Regulated information - September 2nd 2024- 08:00
Financial results
During the first half of 2024, Campine's sales revenue amounted to € 169.1 million. The EBITDA amounted to € 19.7 million, a rise of 18% compared to last year. This result sets a new record for Campine for the first six months of the year. The profitability is supported by favourable metal prices.
Although demand and sales volumes for Specialty Chemicals have remained equally moderate as in 2023, this division benefitted from a huge surge in prices for antimony metal and its derivatives at the end of the first semester. EBITDA rose 60% thanks to increased margins supported by higher value for the antimony related stocks. In the Circular Metals division volumes dropped with -10% due to low demand for lead and car batteries in Europe, but despite this EBITDA rose with 6% thanks to good prices for different metals and abundant availability of metal waste and battery scraps, which are Campine's most important sources of material input.
"Despite challenging economical circumstances with limited demand in several of our markets, we have increased our profits thanks to focused efforts on the purchasing side" explains CEO De Vos. Campine also managed to increase its profit margins as a result of strong metal prices, especially thanks to the very high prices for antimony metal. "Our pioneering efforts in developing a proprietary antimony recycling technology are paying off more than ever at these price levels" adds De Vos. Campine's R&D department develops an even more advanced technology to recycle antimony, which should allow the company to not only extend capacity but also to recycle more complex antimony containing residues and waste streams in the future.
Results per division/segment
Specialty Chemicals division
Market and Operations
- The turnover in the Specialty Chemicals division amounted to € 74.2 million, an increase of nearly 9% compared to 2023. This growth is entirely attributed to the Antimony Trioxide business unit. Campine's FRMB unit (flame-retardant masterbatches) as well as CrP, its PP recycling unit suffered both form sluggish demand as well as from lower plastics prices.
- The EBITDA rose with 60% to € 6.0 million (2023: € 3.8 million). The enhanced profitability is completely supported by the rise in antimony prices and related margin and stock value increases.
Circular Metals division
Market and Operations
- The turnover reduced to € 111.8 million (-11% compared to 2023), this decrease is related to lower demand for lead in Europe.
- The EBITDA rose to € 13.7 million compared to € 13.0 million in 2023. The increase - despite a volume drop - reflects the good prices for the different metals Campine recycles, such as lead, antimony, gold, silver, and tin and the abundant availability of scraps and waste containing these metals.
Outlook full year 2024
Campine is once again anticipating a particularly good result for 2024, possibly matching or surpassing the 2023 record figures. This will of course depend on the evolution of metal prices and demand for its finished products in the second semester.
In the Specialty Chemicals division we expect antimony prices to remain at a high level. Short term demand and prices for antimony trioxide have increased since August 15th, date when the Chinese authorities announced export restrictions on antimony products. With our diversified antimony metal purchase mainly outside of China and our own recycling, Campine is well positioned to keep a leadership position in this market. Forecasts in Europe for recycled plastics and masterbatches are difficult, but if the recovery starts, polymer prices and thus margins, should move upwards.
The price of lead on the London Metal Exchange experienced a serious dip early August in correlation with the crash on the stock markets, but we expect prices to recover towards the year-end. In any case, in its Circular Metals division, Campine is to a certain extent able to balance its margins in lead recycling, since low demand for end products mostly means abundant supply of scraps at lower prices on the purchasing side.
The full interim financial report is available on our website www.campine.com: Investors/shareholder information/financial reports and calendar/Financial reports/interim financial report 2024.
This information is also available in Dutch. Only the Dutch version is the official version. The English version is a translation of the original Dutch version.
For further information you can contact Karin Leysen (tel. no +32 14 60 15 49)
(email: Karin.Leysen@campine.com).
