Rolls-Royce Swings to Profit
August 01 2017 - 3:31AM
Dow Jones News
By Robert Wall
LONDON--British aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC
Tuesday swung to a first-half net profit amid signs a turnaround
plan is helping bolster results.
Rolls-Royce net profit for the six months through June rose to
1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) from a GBP1.8 billion loss. Last year's
figure was depressed by a revaluation of currency hedges because of
the sharp fall of the British currency after the Brexit vote.
The company's closely watched underlying pretax profit rose to
GBP287 million from GBP104 million, driven by its
civil-aircraft-engine activities and better-than-expected
performance at its power-systems unit. Sales in the first six
months of this year rose 12% to GBP7.6 billion.
Rolls-Royce, which makes engines for Boeing Co. and Airbus SE
long-range jets, had signaled it would make most of its profit in
the second half. It repeated that forecast Tuesday.
The company, however, continues to be hit by multiple headwinds.
Its core aircraft-engine business is ramping up production of new,
less profitable models, with output of more lucrative ones falling.
Demand for marine engines powering ships involved in the oil and
gas industry have also sagged, denting profit.
The production rampup in which Rolls-Royce plans to about double
output of large commercial airplane engines by the end of the
decade is also weighing on cash flow. The company had GBP339
million in cash outflow at the end of June, slightly better than
expected, and stuck to guidance of around GBP100 million in free
cash generation this year.
Chief Executive Warren East has embarked on a prolonged
turnaround plan, slashing jobs in a bid to boost profitability that
lags that of rivals such as General Electric Co. Mr. East called
the half-year performance "encouraging" and ahead of
expectations.
Rolls-Royce also has to grapple with the introduction of new
accounting rules that come into force soon. They will mainly affect
book-keeping on Rolls-Royce's commercial engine activities. Those
engines are often sold at a loss with profit generated through
long-term service arrangements.
Under the so-called IFRS 15 standard, Rolls-Royce will no longer
be able to book some of the service revenue early. That will
depress near-term sales during a period Rolls-Royce is boosting
production. Future sales, when many of these engines come in for
overhaul, should be higher. Free cash flow is unaffected.
Rolls-Royce said under the new rules it last year would have
reported a GBP4.8 billion loss, or GBP800 million worse than the
year prior. Sales would have come in GBP1.7 billion lower at
GBP13.3 billion.
Write to Robert Wall at Robert.Wall@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 01, 2017 03:16 ET (07:16 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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