Lonza Books Higher 2020 Earnings; Increases Dividend
January 27 2021 - 2:07AM
Dow Jones News
By Olivia Bugault
Lonza Group AG said Wednesday that sales and earnings rose in
2020 and that it increased its dividend.
The Swiss life-sciences company reported sales of 4.51 billion
Swiss francs ($5.09 billion), compared with CHF4.21 billion the
year prior.
Earnings before interest and taxes rose 9% to CHF901 million, it
said. Core earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and
amortization stood at CHF1.41 billion, up roughly 5% from last
year, it added.
Lonza now expects sales at constant exchange rates to grow in
the low double digits for 2021, while its core Ebitda margin should
improve.
"While the businesses have shown strong levels of resilience
during the pandemic, all forecasts should continue to be treated
with some caution at this time of global uncertainty arising from
the Covid-19 pandemic," the company said.
Lonza's board of directors has proposed to increase the 2020
dividend to CHF3 per share from CHF2.75 per share, a proposal that
represents a pay-out of 25.8% of 2020 reported net profit.
Write to Olivia Bugault at olivia.bugault@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 27, 2021 01:52 ET (06:52 GMT)
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