Over a million patients treated in Asklepios Clinics in the first six months
Organic growth improves in the second quarter – operative margin in the first six months still under that of the previous year.
Once again, the Asklepios Group cared for considerably more patients in the first six months: Although the number of beds remained virtually unchanged, the number of patients treated rose by 5,6% to 1,043,030 million, the growth resulting from the outpatients’ department alone. The turnover increased thanks to the exclusively organically achieved growth by 2.6% to EUR 1,514.2 million. (1st Half-year 2012: EUR 1,472.5 million). The growth thereby increased in the second quarter of 2013, increasing by 4.1%.
On the other hand, the operative result (EBITDA) was negative, falling by 7.1% to EUR 120.4 million (1st half-year 2012: EUR 129.6 million). The EBITDA margin fell proportionately to 8.0%, lying 0.8 percentage points under the figures for the same period last year. Factors that had a negative effect the figures were additional staff, increases in tariffs and also increased energy and insurance costs. With the high turnover and effective cost management, the situation already showed improvements in the second half of the year, where Asklepios lay only slightly below the previous year’s level for the same period, with an EBITDA margin of 9.0%.
At EUR 68.0 million and a margin of 4.5% (1st six months of 2012: EUR 79.9 million or 5.4%), the result before interest and taxes (EBIT) was also below the previous year’s level. Besides the developments regarding costs, write-offs also increased by 5.6%. Reasons for this were the relative reduction in subsidies and the increase in self-financing of investments in the preceding years. The surplus for the concern amounted to EUR 45.0 million after EUR 55.9 million in the same period last year. Thus, the operating margin amounted to 3.0% (1st six months of 2012: 3.8%). Besides the reduction in the operative results and the development of the operative cash-flow, the repayment of leans to benefactors also made itself felt.
Dr. Ulrich Wandschneider, Chairman of the concern’s management board, explains: “The health politics of the country have, with the measures decided upon in the middle of the year, reacted to the extremely tense economical situation of many public hospitals in particular, without solving the problems relating to payment structures in hospitals. The divergence of costs and income put pressure on the results, especially at the beginning of the year. The Asklepios Group will make use of every possibility to improve the efficiency and the strength of performance of our clinics. Part of our preventive measures programme “nextStep” is to establish concern-wide and cross-location processes wherever it makes sense to do so.”
Solid financial structures
The finance and balance structures of Asklepios remain solid. The won-capital quota lay at 33.0% on the cut-off date (31 December 2012: 32.2%). Liquid assets to the tune of EUR 90.5 million and unused lines of credit amounting to more than EUR 207.4 million ensure that the concern has adequate financial reserves for investments and growth. The net debt as of cut-off date 30 June 2013 was at EUR 647.7 million, of which EUR 98.3 million was allotted to subordinate capital. IN real terms, the level of debt lay at 2.5 times the EBITDA (31 December 2012: 2.3 times).
Stephan Leonhard, acting chairman of the concern’s management board and CFO, elaborates: “In the first half of the year, Asklepios the financing of the concern developed successfully, ensuring long-term security. Thereby, a new consortium credit of EUR 325 million for the future refinancing of existing credit arrangements was obtained on very favourable terms. The financial flexibility and the maturity structure were thereby improved in the long term. The conditions and the time of the finance package confirm the confidence that the capital markets have in the long-term strength and stability of the Asklepios business model.”
Forecast
In the middle of the business year 2013, Asklepios lies below the results for the same period in the previous year, due to the gap between earnings and cost developments, with the operative result, despite the expectation of an upward swing. In the second half of the year, earnings should improve due to the effects of seasonal recovers and the planned relief measures from which the hospital sector will profit. This will also bring the improvement of the operative results into view. Depending on the development of the performance during the remainder of the year and the speed at which the planned measures are implemented, it will be possible to reach figures approaching our goal for the business year 2013. The goals for 2013 allow for organic growth to the tune of 2 to 4% and an increase in operative results. According to previous experience, positive effects are expected for the budget negotiations with the various benefactors in the second half of the year. The most recent developments regarding the payment of the benefactors are already having a positive effect on the earnings situation in hospitals in 2013, and it looks even better for 2014. Asklepios is continuing with the implementation of their own measure within the “nextStep” programme. The results of this effort to improve the potential of costs and efficiency will be visible in the next quarter.
About Asklepios
The health concern Asklepios Clinics GmbH counts among the leading private operators of hospitals and health facilities in Germany. The clinic group adheres to high quality, innovatively organised and sustainable growth strategy. On this basis, Asklepios has developed dynamically since it was founded 25 years ago. Currently, the group employs more than 45,000 people in 140 health facilities throughout Germany. In the previous business year or 2012, approximately 2.0 million patients were treated in Asklepios facilities.