bpost reports fourth quarter 2016 results

Fourth quarter 2016 highlights

Normalized operating income (revenues) at €690.7m (+7.4%) thanks to excellent Parcels revenues driven by end of year sales and the positive impact of the consolidation of Ubiway (1 month) compensating Domestic Mail evolution.

Domestic Mail underlying volume trend at -6.4% (-5.0% for the year 2016). Tough comparables for the quarter in transactional and advertising mail, but stable full year underlying mail trend at -5.0%.

Excellent Domestic Parcels volumes growth at +21.7% (+17.1% for the full year), driven by boosting e-commerce, very strong trend in C2C and first visible results of DPDHL B2C non-exclusive partnership. Price/mix effect of -3.4%.

International Parcels up €13.1m, driven by positive contribution from acquisitions and increase in flows from US, partially offset by continued volume loss to China.

Additional Sources of Revenues driven by Value Added Services and financial revenues.

Costs (€ -0.4m) excluding Ubiway slightly down and well under control. Productivity improvements of 699 FTE and interims for the quarter.

Normalized EBITDA up €4.4m to €141.5m.

Normalized net profit of bpost SA/NV (BGAAP) for the full year came in at EUR 286.5m.

Proposed total dividend of €1.31 gross per share based on 2016 results, composed of an interim dividend of €1.06 (paid in December 2016) and a final proposed dividend of €0.25, subject to the approval of shareholders.