24.01.2008 18:00:00 CET
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TOUAX listed on compartment B on the back of its very good financial performance
By being listed on compartment B,..
Touax performed very well in the stock market in 2007 (stock market capitalisation of €156.6 million as of 31 December 2007), and broke through the threshold for being listed on Euronext Paris Compartment B on NYSE EURONEXT.
The Group's stock market performance in 2007 stems from its very strong financial performance:
- In 2006, the Group posted a 76% increase in net income (compared to 2005);
- By June 2007, net income had once again risen 55% (compared to June 2006);
- In 2007, the Group expects a further increase in net income of over 40%.
. Touax reaps the benefit of its strategy.
Since 2005, Touax has taken the decision to heavily invest on its own behalf in order to improve its return on equity, These investments selected by a top-class management team made it possible to significantly improve net earnings per share (€1.12 in 2004, €1.40 in 2005, €1.86 in 2006 and already €1.33 at 30 June 2007).
. in markets experiencing very strong structural growth.
The shipping containers leasing business is driven by global trade. Globalisation is increasing global trade at a faster pace than global growth. The needs of emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil continue to increase regardless of the current stock market crisis. In 2008, growth is expected to top 9%, representing a $4 billion increase in the shipping containers market.
Infrastructure needs in Central and Eastern Europe call for ever higher availability of modular buildings. These infrastructure needs are decorrelated from the current stock market crisis. European structural funds for the 2007-2013 period are budgeted at €347 billion. The main beneficiaries are the European Union's eastern members and Poland in particular. Thanks to its Polish operations (Touax is the leader in the Polish market) and its recent set-up in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Touax is the leader in the Czech Republic), the modular buildings leasing business will grow sharply in 2008 and over the coming years.
The general environmental awareness has resulted in calls for clean transportation and in this regard many industrial operators are turning to river and rail transportation. In addition, the new river regulations applicable on the Danube in 2008 will result in the upgrading of a series of competitor river barges causing a fall in overall supply and a concrete increase in rates.
The deregulation of rail freight and the need to replace European railcars is increasingly favouring leasing companies. 800,000 railcars must be renewed over the coming twenty years, representing an investment of over €80 billion. This renewal is a necessity that will not go away as a result of the current stock market crisis.
In 2008, Touax will benefit from its 2007 growth.
The various investments made in 2007 will fully impact in 2008.
and has put in place an investment plan for 2008 that will further improve the Group's profitability.
The Group is planning a series of investments in 2008 across all its business activities, in line with growth in its markets. These investments will result in a further improvement in the Group's return on equity.
The TOUAX Group provides operational leasing of shipping containers, modular buildings, river barges and freight railcars for a global customer base, both for its own account and on behalf of investors.
TOUAX is listed in Paris on NYSE EURONEXT - Euronext Paris Compartment B (ISIN code FR0000033003).
Contacts:
TOUAX
Fabrice & Raphaël WALEWSKI
Managers
touax@touax.com
www.touax.com
Tel: +33 (0)1 46 96 18 00
ACTUS FINANCE
Samuel BEAUPAIN
sbeaupain@actus.fr
www.actus.fr
Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 49