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Laos Appoints New Deputy Minister of Health, Reshuffles Ministry

Reshuffle in Ministry of Health

The government of Laos has appointed Dr. Sanong Thongsana, former Director of Mittaphab Hospital, as the new Deputy Minister of Health.

Hot Weather, Wind and Thunderstorms Forecast Across Laos This Week

Storm in Kasy

Strong winds and thunderstorms are forecast across the country this week with high temperatures expected in central and southern Laos.

Trend Micro Placed in 2021 Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms

Recognized for Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute

 

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 13 May 2021 – Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704), a global cybersecurity leader, today announced that it has been positioned by Gartner as a Leader in the Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platform for its offering, Trend Micro Apex One. The evaluation was based on specific criteria that analyzed the company’s overall completeness of vision and ability to execute.

Trend Micro is continually innovating and anticipating emerging threats. Our flagship Apex One endpoint protection platform features broad coverage against today’s most critical threats. Our customers are protected using a range of techniques including virtual patching, which immediately protects against exploits until the vendor patch is applied.

Read the full Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platform report at: https://resources.trendmicro.com/Gartner-Magic-Quadrant-Endpoints.html

“The endpoint has become a key battleground as determined threat actors try to take advantage of the pandemic to target distributed workforces and vulnerable remote access infrastructure. But throughout this difficult period, we’ve been there for our customers,” said Wendy Moore, vice president of product marketing for Trend Micro. “I’m delighted to see us recognized again for doing what we do best: Protecting global organizations through innovative, cloud-first and platform-based security. We will continue to focus on offering simple, robust and industry-leading protection through our cybersecurity platform.”

At the heart of the company’s cybersecurity platform is Trend Micro Vision One, which delivers visibility and XDR using telemetry from Apex One in addition to email, servers, cloud workloads and networks for faster detections and investigations.

Magic Quadrant reports are a culmination of rigorous, fact-based research in specific markets, providing a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the providers in markets where growth is high and provider differentiation is distinct. Providers are positioned into four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players. The research enables you to get the most from market analysis in alignment with your unique business and technology needs.

* Gartner disclaimer: Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Trend Micro

Trend Micro, a global cybersecurity leader, helps make the world safe for exchanging digital information. Fueled by decades of security expertise, global threat research, and continuous innovation, Trend Micro’s cybersecurity platform protects hundreds of thousands of organizations and millions of individuals across clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. As a leader in cloud and enterprise cybersecurity, the platform delivers a powerful range of advanced threat defense techniques optimized for environments like AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and central visibility for better, faster detection and response. With 7,000 employees across 65 countries, Trend Micro enables organizations to simplify and secure their connected world. www.trendmicro.com.hk

#TrendMicro

Workday Named a Leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large, and Global Enterprises

Positioned as a Leader for Fifth Year in a Row Based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute

 

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 13 May 2021 – Workday (NASDAQ:WDAY), a leader in enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, today announced it has been positioned by Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant of the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large, and Global Enterprises* for the fifth year in a row based on completeness of vision and ability to execute.

The events of 2020 have caused many organizations to accelerate their finance digital transformation efforts. As a result, finance leaders are turning to Workday to help them plan, execute, and analyze all in one system. The company’s broad portfolio of cloud finance offerings brings new levels of visibility and control that go beyond the boundaries of traditional ERP systems. Together Workday Financial Management, Workday Adaptive Planning, Workday Accounting Center, Workday Prism Analytics, and Workday Spend Management Sourcing deliver a deep and comprehensive solution for enterprise planning and analysis across all finance processes including record to report, report to forecast, contract to cash, and source to pay.

Relentless Focus on Customer Success and Innovation to Elevate the Office of the CFO

Workday continues to deliver on its vision for the office of the CFO to optimize organizational agility and deliver trusted insights to fuel the most effective operations. Its commitment to delivering exceptional customer value and continuous innovation is helping organizations from a diverse range of industries and sectors. With more than 1,000 Workday Financial Management customers and 5,500 Workday Adaptive Planning customers in more than 120 countries, Workday continues to drive global innovation fueled by machine learning (ML) and advanced analytics to allow customers to:

  • Become decision-ready with an intelligent data foundation. Workday offers a unique architecture featuring an intelligent data foundation that helps finance teams harness the power of data by blending operational and transactional data into a single source. Workday Accounting Center, built on this data foundation, represents a fundamental change in the way finance teams manage operational data by dramatically simplifying the transformation of high-volume operational data into accounting. Machine learning is also embedded into the core data architecture to infuse intelligence into finance processes driven by Workday Financial Management, Workday Adaptive Planning and Workday Spend Management. These ML-powered applications allow customers to continuously detect journal line and plan entry anomalies, intelligently match customer payments to invoices, offer spend recommendations, and scan supplier invoices and expense receipts with optical character recognition to automate processing.
  • Unify accounting and FP&A for greater agility: The ability to manage financial activity through the lens of FP&A has become increasingly important, especially given the unpredictability of the past 18 months. In the report, Gartner states, “This year, we have included FP&A capabilities in the evaluation where Cloud Core Financial Management vendors have brought them to market. FP&A is quickly becoming a point of differentiation for many vendors in the study and will continue to drive customer acquisition.”*

Workday, positioned by Gartner in the Leaders quadrant of the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Financial Planning & Analysis**, offers deep integration from both a data and user experience (UX) perspective with Workday Financial Management and Workday Human Capital Management (HCM). Offered either as a standalone solution or combined with other Workday solutions, Workday Adaptive Planning allows FP&A to plan with greater accuracy and confidence, harnessing ML and predictive analytics at the core.

  • Start with finance for digital acceleration. Replacing legacy systems over time is the best option for many organizations, particularly product-based industries. The Workday Enterprise Finance solution provides customers with the flexibility to adopt individual Workday solutions that coexist with current ERP systems or replace their entire financial software suite to accelerate their digital transformation, allowing customers to realize the benefits of cloud technology throughout the transition and at their own pace.

Consistent Customer Satisfaction

Workday aims to maintain a customer satisfaction rating of over 95% and achieved an industry-leading 97% customer satisfaction rating in its most recent customer satisfaction survey. Key factors in the consistently high customer satisfaction rating include the ability to understand customer needs, the quality of technical support, and the responsiveness of the Workday customer experience organization. Additionally, Gartner Peer Insights documents customer experience through verified ratings and peer reviews. As of May 12, 2021, Workday customer reviews include the following:

  • “It is a great financial management and accounting tool with actionable business insights” — DAA in the Healthcare Industry [read full review]
  • “[Workday] Adaptive Planning allows a CFO to respond to changing landscapes through data.” — CFO & VP For Finance & Business Strategy in the Education Industry [read full review]
  • “[Workday] has revolutionized the financial operations of our department because now we have [a] better breakdown of our finance and based on that we are in a better position to make better decisions that may impact our revenue in a positive way. It has been the best partner for our finance and operations team.” — IT support in the Communications Industry [read full review]
  • “Outstanding planning tool — best in class and ahead of competitors.” — Senior Finance Director in the Healthcare Industry [read full review]
  • “C Suite is equipped with relevant, contextual financial insights available from anywhere.” — VP, Security & Risk, in the Finance Industry [read full review]


Comments on the News

“As an international organization, we need to be dynamic and easily adapt to changing market conditions,” said Rob Bloor, group financial controller, EQ. “With Workday, our transaction and planning data are in the same system, and we’re able to translate data into insight we need to make decisions. Having our accounting and planning teams work off of the same data set makes it possible for us to be continuously agile and confident in our decision making.”

“We’re thrilled Workday built machine learning into its core cash-to-pay application natively, creating a seamless extension to our accounts receivable process,” Preeti Iyer, senior director, Finance & Order to Cash, Blue Yonder. “Workday has all of our data, and knows how we handle cash applications, and how we’ve applied payments in the past. This deep understanding gave us a huge leap forward, was more cost effective, and has helped us realize value faster as we continue to reduce time spent on our complex cash applications and move from 70 percent of our time spent on manual matches to just 20 percent.”

“Workday has proven they are a modern cloud system that delivers continuous innovation to its customers and is a true partner for Shelter Insurance,” Tina Workman, vice president of accounting and treasurer, Shelter Insurance. “We went live on Accounting Center last year and have since retired several legacy COBOL programs that had little visibility into creating accounting from operational systems. With Workday Accounting Center we have full transparency into detailed accounting creation from close to 75 files from policy, claims, and other systems, streamlining our accounting into one system and providing us with deeper insight into insurance product profitability.”

“We believe the reason Gartner continues to recognize Workday as a Leader in Cloud Core Financial Management Suites is our deep customer commitment and relentless focus on innovation to help advance the Office of the CFO,” said Terrance Wampler, general manager, Workday Financial Management. “For finance organizations, having proven solutions that support current and emerging finance processes provide a clear competitive advantage. With Workday, our customers can more easily distill actionable insights from all of their data, quickly remove friction from finance processes, and continuously plan to deliver the strategic business partnership that their organizations require from finance.”

Additional Information

*Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large, and Global Enterprises, John Van Decker, Greg Leiter, Robert Anderson, 10 May 2021

**Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Financial Planning & Analysis, Robert Anderson, Greg Leiter, John Van Decker, 6 October 2020

Gartner Disclaimer:

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner Peer Insights reviews constitute the subjective opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences and do not represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates.


About Workday

Workday is a leading provider of enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, helping customers adapt and thrive in a changing world. Workday applications for financial management, human resources, planning, spend management, and analytics have been adopted by thousands of organizations around the world and across industries—from medium-sized businesses to more than 45 percent of the Fortune 500. For more information about Workday, visit workday.com.


Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements including, among other things, statements regarding the expected performance and benefits of Workday’s and Workday Strategic Sourcing’s offerings. The words “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “seek,” “plan,” “project,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. If the risks materialize or assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. Risks include, but are not limited to, risks described in Workday’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including Workday’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2021 and future reports that may be filed with the SEC from time to time, which could cause actual results to vary from expectations. Workday assumes no obligation to, and does not currently intend to, update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Any unreleased services, features, or functions referenced in this document, our website, or other press releases or public statements that are not currently available are subject to change at Workday’s and Workday Strategic Sourcing’s discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase Workday and/or Workday Strategic Sourcing services should make their purchase decisions based upon services, features, and functions that are currently available.

DHL Global Forwarding opens new direct China-United Kingdom multimodal link

  • New rail-sea freight service will connect businesses in China with customers in the UK, and vice versa, in 18 to 20 days
  • Goods departing from Xi’an, China will be transported by rail to Kaliningrad, Russia and sailed to Immingham, a major port on the east coast of England

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach – 13 May 2021 – In the first half of 2020, China was the only country among UK’s top five trading partners to achieve positive growth in bilateral goods trade, mainly due to a 17.2% increase in goods imported by the UK from China. To cater to the growth in UK-China trade, DHL Global Forwarding has launched a new rail-sea freight solution that will link businesses in China with customers in the UK, and vice versa, in 18 to 20 days. Compared to ocean freight that would typically take 40 days, the new service cuts transit time by more than half.

Since the start of the pandemic, rail has emerged as a popular alternative for shippers who balk at hefty air freight rates as a result of capacity shortage, and eschew long ocean freight transit time due to equipment and capacity shortages. Globally, the rail freight market is expected to see a compounded annual growth rate of 9.9% in 2021.

“The UK faced numerous trade challenges in the past year, having to navigate economic and trade uncertainties over Brexit and during the pandemic, whilst managing new UK-EU border regulations and processes at the dawn of the new Brexit era. As the UK economy starts picking up and China celebrates record growth in Q1 2021, trade between the two partners would be one to watch,” said Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.

According to the DHL Global Connectedness Index 2020, China was ranked second by its share of the UK’s international flows. In the first eight months of 2020, British exports to China rose by 10.7%, or £837 million (€982 million), even as the UK saw its overall exports fall by 25% for the same period. In 2019, the most sought after British goods in China were gold, petroleum and petroleum-related products, and vehicles, while telecommunications and office equipment, and electrical machinery and appliances were key Chinese exports that made their way to the UK.

Consolidating goods from across China at DHL’s hub at Xi’an, China, the new service will transport the cargo by rail to Kaliningrad, Russia via Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Lithuania, and then transferred to Immingham by sea, where the UK import customs and final delivery of the cargo to the consignees are processed. The service is jointly developed by DHL Global Forwarding China, Xi’an International Inland Port Investment & Development Group Co. Ltd, RZD Logistics and RTSB Gmbh.

Steve Huang, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Greater China, said, “Most China-UK multimodal routes often include Germany, Poland or the Netherlands as the midpoint for transfer from rail freight to sea or road freight. After Brexit, going by these routes would incur additional customs procedures and fees. The new service will potentially avoid seasonal congestion on the EU border, which in turn guarantees a more stable transit time.”

Note to editors:

Ukraine’s exports to China surged 63.3% year on year in 2019, as Sino-Ukrainian trade turnover hit a massive US$12.8 billion (€10.7 billion). Find out how DHL is supporting this growing trade partnership by establishing better rail connectivity between Europe and Asia.

DHL – The logistics company for the world

DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With about 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 66 billion euros in 2020. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. Deutsche Post DHL Group aims to achieve zero-emissions logistics by 2050.

#DHL

Summit Ascent Selected for Inclusion in the MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – Summit Ascent Holdings Limited (“Summit Ascent“, the “Group” or the “Company“, HKEx: 102) is pleased to announce that the Group will be officially included as a constituent stock of MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index. The inclusion of Summit Ascent enhances its reputation among institutional investors in the gaming sector. The inclusion will be effective after the close of the stock market on 27 May 2021.

MSCI is a leading provider of global equity indices worldwide. MSCI Hong Kong Micro Cap Index is one of the most widely used equity benchmarks among institutional investors to measure portfolio performances. The inclusion of the Group demonstrated that the Group has fulfilled a rigid matrix of evaluation based on multiple criteria of the index inclusion, including market capitalization size, liquidity screening, foreign inclusion factor requirement and minimum length of trading requirement.

Summit Ascent is a subsidiary of Suncity Group Holdings Limited (“Suncity”, HKEx: 1383). Suncity is dedicated to help Summit Ascent’s businesses as Suncity now owns approximately 70% of Summit Ascent. Summit Ascent owns approximately 77.5% of Tigre de Cristal, the largest integrated resort located in the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone of the Russian Far East. Despite challenging operating environment, Tigre de Cristal was already making a positive EBITDA in 2H 2020, while its mass and electronic gaming volumes have restored to 81% and 90% respectively of the pre-pandemic levels. Tigre de Cristal Phase II is on its way in 2023 where its gaming facilities will be doubled, and number of hotel rooms will be tripled.

In addition, Summit Ascent diversifies and participates in the development of another fast-growing gaming jurisdiction in Asia, the Philippines, through the investment of convertible bonds in a 51%-owned subsidiary of Suncity, Suntrust Home Developers, Inc. (“SunTrust”), where Summit Ascent may have the option to become a direct shareholder of SunTrust when the Westside City Project in the Philippines comes to fruition.

Mr. Andrew Lo, Deputy Chairman and Executive Director of Summit Ascent, said, “I cannot be more thrilled to see Summit Ascent to be included in the MSCI Index. It is not only a recognition from the capital market, but it is also an accreditation to the Group’s development strategy. By being in the index, institutional investors could have an additional peace of mind that the company is growing in the right direction. Summit Ascent is undoubtedly a growth company that is worth the wait, as it will be equipped with Suncity’s most valuable resources to fire up its developments.”

About Summit Ascent Holdings Limited (HKEx stock code: 102)

Summit Ascent Holdings Limited (“Summit Ascent”) is a subsidiary of Suncity Group Holdings Limited (HKEx stock code: 1383). Summit Ascent holds 77.5% in Tigre de Cristal, currently the largest integrated resort located in the Primorye Integrated Entertainment Zone of the Russian Far East. Situated midway from the Vladivostok International Airport to Vladivostok city, the administrative centre of the Russian Far East, Tigre de Cristal is ideally located geographically in the heart of Northeast Asia.

Summit Ascent holds a gaming license granted by the Russian government for an indefinite period, and Tigre de Cristal has opened for business since late 2015, offering a broad range of gaming options on a 24/7 basis. Tigre de Cristal has been certified as a five-star hotel with retail offerings, food and beverage outlets, private club, and named “Russia’s Leading Resort” by World Travel Awards.

For more information about Summit Ascent, please visit https://www.saholdings.com.hk/eng/

#SummitAscent

GROUNDWORK BIOAG RAISES $11 MILLION TO ADVANCE BIOAGRICULTURE GLOBALLY

MAZOR, ISRAEL – Groundwork BioAg – 12 May 2021 –

  • Accelerating Production Capacity to Meet Demand for Regenerative Agriculture Products

  • Serving One Million Acres (400 KHa) in 2021

Groundwork BioAg announced today it raised $11 million in venture capital financing led by Ibex Investors with the participation of ProDelta and Future Foodways. Previous investors, including MoreVC, Middleland Capital, Axess Ventures and BPD Agri, materially participated in the round. With this new funding, Groundwork BioAg will accelerate and expand production of its mycorrhizal platform to meet global demand for natural, sustainable solutions that increase agricultural productivity while preserving soil health.

Groundwork BioAg, a global bioagriculture technology company, produces highly effective mycorrhizal inoculants. Mycorrhizae are a cornerstone of regenerative agriculture best practices. In addition to increasing yields, these natural products reduce dependency on phosphorus fertilizer and improve carbon sequestration in soil. Through distribution partnerships in strategic markets across five continents, the company is helping farmers improve the efficiency of major crop production, including corn, soybeans, grains, bio-energy crops, fruits and vegetables, and cannabis.

“Over the past few years, we have focused on building production capacity to support millions of hectares and solidify our global presence in the main agricultural markets. With this investment and strong sales, we will be able to fulfill our mission to bring mycorrhiza – the queen of biologicals – to mainstream agriculture and help farmers succeed while protecting our planet,” said Dr. Yossi Kofman, Co-Founder and CEO of Groundwork BioAg. “We look forward to working with our investors, strategic partners and distributors to continue bringing meaningful value to farmers around the world.”

While naturally occurring in the Earth’s soil, mycorrhizae and other beneficial microbes have been destroyed by modern farming practices, including tilling, pasteurization and over fertilization. Following years of research and product development, Groundwork BioAg is the first to crack the code on mass production of highly concentrated, cost-effective mycorrhizal inoculants that improve yield and soil health. The company’s flagship products include Rootella® for commodity, organic and specialty crops, and DYNOMYCO® for cannabis.

Following record sales in both the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, the company is rapidly scaling up production to meet demand expected in 2022 and beyond. Approximately one million acres (400 Kha) will benefit from the company’s unique products in 2021.

Disruptive Technology VC Chooses Groundwork BioAg As First Investment in AgTech

“We are pleased to add Groundwork BioAg to our portfolio – not only because of its strong in-field performance and continued growth trajectory, but also because its technology provides the most compelling solution to increase yield while protecting our environment,” said Gal Gitter, Managing Director of Ibex Investors focused on growth stage investments. “With its high efficacy and broad applicability, Groundwork BioAg can feasibly treat over one billion hectares, nearly all of the world’s farmland, with these beneficial fungi.”

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado with offices in Tel Aviv and New York, Ibex Investors is a multi-strategy investment firm targeting outsized returns through differentiated global strategies. Ibex invests internationally in Israel, which has the highest concentration of start-up companies outside Silicon Valley.

The funding demonstrates Groundwork BioAg’s strong growth position and enables efforts to expand its platform technology and accelerate production capacity to meet global demand for regenerative agriculture products.

About Groundwork BioAg

Groundwork BioAg, a global bioagriculture company, leverages the natural power of mycorrhizal fungi to improve the productivity, sustainability and profitability of commercial agriculture and expand regenerative agriculture practices. Groundwork BioAg is the first to use innovative techniques to solve challenges inherent in high-volume mycorrhizal inoculant production. We will not rest until every hectare of arable land is protected by mycorrhizae and every farmer benefits from higher crop yields while preserving our soils. For more information, visit http://www.groundworkbioag.com

Contact Details

AgTech PR for Groundwork BioAg

Jennifer Goldston

+1 816-260-0040

jennifer@agtechpr.com

Company Website

https://www.groundworkbioag.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/groundwork-bioag-raises-11-million-to-advance-bioagriculture-globally-104733057

Johnson Electric reports results for the year ended 31 March 2021

Highlights of FY2020/21 Results

  • For the financial year ended 31 March 2021, total sales amounted to US$3,156 million – an increase of 3% compared to the prior year. Excluding the effects of foreign currency movements, underlying sales increased by 1%
  • Gross profit totalled US$723 million – an increase of 8%
  • EBITA, adjusted to exclude restructuring charges and significant non-cash and unusual items, increased by 18% to US$335 million or 10.6% of sales (compared to 9.3% of sales in FY2019/20)
  • Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million – compared to a net loss of US$494 million in the prior financial year which included a non-cash impairment charge against intangible assets of US$796 million
  • Underlying net profit totalled US$251 million – an increase of 31%
  • As of 31 March 2021, cash reserves amounted to US$539 million and the ratio of total debt to capital at year end was 16% (a decrease from 18% a year earlier)

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 12 May 2021 – Johnson Electric Holdings Limited (“Johnson Electric”), a global leader in electric motors and motion subsystems, today announced its results for the twelve months ended 31 March 2021.

Group sales for the 2020/21 financial year totaled US$3,156 million – an increase of 3% compared to the prior year. Excluding the effects of foreign currency movements, underlying sales increased by 1%. Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million. Underlying net profit was US$251 million, an increase of 31% compared to the prior year.

Sales Performance

The Automotive Products Group (“APG”), Johnson Electric’s largest operating division, achieved sales of US$2,443 million. Excluding currency effects, APG’s sales declined by 2%. This compares to a reduction in global light vehicle production volumes of approximately 8% over the same period.

APG continues to deliver results that exceed those of the automotive sector overall – even during cyclical periods of contraction – due to a product portfolio that is focused on the key long-term technology trends that are transforming the industry. These include innovative technologies that enable electrification, reduce emissions, enhance safety and comfort, and heat, cool or lubricate critical vehicle systems.

The strongest regional performance was in Asia, where APG increased sales by 15% in constant currency terms against a market where light vehicle production volumes grew by 2%. Asia was the only major region to achieve a growth in automotive industry volumes in the period due primarily to the fact that China bore the brunt of its pandemic-induced demand contraction in the fourth quarter of the prior financial year.

In contrast, the majority of automotive OEM assembly plants in Europe largely ceased operations in the period from late March to May 2020. Production resumed over the course of the summer and by autumn was matching the levels of the prior year. However, the industry’s recovery was somewhat tempered towards the end of the financial year due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in some countries and by shortages of electronic components, especially semiconductors. For the financial year as a whole, European light vehicle production volumes declined by approximately 18%. Over the same period, APG’s European sales in constant currency were down by 13%.

Automotive industry production and demand trends in North America over the period were broadly similar to those in Europe. APG’s sales in the region declined by 8% in constant currency terms, compared to a 19% fall in North American light vehicle production over the same twelve month period.

The Industry Products Group (“IPG”) achieved sales of US$713 million, which represented 23% of total Group sales. Excluding currency effects, IPG’s sales increased by 12%. This very satisfactory performance reflected the contrasting fortunes of the diverse range of end markets served by IPG as the pandemic reshaped consumer behaviour and altered demand patterns.

For example, sales to product applications such as aerospace subsystems, vending machines, professional power tools and commercial printers all suffered as a direct result of the reduced activity in those end-markets caused by social distancing and COVID-19 containment measures. In contrast, IPG benefitted from a surge in the consumption of consumer goods because of a redirecting of spending away from travel and entertainment and towards more “home-centric” lifestyles. Product applications that saw a strong increase in sales for Johnson Electric’s precision motors, motion subsystems, switches and solenoids included coffee machines, lawn and garden products, kitchen appliances, floor care equipment, inkjet printers, medical devices and healthcare products.

Gross Margins and Operating Profitability

The Group’s gross profit rose by US$51 million to US$723 million, which as a percentage of sales represented an increase from 21.9% to 22.9%. This improvement was primarily due to the combination of volume growth, hedging contract gains, staff cost savings and COVID-19 related government subsidies, partly offset by increased depreciation, higher freight costs and pricing pressure.

A number of non-cash charges and gains, restructuring costs, and other unusual items distort year-on-year comparisons of the Group’s reported operating profit. For the 2020/21 financial year, these included US$28 million in restructuring charges associated with the streamlining of the Group’s manufacturing footprint in Europe and China and a US$91 million decrease in Other Income and Expenses. In addition, in the prior 2019/20 financial year, the Company recorded an impairment charge against goodwill and other intangible assets.

Earnings before interest, tax and amortization (“EBITA”), adjusted to exclude the effects of restructuring charges and non-cash and unusual items referred to above, amounted to US$335 million – compared to US$285 million in the prior year. Adjusted EBITA margins increased from 9.3% to 10.6%.

Underlying Net Profit and Financial Condition

Net profit attributable to shareholders totalled US$212 million or 23.6 US cents per share on a fully diluted basis. Underlying net profit was US$251 million, an increase of 31% compared to the prior year.

Free cash flow from operations totalled US$171 million – a decline of US$87 million. This decrease was almost entirely due to an expansion in working capital that occurred as business volumes recovered from the depressed levels reached during the first stages of the COVID-19 outbreak a year ago.

The overall financial condition and liquidity position of the Group remains robust. Total cash at year end amounted to US$539 million and debt stood at US$426 million. The ratio of total debt to capital at year end was 16% (a reduction from 18% a year earlier).

Dividends

In view of the Company’s financial performance over the course of the 2020/21 financial year and markedly improved macro-economic conditions, the Board has recommended a resumption in final dividend payments in the amount of 34 HK cents per share. Together with the interim dividend of 17 HK cents per share, this represents a total dividend of 51 HK cents per share, equivalent to 6.54 US cents per share. The final dividend will be payable in cash, with a scrip alternative where a 4% discount on the subscription price will be offered to shareholders who elect to subscribe for shares. Full details of the scrip dividend alternative will be set out in a circular to shareholders.

Chairman’s Comments on the Annual Results and Outlook

Commenting on the annual results for the financial year 2020/21, Dr. Patrick Wang, Chairman and Chief Executive, said, “The past twelve months have been truly extraordinary for most people and most businesses in virtually every country worldwide. When I wrote to shareholders a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic had forced many major economies into unprecedented government-mandated “lockdowns” and the timing and nature of an “exit” point was impossible to project.”

“One year on – and after more than three million COVID-related deaths – the global pandemic is still far from over. However, the successful development of vaccines against the virus has at last provided the world with a credible path towards a lifting of restrictions and created rising expectations of a return to social and economic “normality”.”

“For Johnson Electric, with manufacturing facilities in 18 countries on four continents, the financial year 2020/21 was a period of unique challenges that I am pleased to report the Company navigated with a good deal of success. After a particularly difficult first two months to the financial year, when large parts of our operations in Europe and the Americas were essentially shut down, a strong business recovery began to take hold in June 2020 and was sustained through to the end of the financial year in March 2021. It is a testament to Johnson Electric’s diverse global customer base, sought-after technology and highly committed workforce, that the Company was able to deliver both sales and earnings improvements compared to the prior financial year.”

Commenting on the outlook for the business, Dr. Patrick Wang, said, “The same factors that underpinned Johnson Electric’s positive business trajectory in the second half of the past financial year have continued to support an encouraging start to FY2021/22. At the macro-economic level, these include the rebound in the global economy that is benefitting from unprecedented fiscal support from governments, and improving consumer sentiment as vaccines against COVID-19 become more widely available.”

“For Johnson Electric, customer demand in both our automotive and industry products divisions remains strong. APG is gaining share in important thermal management, braking and transmission applications for new energy vehicles, as well as winning new business awards based on our compelling ability to serve global OEM customers in every major regional market. IPG also continues to experience robust demand from many end-product applications that have seen significant volume growth as a result of “stay at home” measures that remain in effect in a number of countries.”

“Based on prevailing trading conditions and customer orders, the Group’s sales growth in the current financial year is on track to exceed 10%. Margins, however, will face downward pressure if raw material price inflation stays at or exceeds its present level.”

“There remain, of course, numerous uncertainties that could affect this outlook in the coming months. Among them, on the demand side, are whether a resurgence in the pandemic will negatively impact consumer sentiment, the effectiveness of government stimulus to provide a bridge until higher levels of vaccinations are achieved, and the uneven length of time that it may take for different economies to return to pre-pandemic levels of output and growth. On the supply side, global shortages of semiconductors and plastic resins, combined with other supply chain bottlenecks, are causing disruptions to OEM production lines that by some estimates could last well into the second half of calendar 2021.”

“Nonetheless, it is reasonable to view the short to medium outlook with a much higher degree of optimism than was the case a year ago. I remain confident that Johnson Electric’s prospects for sustainable growth and value creation are highly attractive in the longer term.”

Note to Editors and Securities Analysts: The full text of the Annual Results announcement, including financial statements, is available through the Investor Relations section of company’s website at www.johnsonelectric.com

About Johnson Electric Group

The Johnson Electric Group is a global leader in electric motors, actuators, motion subsystems and related electro-mechanical components. It serves a broad range of industries including Automotive, Smart Metering, Medical Devices, Business Equipment, Home Automation, Ventilation, White Goods, Power Tools, and Lawn & Garden Equipment. The Group is headquartered in Hong Kong and employs over 35,000 individuals in 22 countries worldwide. Johnson Electric Holdings Limited is listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 179). For further information, please visit: www.johnsonelectric.com.

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Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Johnson Electric and certain plans and objectives of the management of Johnson Electric.

Words such as “outlook”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “intends”, “plans”, “believe”, “estimates”, “projects”, variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risk, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results or performance of Johnson Electric to be materially different from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such forward looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding Johnson Electric’s present and future business strategies and the political and economic environment in which Johnson Electric will operate in the future.