has improved by 1.7 points since
June 30, 2007. The Group has disposed of €749 million in US Economy Hotels assets and
€653 million in non-strategic assets, while at the same time focusing on higher return
businesses like Economy Hotels in Europe, with a 22.8% ROCE, and Services, with a 21.0%
ROCE at June 30, 2008.
- A less cyclical Group: Accor is now relying on the two businesses - Economy hotels in
Europe and Services - that are low cyclical businesses and account for nearly 70% of EBIT
compared to 44% in 2001. Those two activities proved strong resilience during the last cycle
(2001-2003). In first half 2008, their combined margin improved by 1.0 point.
As a result of those transformations, the full-year target is to report profit before tax and nonrecurring
items of between €910 million and €930 million, reflecting a 16% increase in profit before
tax for the year (like-for-like and excluding the impact of the return to shareholders) which takes into
account a more uncertain economic environment.
Anticipating an economic environment that might remain difficult in 2009, Accor will implement an
€75-million cost savings plan over 2009 and 2010, covering particularly corporate overheads,
organization of head offices in Latin America and the United States, marketing expenditure,
purchasing, and new IT projects.
High quality first-half 2008 results
(in € millions) H1 2007 H1 2008 % Change
reported
% Change
Like-for-like
Revenue 4,015 3,766 -6.2% +5.2%
EBITDAR 1,095 1,088 -0.6% +7.9%
EBITDAR margin 27.3% 28.9% +1.6 pts +0.8 pts
Operating profit before tax
and non-recurring items 379 393 +3.6% +16.0%
Net profit, Group share 596 310 -48.0%
ROCE 12.8% 14.5% +1.7 pts
Consolidated revenue totaled €3,766 million for the first six months of 2008, up 5.2% like-for-like
but down 6.2% as reported due to the large number of asset disposals in 2007.
EBITDAR amounted to €1,088 million, up 7.9% like-for-like compared with first-half 2007. A favorable
economic environment in the first half and the impact of the Dynamic Pricing policy, as well as
sustained demand in the Services business, helped lift EBITDAR margin 1.6 points as reported
(0.8 points like-for-like) to 28.9% of revenue.
• Services
Services delivered a good set of results in first half. EBITDAR margin stood at 42.4% for the period, a
1.1-point like-for-like increase. This performance confirms the business’ robust performance in its
core markets, in spite of the loss of a contract in Belgium and the change in tax law in Argentina.
Furthermore, the Services started to migrate from paper vouchers to cards, improving the operating
margin. As a result, EBITDAR margin in Europe was up 0.3 points with a flow-through rate3 of 49%.
In Latin America, EBITDAR margin improved by 2.0 points and the flow-through rate reached 64%
overall and 77% in Brazil, where the EBITDAR margin gained 3.1 points.
• Upscale and Midscale Hotels
In Upscale and Midscale Hotels, EBITDAR margin widened by a 0.5 points like-for-like to 27.7%, with
a flow-through rate of 35%.
In France, revenue was up 6.8% and EBITDAR margin increased by 0.4 points like-for-like. The
effective flow-through rate of 34% would have been 49% excluding the negative impact of the
January 1 discontinuation of payroll tax relief on low salaries.
In Europe (excluding France), revenue and EBITDAR margin increased respectively by 3.7% and
0.8 points, with a flow-through rate of 52%.
• Economy hotels (outside the United States)
In Economy Hotels, EBITDAR margin improved by 1.0 point like-for-like to 35.8%, with a flow-through
rate of 53%.
In France, like-for-like revenue increased by 5.4%, with flow-through rate of 22% reflecting the impact
of both F1 hotel renovations and the above-mentioned discontinuation of payroll tax relief on low
salaries since January 1. Adjusted for these impacts, the flow-through rate would have been 36% for the period. In Germany, revenue improved by 4.1% like-for-like with a flow-through rate of 72%, while
in the UK, the flow-through rate was 68%, with revenue up 8.5% like-for-like.
• Economy Hotels in the United States
In Economy Hotels in the US, EBITDAR margin improved by 0.2 points to 37.9% in a difficult
economic environment, demonstrating disciplined control of costs.
EBIT rose by 1.8% to €425 million as reported and by 15.4% like-for-like.
Operating profit before tax and non-recurring items amounted to €393 million, an increase of 3.6%
as reported. This figure takes into account an €18 million negative currency effect due mainly to the
British pound and the US dollar. On a like-for-like basis, operating profit before tax and non-recurring
items was up by 16.0%, or by 25.0% excluding the impact on financial expense of the return to
shareholders.
Net profit, Group share came to €310 million, compared with €596 million for the year-earlier
period. Most of the decline was attributable to a decrease in capital gains from €533 million in firsthalf
2007, mainly from the disposal of Go Voyages and property divestments, to €130 million in firsthalf
2008. This differential in capital gains explains most of the reduction in net profit in first half 2008.
Operating profit before non-recurring items, net of tax amounted to €263 million, compared with
€258 million in first-half 2007.
Net earnings per share amounted to €1.40, based on the weighted average 221.7 million shares
outstanding during the period.
Funds from operations totaled €487 million in first-half 2008. In first-half 2007, they included
€39 million from businesses that have since been divested (Go Voyages, Red Roof Inn and the
Foodservices in Italy and Brazil). At constant scope of consolidation, funds from operations were up
2.3% for the period.
Net debt amounted to €931 million at June 30, 2008. It takes into account €368 million in expansion
capex and the €226 million cost of acquiring assets held for sale (mainly by exercising call options as
part of the restructuring of hotel property assets) and €503 million in proceeds from asset sales.
Dividends paid in first-half 2008 amounted to €714 million, including €332 million in a special
dividend of €1.50 per share.
The main financial ratios reflect the Group’s robust financial position. Gearing stood at 28.0% at
June 30, 2008, while the ratio of adjusted funds from operations to adjusted net debt4 came to 24.2%.
Return on capital employed continued to improve, rising to 14.5% at June 30, 2008, from 12.8% at
June 30, 2007. ROCE in the Hotels business has improved by 2.9 points since December 31, 2006,
from 11.1% to 14.0% at June 30, 2008.
Significant progress in implementing the strategic plan
• Accor Services: extending the range of prepaid services and products
Active in the prepaid market for more than 40 years with Ticket Restaurant meal vouchers and Ticket
Alimentation food vouchers, the Services business is expanding its lineup with Prepaid Gifts, Prepaid Car and Prepaid Transport products to meet the expectations of employers and employees alike.
This development is being led by a growing emphasis on new technological solutions, such as smart
cards and cell phones, as well as on innovative marketing techniques.
In first-half 2008, Accor Services launched:
- The UUB prepaid card, aimed at Un- and UnderBanked employees in the United Kingdom.
- The Commuter Check card (transit and parking) in the United States to promote the use of
public transportation.
- The “Ma Kadeos” range of customizable gift cards.
Accor Services is relying on acquisitions that enable it either to strengthen its technological
expertise - as was the case with UK-based Prepay Technologies, acquired in 2007 - or to
immediately increase market share. An annual budget of €100 million has been allocated for
acquisitions to help drive additional revenue growth of around 5% a year.
The Services business is also enjoying sustained organic growth in revenue of 8% to 16% a year in
accordance to Group’s objectives, with increases of 15.5% in 2006, 11.9% in 2007 and 11.8% in firsthalf
2008.
• Ramp-up of the Hotel brands
The repositioning of Sofitel in the Luxury segment has led to the rebranding of 19 hotels since 2007
and to a 9.7% increase in average room rates for the period. At June 30, the Sofitel network was
comprised of 161 hotels, of which 68 will display the new visual identity by the end of 2008. A number
of high-profile units are undergoing renovation, including Sofitel Amsterdam The Grand, Sofitel
Aswan Old Cataract in and Sofitel Brussels Le Louise. The July rollout of the “Life is Magnifique”
advertising campaign has revitalized the brand’s visibility.
Pullman, the new Upscale brand launched last December, performed well in the first half, with
RevPAR rising by 3.5% for a network comprised of 20 hotels at June 30, 2008. Forty-six new hotels
are already planned, including 30 rebrandings and 16 openings.
In the non-standardized Economy segment, the All Seasons brand introduced in September 2007
already had a network of 14 hotels in France at June 30. In addition, 50 new hotels are commited,
including 35 openings and 15 rebrandings.
• MGallery and Accor Loyalty program scheduled for launch in September
The MGallery label, designating a collection of upscale hotels with distinctive personality comprised
of rebranded Mercure and Sofitel units, will be introduced on September 3.
Accor Hospitality’s new online, multi-brand loyalty program will be launched on September 15, with
deployment in 2,000 hotels in 80 countries.
• Further expansion in the Hotels business
During the first half, 11,000 rooms were opened, of which 37% in Europe, 31% in Asia-Pacific,
19% in other emerging markets, and 13% in North America. In China, where the network includes
63 hotels, expansion has been especially robust, as illustrated by the openings of the Novotel Beijing
West and Mercure Wanshang in Beijing in time for the Summer Olympics. At June 30, 2008, there
were 86 hotels in the pipeline, including 24 new contracts signed in the first half.
In all, there were 101,000 rooms in the pipeline at June 30, 2008, compared with 93,000 at
December 31, 2007. A total of 23,000 rooms were signed during the first half, compared with
21,325 during the prior-year period.
• Hotel property disposals proceeding as scheduled
Of the targeted €978 million in disposals over the year, assets totaling €482 million were divested in
the first half, while agreements to sell an additional €119 million in assets have been signed, with
closing scheduled during the second half. As a result, more than 60% of the expected full-year
program has already been completed.
Outlook for 2008
• Business in July
In the Services business, revenue increased by 16.3% like-for-like in July.
During the month, like-for-like RevPAR in the Upscale and Midscale Hotels in Europe rose by
3.0%, with increases of 4.2% in France, 4.7% in Germany and 0.4% in the rest of Europe. In
Economy Hotels in Europe, like-for-like RevPAR was up 1.7% overall, rising 3.1% in France, 1.0%
in Germany, and 0.4% in the rest of Europe. These trends confirm the resistance of the Group’s two
core markets, France and Germany.
In Economy Hotels in the US, RevPAR was down 3.0% in July, in line with the market.
• 2008 earnings objective
Over the full year, the Group is aiming to report profit before tax and non-recurring items of
between €910 million to €930 million. This target takes into account the following factors:
- Growth in profit before tax and non-recurring items (excluding the impact of the return to
shareholders) of 25% in the first half and of around 10% in the second, in light of the less
favorable economic environment.
- An additional negative €85-million impact on profit before tax of the Group transformation
which is made of a negative €55-million impact on net financial expense of the return to
shareholders (share buybacks and the payment of special dividends in 2007 and 2008) and a
negative €30-million impact of assets divested in 2007—Go Voyages, the Foodservices in
Italy and Brazil, and Red Roof Inn.
- An estimated negative €40-million currency effect due to the weak US dollar and British
pound.
- An estimated negative €17-million impact of expansion (hotel openings or acquisitions).
This earnings objective would represent around 16% growth in profit before tax like-for-like for
the year, excluding the impact of the return to shareholders.
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