24th Jul 2012 11:21
HMS Group Investor Relations Release
Moscow
July 24, 2012
HMS Hydraulic Machines & Systems Group plc
(the "Company", and together with its subsidiaries, the "HMS Group")
S&P REVISES HMS GROUP CORPORATE RATING
Moscow, Russia - July 24, 2012 - HMS Group (LSE: HMSG) today announces that Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered the long-term corporate rating of the company from "BB-" to "B+" with "Negative" outlook, following its acquisitions of the largest compressor producer in Russia, Kazankompessormash (KKM), and a German centrifugal pump producer, Apollo Goessnitz GmbH (Apollo). Also, S&P downgraded HMS' Rub 3 bn unsecured notes to "B" from "B+".
According to S&P, the downgrade follows HMS' acquisitions, which were fully funded by debt. Though HMS Group hasn't broken its internal 2.5x Net debt-to-EBITDA ratio, the agency expects the company's "credit metrics to deteriorate in 2012." Also, the rating action reflects the tightening of HMS' liquidity position since S&P believes that the company will depend on the refinancing of part of its short-term debt facilities in coming months to regain an adequate liquidity cushion.
However, the agency views "the acquisitions as neutral for the business risk profile", where "KKM seems to represent a good strategic fit as it will complement HMS' product offering, especially for gas applications, and potentially yield synergies over time."
S&P underlines, that it would likely to revise the outlook to "Stable" if HMS refinances and extends its 2012-2013 maturities by the end of 2012 while maintaining operating performance and working capital levels in line with their current expectations.
HMS Group is the leading pump manufacturer and provider of flow control solutions and related services to the oil and gas, nuclear and thermal power generation and water utilities sectors in Russia and the CIS. The HMS Group's products are mission-critical elements of projects across a diverse range of industries. It has participated in a number of large-scale infrastructure projects in Russia, including providing pumps and modular equipment to the Vankor oil field and pumping stations on recent trunk pipelines projects linking Russia's core oil producing areas to export ports on the Pacific Ocean and Baltic Sea. The Group reported revenues of RUB 7.3 billion, adjusted EBITDA of RUB 1.4 billion and profit of RUB 485 million for the 3 months ended March 31, 2012. The HMS Group's global depositary receipts ("GDRs") are listed under the symbol "HMSG" on the London Stock Exchange.
For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations: Inna Kelekhsaeva, Deputy Head of Investor Relations
Phone: +7 (495) 730-6601 x 1318, [email protected]
Media Relations: Nozima Karimova, Head of Press Service
Phone: +7 (495) 730-6610, [email protected]
Disclaimer
The information contained herein has been prepared using information available to HMS Hydraulic Machines & Systems Group Plc ("HMS Group" or "HMS" or "Group" or "Company") at the time of preparation of the presentation. External or other factors may have impacted on the business of HMS Group and the content of this presentation, since its preparation. In addition all relevant information about HMS Group may not be included in this presentation. No representation or warranty, expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information.
Any forward looking information herein has been prepared on the basis of a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking statements, by the nature, involve risk and uncertainty and HMS Group cautions that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Reference should be made to the most recent Annual Report for a description of the major risk factors. This presentation should not be relied upon as a recommendation or forecast by HMS Group, which does not undertake an obligation to release any revision to these statements.
This presentation does not constitute or form part of any advertisement of securities, any offer or invitation to sell or issue or any solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, any shares in HMS Group, nor shall it or any part of it nor the fact of its presentation or distribution form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract or investment decision.
Copyright Business Wire 2012
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