Mittal Steel SA made its owners R5,08-billion in the 2005 financial year to December, a 12% increase on the previous year.
”The excellent results were driven by higher average sales prices; higher export sales; and the non-recurrence of business assistance agreement payments made during 2004,” the company said on Wednesday.
Chief executive Davinder Chugh said the results were more impressive taking into account the 70% increase in the international price of iron ore since January 2005 and the 120% increase in that of coking coal since April 2005, shifting the entire steel industry cost curve up considerably.
Revenue for the period under review increased by four percent to R24-billion.
Headline earnings a share for the full year improved by 12% or 1 139 cents a share from 1 020 cents a share. Cash and cash equivalents at year-end were R5,2-billion.
Mittal Steel SA has declared a final dividend of 140 cents a share, payable on March 20, bringing the total dividend for the year to 380 cents a share.
The company experienced record earnings levels in the first and second quarter of 2005, but earnings decreased about 40% in the third and fourth quarters amid a decline in sales prices and increased costs.
”Even so, the level of earnings during the last two quarters was substantially higher compared to the levels achieved during 2003 and the beginning of 2004,” Chugh said.
In the period under review, domestic sales volumes decreased 10% on the previous year, mainly through a correction in inventory levels and a delay in orders in anticipation of lower prices.
”This started to change during the last quarter as domestic order intake showed a noticeable improvement driven by low inventory levels as well as a general increase in the demand for steel,” Chugh added.
Liquid steel production increased three percent to 7,3-million tonnes, while total sales were unchanged at 6,2-million tonnes.
Chugh warned that some of the company’s customers were experiencing difficulty exporting as a result of the strong rand and some facing difficulty competing with cheap imports from China.
In the international market, Mittal Steel SA increased exports 17% on 2004 as lower domestic sales were redirected to exports.
The average export prices for 2005 were 11% higher than in 2004.
All divisions traded profitably, with long products showing an 18% increase in operating profit to R2,1-billion.
On a comparable basis, decreases in operating profit were recorded at Vanderbijlpark, Saldanha and Coke and Chemicals.
However, their earnings remained healthy in terms of margins.
”We have seen a substantial increase in the cost of our raw materials, especially coking coal, iron ore pellets and scrap,” Chugh explained.
A higher increase in sales prices, a lower decline in domestic off take and an increase in total sales volumes were behind the increase in operating profit for long products compared with the decline for flat products.
Local market demand, which started to improve towards the end of 2005, was expected to further improve in the first quarter of the 2006 financial year.
Mittal Steel SA said the outlook for the first quarter was in line with the previous quarter, depending on movements in the exchange rate.
It said the R220-million zero effluent discharge project at the Vanderbijlpark Steel Works was completed — on time and cost — in December on commissioning of the main water treatment plant.
It would ensure there was no effluent release from the plant into any water system — river or underground; contribute to the Water Affairs Department’s aim of lowering salinity in the Vaal River catchments area; and reduce the plant’s fresh water intake from the Vaal Dam and Vaal River.
Chugh also announced the appointment of Rick Reato as chief operating officer and Kobus Verster as executive director, finance to replace Harak Chand Banthia. – Sapa