Picanol Reports Sharp Sales IncreaseThe Belgium-based Picanol Group reported a 35-percent increase
in first-quarter 2003 sales over year-earlier turnover. Sales totaled 167.4 million euros,
including turnover of 2 million euros by the companys recently acquired subsidiaries, The
Netherlands-based Te Strake Textile BV and Lhenry, France.The operating profit for the quarter
increased nearly 40 percent to 11.25 million euros, while consolidated net profit of 7.6 million
euros represented an 83-percent increase over the first-quarter 2002 net profit of 4.15 million
euros.The company announced a 1-to-40 stock split and the simultaneous movement of shares from the
fixed market to the continuous market, where share quotes were immediately included in the Next
Prime segment and the Next Prime index.Picanol stated it expects little impact from the Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic in Asia on its global sales, but it expects the Chinese
market to make a soft landing in the second half of 2003. Recognizing the SARS impact, coupled with
the euros current strength against the dollar and the yen, the company expects 2003 will end with
sales results equal in strength to those for 2002.
July 2003
