Half Year 2017 Results: Solid Performance on Execution of SES's Differentiated Strategy

Written on 27 Jul 2017

LUXEMBOURG, 28 July 2017 -- SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) announced financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2017.

Delivering return to growth in revenue and profitability

Revenue EUR 1,048.7 million, up 9.6% over prior period (down 1.5% like-for-like[1])

EBITDA margin 65.5% and operating profit margin 29.2%[2] (H1 20161: 66.4% and 31.3% respectively)

Net profit attributable to SES shareholders of EUR 275.5 million, up 21.2% over prior period

Net debt to EBITDA ratio[3] 3.24 times (H1 2016: 2.03 times), in line with SES's financial framework

Substantial contract backlog of EUR 7.5 billion (H1 2016: EUR 7.3 billion)

Improving trend in SES Video and strong growth in SES Networks delivers stable verticals development

Improving trend in SES Video with Q2 2017 at -1.9% (YOY), compared with Q1 2017 at -4.2% (YOY)

Stable outlook for SES Video, excluding short-term impact of launch schedule and satellite health changes

Improved business mix and differentiated solutions driving 7.5% (YOY) growth in SES Networks

Development agreement signed with Boeing to deliver next generation technology innovation

Karim Michel Sabbagh, President and CEO, commented: SES continues to make a positive start to 2017 and is well positioned to generate sustained growth and improving returns.

SES Video continues to deliver differentiated services and enhance the viewing experience, with the proportion of integrated solutions nearly doubling versus last year. The improving trend in Q2 2017 underpins our stable outlook for 2017 before the temporary impact of changes due to launch schedule and satellite health, which are expected to result in a slight decline.

SES Networks' distributed network capabilities are driving strong growth across our data-centric verticals, expanding with global fixed data, aeronautical, maritime and government clients. The development agreement, signed today, with Boeing is the latest milestone in delivering next generation technology that will form the basis for SES's future network and will expand the future addressable market.

OPERATIONAL REVIEWS At 30 June 2017, SES's fully protected contract backlog was EUR 7.5 billion (30 June 2016: EUR 7.3 billion). The substantial backlog is the result of the successful commercial activity across SES's two natural business units - SES Video and SES Networks.

SES Video: 67% of group revenue (H1 2016: 70%)

Reported revenue up 5.4% to EUR 699.7 million (-3.1% like-for-like)

Improving trend with Q2 2017 at -1.9% (YOY) versus -4.2% (YOY) for Q1 2017

Nearly doubling reported revenue from integrated media solutions

As expected, a significant improvement in the year-on-year (like-for-like) development between Q1 2017 (-4.2%) and Q2 2017 (-1.9%) led to an overall reduction of 3.1% for H1 2017, compared with the prior period. This resulted from the impact of higher periodic revenue, predominantly in Q1 2016, beginning to progressively normalise over the course of 2017. Q2 2017 benefited from the signing of new agreements covering the existing fleet and recently launched capacity.

...

For further information: Richard Whiteing

Investor Relations

Tel. 352 710 725 261

[email protected] --

Markus Payer

Corporate Communications

Tel. 352 710 725 500

[email protected] --

[1] Comparative figures are restated at constant FX to neutralise currency variations and assuming (on a pro forma basis) that RR Media and O3b had been consolidated from 1 January 2016

[2] Includes one-off impairment charge against AMC-9 of EUR 38.4 million. Excluding this item, H1 2017 operating profit margin was 32.8%

[3] Based on rating agency methodology (treats hybrid bonds as 50% debt and 50% equity). Under IFRS (treats hybrid bonds as 100% equity), net debt to EBITDA ratio was 2.79 times at 30 June 2017 (30 June 2016: 1.77 times)

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About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units; SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES's portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider, and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com

LINK:	https://www.ses.com/press-release/half-year-2017-results-solid-perform...
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