On 10 May 2012 the Management Board of the Krka Company presented to the public the results of the Krka Group and the Krka Company for the first quarter of 2012. The Group sold EUR 273.5 million worth of products and services in the three months to March, up 6% compared to the same period last year, and generated EUR 48.6 million of profit, up 1%. The Krka Company sold EUR 259.0 million worth of products (up 10%) and generated a profit of EUR 48.1 million (up 2%).
Sales
The Group sold EUR 273.5 million worth of products and services in the first quarter of 2012, up EUR 15.6 million, or 6%, compared to the same period last year. As much as 92% of total sales were generated in markets outside Slovenia.
Krka's leading sales region was Region East Europe, where Krka generated EUR 78.6 million of sales, which is an increase by 18% compared to the same period last year and which represents 29% of overall sales. Region East Europe includes Krka's largest individual market, the Russian Federation, where Krka's sales amounted to EUR 54.2 million, up 16% compared to the same period last year.
The Krka Group sold EUR 230.6 million worth of prescription pharmaceuticals, which is an increase by one tenth compared to the same period last year and represents 84% of total Krka Group sales.
Operating results
The Group generated EUR 48.6 million of profit in the first quarter of 2012, up 1% compared to the same period last year, and the Krka Company generated EUR 48.1 million of profit, up 2%.
Research and development
In the first quarter of 2012 Krka Group acquired 177 new marketing authorisations for 38 products, including 135 new marketing authorisations for 6 products obtained via demanding EU procedures.
Investments
In the first three months of 2012 the Krka Group spent EUR 24.2 million on investments, of which the controlling company invested EUR 10.3 million and subsidiaries EUR 13.9 million.
The new oral solid dosage pharmaceutical production plant Notol 2, the largest investment in Krka's history, is currently in the initial phase of construction (drawing up the project documentation and obtaining the relevant permits). The plant with the target capacity of 4.5 billion finished products per year is worth EUR 200 million.
Employees
At the end of the first quarter the Krka Group had 9,098 employees, an increase by 150 staff, or 2%, compared to the beginning of the year. Over the reported period the number of Krka employees increased by 56 in Slovenia and by 94 abroad. Krka's subsidiaries and representation offices outside Slovenia employ 49% of the Group’s staff, with 51% of the Group's staff having a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Share information
At the end of March 2012, Krka had a total of 70,741 shareholders.
From 11 April 2012, Krka's shares have been additionally listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
At Krka's 17th Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 5 July 2012, shareholders will decide on paying dividends from the accumulated profit for 2011. The AGM will receive a proposal to pay a gross dividend of EUR 1.50 per share, an increase by 7% compared to last year's dividend.
