Strong market environment supports final 2021 dividend target
02.12.2021
Globaltrans Investment PLC (the “Company” and together with its consolidated subsidiaries “Globaltrans” or the “Group”, LSE/MOEX ticker: GLTR) provides an update on the current market environment and re-affirms the final 2021 dividend target it announced in August.
The overall market recovery continued in the second half of the year fueled by strong demand for bulk cargoes and an accelerated improvement in volumes for the oil products and oil segment[1].
- Overall Russian freight rail turnover (measured in tonnes-kilometers) rose 3.0% year on year in the July-November 2021 period, exceeding the pre-pandemic level of the same period in 2019 by 3.4%.
- Overall Russian freight rail volumes (measured in tonnes) rose 1.9% year on year in the July-November 2021 period, exceeding the pre-pandemic levels of the same period of 2019 by 0.7%.
- Cargo volumes in the non-oil (bulk) segment from July-November 2021 were up 0.5% year on year and have also exceeded the levels of the same period of 2019 by 1.9%.
- Although the catch up in cargo volumes in oil products and oil accelerated over the July-November period (up 9.5% year on year), they remained 5.0% below the level of the same period of 2019.
The pricing environment remains solid with further improvements in gondola market rates and continued favourable conditions in the tank segment.
As expected, the Group’s dividend capacity has been strengthened by the continued overall market recovery along with the improvement in gondola rates. These developments enable the Group to re-affirm its final 2021 dividend target in the amount of RUB 5.0 billion or about RUB 28 per share/GDR with expected payment in April-May 2022[2]. The final dividend target is 25% above the 2021 interim dividend payment made earlier this year.
ENQUIRIES
For investors
Mikhail Perestyuk / Daria Plotnikova
+357 25 328 860
For Russian media
Anna Vostrukhova
+357 25 328 863
For international media
Laura Gilbert, Lightship Consulting
+44 7799 413351
Laura.Gilbert@lightshipconsulting.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Globaltrans Investment PLC (“Company” and together with its consolidated subsidiaries “Globaltrans” or the “Group”) is a leading freight rail transportation group with subsidiary operations across Russia, the CIS and the Baltic countries.
The Company was founded in 2004 by a group of entrepreneurs who combined their freight rail businesses under the single brand Globaltrans. These founders remain key shareholders of the Group.
Throughout its years of operation, the Company has pursued a prudent approach to investment, expanding its fleet both by means of organic growth and through the acquisition of other rail operators. Globaltrans’ total fleet is currently almost three times larger than it was at the time of the Company’s IPO in 2008.
The Group’s dividend policy establishes a transparent and straightforward approach to the payment of dividends and is supported by a long history of delivering attractive shareholder remuneration.
Globaltrans global depositary receipts (GDRs) have been traded on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: GLTR) since May 2008 and on the Level One quotation list of the Moscow Exchange since October 2020 (ticker symbol: GLTR).
Due to its vast logistics capabilities, the Group is able to efficiently manage industrial cargo flows, transporting metallurgical cargoes, oil products and oil, coal and construction materials. The Group serves a broad range of clients in Russia and the CIS including some of Russia’s leading companies.
Globaltrans has a total fleet (including owned and leased in under finance and operating leases) of more than 68 thousand units as of the end of September 2021, of which about 95% are owned by the Company. The core of the fleet is universal gondola cars used for a broad range of bulk cargoes (69% of total fleet) and tank cars for transporting oil products and oil (28% of total fleet). Globaltrans also manages its own fleet of mainline locomotives with 71 units that mostly provide traction for its block trains.
The Group’s logistics management principally aims to provide reliable services, responding promptly and flexibly to customer needs, while achieving a good level of profitability for the business. The main component of the Group’s centralised logistics system is its single dispatching centre that monitors every aspect of Globaltrans’ fleet operation. By effectively managing shipments and routes, Globaltrans ensures high utilisation of its fleet and achieves maximum productivity and quality of service.
Additional information on Globaltrans is available at www.globaltrans.com.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Information contained in this announcement concerning Globaltrans Investment PLC, a company organised and existing under the laws of Cyprus (the “Company” and together with its consolidated subsidiaries “Globaltrans” or the “Group”) is for general information purposes only. The opinions presented herein are based on general information gathered at the time of writing and are subject to change without notice. The Company relies on information obtained from sources believed to be reliable but does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information.
The information in this announcement is subject to verification, completion and change. Accordingly, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of the Company or any of its shareholders, directors, officers or employees or any other person as to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions contained in this announcement. None of the Company nor any of its shareholders, directors, officers or any other person accepts any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from any use of the contents of this announcement or otherwise arising in connection therewith.
This announcement is not an offer of securities for sale in the United States or in any other jurisdiction. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
This announcement does not constitute, and should not be construed as, a prospectus or offering document for securities of the Company. This announcement does not constitute or form part of, and should not be construed as an offer for sale or subscription of or a solicitation or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction, and nothing contained in this announcement shall form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any contract or commitment whatsoever; in particular it must not be used in making any investment decisions.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Globaltrans. You can identify forward looking statements by terms such as “expect”, “believe”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “will”, “could”, “may”, or “might”, the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include matters that are not historical facts and statements regarding the Company’s intentions, beliefs or current expectations concerning, among other things, Globaltrans’ results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies, and the industry in which the Company operates. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. The Company cautions you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that Globaltrans’ actual results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth, strategies and the development of the industry in which Globaltrans operates may differ materially from those described in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. In addition, even if Globaltrans’ results of operations, financial condition, liquidity, prospects, growth strategies and the development of the industry in which the Company operates are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this announcement, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in future periods. The Company does not intend to update this announcement or reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements of Globaltrans, including, among others, general economic conditions, the competitive environment, risks associated with operating in Russia, market changes in the Russian freight rail market, as well as many of the risks specifically related to Globaltrans and its operations. No reliance may be placed for any purposes whatsoever on the information contained in this announcement or on its completeness, accuracy or fairness.
[1]The information on the market is based on the Company’s calculations and data from JSC Russian Railways and Federal State Statistics Service of Russian Federation.
[2] GDRs – Global Depositary Receipts. Final dividends are subject to the shareholders’ approval at the Annual General Meeting.