Austrian Post announces H1 2016 results
Austrian Post has announced that its revenue for the first half (H1) of 2016 was €1.071bn, down from €1.175m in H1 2015. However, the postal operator said in a statement issued today (11 August) that the revenue decrease “can be fully attributed to the sale of its subsidiary trans-o-flex” at the beginning of April.
When an adjustment has been made for the disposal of trans-o-flex, said Austrian Post, the group revenue in the first half of 2016 actually rose by 0.6% year-on-year and by 2.3% in the second quarter of 2016.
Although the mail business continued to see a structural decline in volumes caused by electronic substitution, Austrian Post recorded a stable revenue development in the Mail & Branch Network Division in the first six months of 2016. Second-quarter revenue rose by 1.6%, driven by positive election effects including a record number of votes that were cast in the Austrian presidential elections by absentee ballot.
E-commerce continued to drive growth in parcel volumes. Total revenue for the Parcel & Logistics Division fell from €436.9m to €334.3m for H1 2016, but this was a consequence of the trans-o-flex arrangement. Adjusted for the disposal of trans-o-flex, the Parcel & Logistics Division showed a “solid” revenue growth of 3.7% H1 and 4.9% in Q2.
Operating earnings (EBIT) for H1 were up 2.2% to €98.6m and up 11.7% to €47.6m for Q2.
Austrian Post also announced that it will be expanding its service portfolio at the beginning of 2017 in order to provide “improved and simpler” shipping options for online retailers.
“For example,” said Austrian Post, “it will be possible to send a so-called “Packet”, an optimal solution ranging somewhere between a traditional letter and a secure parcel. The “Packet” is as easy to handle as a letter, but still offers the popular “track & trace” feature of a parcel.”
Austrian Post confirmed its outlook for 2016 and said it is still aiming for a revenue of €2bn for the full financial year.
