DGAP-Adhoc: GN Store Nord A/S: GN Interim Report Q2 2022

Interim Report Q2 2022: GN Store Nord in Q2 2022 delivered 29% revenue growth of which 8% was organic, driven by strong Enterprise and Hearing performance. Global supply chain situation improving but remain challenging. Guidance revision to reflect consumer sentiment: Significant reduction of SteelSeries guidance; reduction of GN Audio organic revenue growth guidance driven by Consumer business sentiment; GN Hearing confirming the lower end of the guidance range

- - GN Store Nord

• In Q2 2022, GN delivered 29% revenue growth, of which 8% was organic, leading to a revenue of DKK 4,857 million. A strong improvement of DKK 1 billion compared to Q1 2022
• The global supply chain situation is improving, but continues to be challenging
• Adj. EBITA was DKK 610 million and free cash flow excl. M&A was DKK -412 million driven by net working capital and investments in growth opportunities
• Adj. Leverage ended at 5.7x, reflecting M&A activities and timing effects of the earnings profile
• August 17, GN signed mandate documents with its commercial banking group for a three-year EUR 520 million loan to cover its short-term funding requirements

- - GN Hearing

• GN Hearing delivered revenue growth of 16% in Q2 2022, of which 4% was organic. The growth was driven by strong performance in Europe while negatively impacted by COVID-19 restrictions in China and consumer sentiment in the US. Adj. EBITA margin was 6.6% in the Core business driven by higher freight and material costs, investments in launch activities and the development in FX
• The Emerging business, primarily Lively, delivered another strong quarter with 79% organic revenue growth. EBITA was DKK -49 million
• Free cash flow excl. M&A was DKK -326 million driven by the lower reported earnings level and investments in growth opportunities
• ReSound OMNIA, announced on August 16, addresses the No. 1 hearing aid challenge: hearing speech in noise. ReSound OMNIA delivers an 150% improvement in speech understanding in noisy environments
• Our first custom rechargeable hearing aids, Custom made by ReSound, launched in June 2022
• Financial guidance confirmed for the lower end of the guidance range

- - GN Audio

• GN Audio delivered revenue growth of 36% in Q2 2022, of which 10% was organic, driven by 18% organic revenue growth in the B2B Enterprise segment despite constraints from an improving yet challenging global supply chain situation. The growth was negatively impacted by a -25% organic revenue growth in the Consumer business, which now accounts for less than 20% of GN Audio organic
• SteelSeries delivered organic revenue growth of -30% while gaining market share in a significantly declining market, impacted by a challenged supply chain and lower consumer sentiment
• Adj. EBITA margin was 18.0%, reflecting investments in growth opportunities, higher freight and material costs, the development in FX and the consolidation of SteelSeries
• Free cash flow excl. M&A was DKK 49 million reflecting strong execution in a challenging environment but offset by inventory build-up of critical components and trade receivables
• Financial guidance revision to reflect consumer sentiment: Significant reduction of SteelSeries organic revenue guidance; reduction of GN Audio organic revenue growth guidance due to Consumer business sentiment; and revision of adj. EBITA margin for GN Audio primarily due to FX

Quotes from executive management

Gitte Aabo, CEO of GN Hearing, comments: In Q2, GN Hearing delivered solid revenue growth despite soft market conditions in the US and COVID-19 restrictions in China. Our innovative R&D engine is at full speed with five exciting products launched this year, the most recent being ReSound OMNIA which delivers an outstanding 150% improvement in speech understanding in noise. GN Hearing now offers a fresh and very strong portfolio of solutions addressing the diverse needs, experiences, and desires people have when handling their hearing difficulties.

René Svendsen-Tune, CEO of GN Audio, comments: GN Audio delivered strong growth in the B2B Enterprise business on top of the very high comparison base from last year, thanks to strong execution from our dedicated teams across the world. Right now, we are seeing an easing of the component situation but we are still constrained, and supply continue to run below demand. Consumer sentiment is low impacting the markets in which our Consumer business and SteelSeries operate, but the demand for our Enterprise products continues to be very strong.

Financial overview Q2 2022

* Including Other, ** Excluding non-recurring items (DKK -54 million in COGS in GN Audio, DKK -14 million in OPEX in GN Audio, DKK -16 million in COGS in GN Hearing and DKK -27 million in OPEX in GN Hearing)

Financial guidance 2022

Guidance revision to reflect consumer sentiment: Significant reduction of SteelSeries guidance; reduction of GN Audio organic revenue growth guidance driven by Consumer business sentiment; revision of GN Audio adj. EBITA margin primarily driven by FX; GN Hearing confirming the lower end of the guidance range. Consequently, GN Store Nord now expects growth in adj. EPS between -10% to 0%

Financial guidance 2022 (previous)

Financial guidance 2022 (Updated as of August 17)

Note 1) Emerging Business mainly includes the Lively acquisition

Note 2) The SteelSeries organic revenue growth will be reported as M&A growth for GN Audio

Note 3) Excluding non-recurring items

Note 4) Non-recurring items in GN Hearing primarily related to supply chain investments (DKK ~ -150m) and in GN Audio related to transaction and integration costs (DKK ~ -200m) as well as non-cash PPAs (DKK ~ -200m), associated with SteelSeries

Note 5) Compared to 2021 adjusted EPS (excluding non-recurring items and amortization and impairment of acquired intangible assets) of DKK 15.29

Note 6) The growth assumption for the Enterprise business, which accounts for more than 80% of the GN Audio organic business, is unchanged and the Enterprise business is still expected to grow double-digit in H2 2022. The market in which the Consumer business operates is now expected to decline ~25% in 2022 due to lower consumer sentiment resulting in a significant negative growth assumption for the GN Audio Consumer business in 2022

Note 7) Addressable gaming gear market is now estimated to decline ~25% in 2022 to reflect consumer sentiment

Note 8) Reflecting updated FX assumptions for 2022 following the significant appreciation of the USD

Financial guidance based on foreign exchange rates as of August 17, 2022

Teleconference

GN Store Nord will host a teleconference at 11.00 a.m. CEST on August 18. Please visit www.gn.com/investor to access the teleconference. Presentation material will be available on the website prior to the start of the teleconference.

For further information, please contact:

Investors and analysts

Henriette Wennicke

Vice President Investor Relations & Treasury

Tel: +45 45 75 03 33

or

Rune Sandager

Director Investor Relations & Treasury 

Tel: +45 45 75 92 57
 

Press and the media
Steen Frentz Laursen
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Tel: +45 20 65 34 20

 

About GN

GN facilitates communication between people through intelligent hearing, audio, video, and gaming technology. Inspired by people and driven by our passion for innovation, we leverage technologies to deliver unique user experiences that bring people closer through the power of sound and vision.

GN was founded more than 150 years ago with a vision to connect the world. Today, we proudly honor that legacy with our world-leading expertise in the human ear, audio, video and speech, wireless technologies, software, miniaturization, and collaboration with leading technology partners. GN's solutions are marketed by the brands ReSound, SteelSeries, Jabra, Beltone, Interton, BlueParrott, Danavox and FalCom in 100 countries. Founded in 1869, the GN Group employs more than 7,000 people and is listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (GN.CO).

Visit our homepage GN.com - and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.