DGAP-News

HAPAG - LLOYD AG: Unsatisfactory rate development affects business in first half-year

DGAP-News: HAPAG - LLOYD AG / Key word(s): Half Year Results
HAPAG - LLOYD AG: Unsatisfactory rate development affects business in
first half-year

12.08.2014 / 08:01

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Hamburg, 12 August 2014

Unsatisfactory rate development affects business in first half-year

Transport volume increased by 5.8% / Average rate down 6.4% /
Currency-adjusted revenue remains stable / Transport expenses significantly
reduced / Further cost-cutting measures in the pipeline

Hapag-Lloyd increased its transport volume in the first half of 2014, even
though the market environment remains difficult. At around 2.9 million TEU,
5.8% more cargo was shipped this year than in the first six months of 2013.
In contrast, the average freight rate developed negatively as a result of
persistently tough competition across the market. After a weak first
quarter, which is usual in the liner shipping sector, the upturn in the
second quarter failed to live up to expectations. Consequently, the average
freight rate in the first half of 2014 fell by 98 USD/TEU year on year to
1,424 USD/TEU. Revenue in the first six months amounted to EUR 3.21 billion
- EUR 144 million lower than the prior year period, due to the poor freight
rate development and the much weaker US dollar. Adjusted for exchange rate
effects revenue remained stable (-0.1% compared to the prior year period).

As far as costs are concerned, Hapag-Lloyd reduced its transport expenses
by EUR 79 million year on year to just under EUR 2.9 billion in the first
half-year - despite the sizeable increase in transport volume. Overall,
transport expenses per TEU averaged at USD 1,372 in the first half of 2014
- USD 57 per TEU less than the prior year period.

Even with reduced transport expenses, it was impossible to make up for the
massive impact that falling freight rates had on earnings. In the first
half of 2014, Hapag-Lloyd achieved an EBITDA of EUR 67.2 million (prior
year period: EUR 171.8 million) and an operating result of EUR -73.7
million (prior year period: EUR 13.5 million). The Group net result of EUR
-173.3 million (prior year period: EUR -72.7 million) includes one-off
costs relating to the CSAV transaction.

'The fact that we ended up with this unsatisfactory result despite clear
efforts to cut costs is down to the disappointing development of freight
rates across all trades', said Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd. 'We
expect, however, to see a better result in the second half of the year even
though the environment remains tough. We'll continue to cut costs and our
merger with CSAV will enable us to realize synergies worth at least USD 300
million per annum in the future', he added.

The transaction is still subject to the approval of approximately a dozen
competition authorities around the world. However, the first major
milestone was reached at the end of July, when the transaction was
rubber-stamped by the relevant US authorities. The transaction is expected
to be concluded in the fourth quarter, once all the key competition
authorities have granted their approval. Where legally permitted,
preparations are already under way to integrate CSAV's container business
into Hapag-Lloyd, in order to benefit from the synergies as soon as
possible after the closing.

In view of the negative impact on earnings in the first half of 2014
resulting from the persistent pressure on the freight rate and in
consideration of an unchanged difficult sector environment, Hapag-Lloyd
aims for a positive operating result for 2014 as a whole, albeit clearly
lower than in 2013.



---------------------------------------------------------------------

12.08.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

---------------------------------------------------------------------


281833 12.08.2014