BIC 
By Regulatory News:
BIC Group (Paris:BB):
In million euros | 4th Quarter | Full Year | ||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2006 | 2007 | |||||
| Group Net Sales | 364.5 | 361.2 | 1,448.1 | 1,456.1 | ||||
| Change as reported | -0.9% | 0.6% | ||||||
Change at constant currencies1 | 3.4% | 4.7% | ||||||
Change on a comparative basis1 | 2.1% | 3.3% | ||||||
| Categories | ||||||||
| Stationery | ||||||||
| Net Sales | 174.2 | 163.0 | 737.6 | 714.9 | ||||
| Change as reported | -6.4% | -3.1% | ||||||
| Change at constant currencies | -2.5% | 1.0% | ||||||
| Change on a comparative basis | -2.5% | -0.6% | ||||||
| Lighters | ||||||||
| Net Sales | 107.3 | 104.8 | 394.6 | 390.3 | ||||
| Change as reported | -2.3% | -1.1% | ||||||
| Change at constant currencies | 2.6% | 3.7% | ||||||
| Shavers | ||||||||
| Net Sales | 63.4 | 67.5 | 253.8 | 266.7 | ||||
| Change as reported | 6.3% | 5.1% | ||||||
| Change at constant currencies | 11.1% | 9.2% | ||||||
| Other Products | ||||||||
| Net Sales | 19.6 | 25.9 | 62.1 | 84.2 | ||||
| Change as reported | 32.5% | 35.5% | ||||||
| Change at constant currencies | 35.8% | 37.6% | ||||||
| Change on a comparative basis | 11.1% | 22.1% | ||||||
1 Comparative basis means at constant currencies and at comparable perimeter. For the full year 2007, comparative basis excludes the sales of Pimaco until September 30th, 2007 and the additional sales of Atchison Products (consolidated from October 1st, 2007). There was no change in perimeter in the lighter and shaver categories. Constant currency figures are calculated by translating the current year figures at prior year monthly average exchange rates. | ||||||||
BIC Group 4th Quarter 2007 net sales reached 361.2 million euros compared to 364.5 million euros in the 4th Quarter of 2006, decreasing -0.9% as reported and increasing +3.4% at constant currencies and +2.1% on a comparative basis. For the Full Year 2007, net sales were 1,456.1 million euros, compared to 1,448.1 million euros in 2006, up +0.6% as reported, +4.7% at constant currencies and +3.3% on a comparative basis.
Executive Summary:
- Full Year Net Sales reached 1,456.1 million euros. With a +3.3% growth on a comparative basis, 2007 net sales performance was below our revised guidance of +3.5% to 4%.
- The 4th Quarter was affected by a stronger than anticipated slowdown of our stationery business in North America with significant inventory reduction at the trade level and a continued soft performance of our Graphic business in this region.
- In lighters, full year sales grew by 3.7% at constant currencies. In Europe, the transition to the child-resistant regulation progressed smoothly throughout the year. In the month of December 2007, as anticipated, 94% of our sales to the trade were child-resistant.
- In shavers, we experienced strong performance of our core triple-blade portfolio, which now represents 41% of our total one-piece shaver net sales.
- As initially indicated, on a comparative basis, 2007 Full Year Normalized Income From Operations will grow less than sales, with Normalized IFO margin expected to be approximately 17.4% compared to 17.9% in 2006, as a result of the launch of BIC® Soleil® with cartridge refills.
Commenting on 2007 net sales, CEO Mario Guevara said: ?Despite a challenging 2nd half of the year, our teams achieved sales growth of 3.3% on a comparative basis and 4.7% at constant currencies for the full year with strong consumer takeaway in all three categories. Our ?bolt-on' acquisition strategy also proved successful with incremental growth from PIMACO in Brazil and Atchison Products, Inc., which was acquired in 2007 by BIC Graphic USA, our promotional products business.?
Categories
Stationery
| In million euros | 4th Quarter | Full Year | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2006 | 2007 | |||||||||||||
| Net Sales | 174.2 | 163.0 | 737.6 | 714.9 | ||||||||||||
| Change as reported | -6.4% | -3.1% | ||||||||||||||
| Change at constant currencies | -2.5% | 1.0% | ||||||||||||||
| Change on a comparative basis | -2.5% | -0.6% | ||||||||||||||
| Volumes | -5% | |||||||||||||||
In the 4th Quarter, stationery net sales decreased by 2.5% on a comparative basis, slightly below expectations. Customer inventory reductions negatively impacted our consumer business in North America, while our Graphic (promotional imprinting) business also remained soft in this region.
For the Full Year 2007, the stationery business decreased by 0.6% on a comparative basis and registered +1% growth at constant currencies. Net sales growth and market share gains in Europe were offset by net sales declines in our largest region, North America. This soft performance was due to a low single digit decrease of the Graphic business, with a continued slowdown of writing instrument promotional activity in the USA. While net sales declined in North America due to customer inventory reductions, consumer point-of-sale purchases were positive for the year.
Lighter
| In million euros | 4th Quarter | Full Year | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2006 | 2007 | |||||||||||||
| Net Sales | 107.3 | 104.8 | 394.6 | 390.3 | ||||||||||||
| Change as reported | -2.3% | -1.1% | ||||||||||||||
| Change at constant currencies | 2.6% | 3.7% | ||||||||||||||
| Volumes | +1% | |||||||||||||||
In lighters, 4th Quarter net sales were up by +2.6% at constant currencies, driven by the performance of North America and Latin America. In Europe, the transition from non child-resistant to child-resistant lighters progressed without major disruption to the market. As anticipated, in the month of December 2007, child-resistant lighter sales represented 94% of our total European sales to the trade, compared to 61% at the end of September 2007.
Full Year 2007 net sales increased by +3.7% at constant currencies. We experienced growth in almost every region, with good performance in North and Latin America and slight growth in Europe, despite continued pressure from Asian imports.
Shaver
| In million euros | 4th Quarter | Full Year | ||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2006 | 2007 | |||||||||||||
| Net Sales | 63.4 | 67.5 | 253.8 | 266.7 | ||||||||||||
| Change as reported | 6.3% | 5.1% | ||||||||||||||
| Change at constant currencies | 11.1% | 9.2% | ||||||||||||||
| Volumes | -1% | |||||||||||||||
Shaver net sales increased 11.1% at constant currencies in the 4th Quarter. The strong performance was broad-based from a geographic perspective, with double-digit growth in Europe and North America complemented by mid-single digit growth in Latin America.
The strong 4th Quarter performance was the result of the continued growth of our core portfolio of one-piece triple-blade shavers, most notably the ?BIC® Soleil®? brand, dedicated to women.
In the one-piece segment, our triple-blade portfolio gained market share and represented 41% of our total one-piece shaver sales in 2007 compared to 35% in 2006.
For the Full Year 2007, shaver net sales were driven by our one-piece segment and grew by 9.2% at constant currencies. The strong performance of our triple-blade one-piece business more than offset declines of our classic single-blade products, with BIC® Soleil® with cartridge refills, contributing to the growth of our total shaver business in 2007. We remain committed to building both the one-piece and the system segments of the shaving market.
Other Products
