German steel distributor Kloeckner & Co said on Tuesday it would not meet its third-quarter target, citing poor market conditions due to prices falling further and weak demand for steel and metal products.
Third-quarter earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) excluding restructuring expenses will be around 30 million euros ($33.79 million), Kloeckner said in a statement.
The company had earlier guided for EBITDA, excluding special items of between 45 million euros and 55 million euros. That outlook was based on the assumption of a slight recovery of prices and robust demand, Kloeckner said.
Kloeckner shares were down 6.9 percent in after-hours trading. The shares closed 0.5 percent higher after the regular trading session.
"Contrary to the general market expectation, steel prices continued to decline, mainly due to a further decrease in quotations for Chinese steel exports," the company said.
"As a result, margins came under pressure and inventory write-downs became necessary."
Kloeckner said that this situation was expected to continue in the fourth quarter and that as a result 2015 EBITDA excluding restructuring cost would remain "substantially" below last year's, though a positive cash flow is still expected.
In 2016 EBITDA is expected to rise again, while net income should be "noticeably positive again," Kloeckner said. ($1 = 0.8878 euros)
source: http://www.reuters.com