Orion Pharma accounted for EUR 100.2 million, or 78% of the total. Group net sales decreased by 14.0% to EUR 1,944.3 (2,261.5) million due to structural changes in the Group and lower net sales of the pharmaceutical wholesale business. Profit before extraordinary items and taxes was EUR 127.7 (89.0) million, and earnings per share were EUR 0.64 (0.49). Equity ratio was 42.4 % (49.4%). A dividend of EUR 0.55 per share for 2004 is proposed by the Board of Directors.
- The reporting is based on the Finnish Accounting Standards (FAS). Orion shifted to IFRS-based reporting as of January 2005.
- The figures in this Release have not been audited. Those in the parentheses are for the comparative period. The per-share key figures for the comparative periods have been adjusted with the impact of the bonus issue implemented on 17 September 2004.
- As attachments to this Release, the Report by the Board of Directors is published. Also, an unaudited consolidated IFRS Balance Sheet as per 31 December 2004 and an Income Statement for 2004, together with a specification of their main differences from the FAS (Finnish Accounting Standards) Income Statement and Balance Sheet for the corresponding periods.
- A separate Stock Exchange Release about the matters to be handled at the AGM on 22 March 2005 will be published today, after the publication of this financial statements release.
Orion Corporation
Jukka Viinanen Jari Karlson
President and CEO CFO
Contact persons:
Jukka Viinanen, President and CEO, phone +358 10 429 3710
Jari Karlson, CFO, Phone +358 10 429 2883, mobile +358 50 429 2883
Press conference + on-line webcasting in Finnish
A press conference on the Financial Statements will be held on Tuesday, 15 February 2005 starting at 10.30 am, in the auditorium of the head office of Orion Corporation, address Orionintie 1A, Espoo. The language of the conference is Finnish. An on-line webcasting of the event can be followed via the Finnish homepage of Orion, www.orion.fi, as well as via the Kauppalehti Live web service.
Webcasting in English
The webcast presentations of the Financial Statements will be available on demand on the English and Finnish homepages www.orion.fi as of early afternoon 15 February 2005.
Teleconference in English
A teleconference in English will be arranged on Tuesday, 15 February 2005 starting at 17.00 pm Finnish time (15.00 pm GMT). Guidance for participating the teleconference is provided on the front page of www.orion.fi.
Publication schedule for Orion's Interim Reports in 2005
Interim Report 1-3/2005
Wednesday 11 May 2005 at 8.30 am
- press conference Wednesday 11 May 2005 at 10.30 am
Interim Report 1-6/2005
Tuesday 9 August 2005 at 8.30 am
- press conference Tuesday 9 August 2005 at 10.30 am
Interim Report 1-9/2005
Tuesday, 8 November 2005 at 8.30 am
- press conference Tuesday 8 November 2005 at 10.30 am
Annual Report 2004 will be published during week 10/2005.
Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on Tuesday, 22 March 2005 at 17.00 pm. at the Helsinki Fair Centre
The financial reviews, reports and the related presentation material will be available on the Group homepage instantly upon publication. The homepage also provides a facility for registration on the company's mailing lists for publications and news releases.
The full report including tables can be downloaded from the enclosed link.