Legrand Reports Sales Growth of 9% for First Half of 2017
After acquiring Milestone AV Technologies to bolster its brand positions, Legrand is reporting 2.4% organic sales growth in the U.S.
Legrand acquired Milestone AV Technologies for an estimated $950 million.
Legrand SA (LGRVF) used the words “ongoing growth acceleration” to describe its sales performance for the first six months of 2017.
The French company reported total sales up 9.1% to 2.67 billion Euro, driven by organic growth of 3.2% and external growth of 4.1%.
Organic growth in sales was sustained with good performances recorded in mature countries as well as new economies. The company also made five acquisitions in that time frame, including its recent buyout of Milestone AV Technologies, which includes the brands of Chief, Sanus and Da-Lite.
On the profit side, Legrand reported a 10.9% gain in adjusted operating profit to $546 million Euro, 11.5% growth in net profit, and 19.1% growth in cash flow to 227 million Euro.
Adjusted operating margin before acquisitions is 20.6% of sales compared with 20.1% in the first half of 2016, or an increase of 0.5%.
North and Central America sales account for 29.6% of total sales. In total, sales were up 2.8%. In the United States alone, and thanks in particular to good performance in home systems and user interfaces, organic growth stood at 2.4% (and at 8.0% over two years from the first half of 2015).
Legrand calls Milestone AV Technologies LLC “a frontrunner in audio-video infrastructure and power,” adding, “Milestone’s solid positions – over 75 % of sales are made with leading positions – round out Legrand’s existing positions under the Middle Atlantic Products brand. Generating mid-term synergies in sales as well as short- and mid-term synergies in costs, this acquisition was made for an enterprise value of $950 million net of a discounted tax benefit of $250 million, and at conditions that meet all of the Group’s financial criteria.”
Milestone is based in Eden Prairie (Minnesota) and reported sales of $464 million in 2016 and has around 1,000 employees.
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About the Author
Jason Knott
Jason Knott is Chief Content Officer for Emerald Expositions Connected Brands. Jason has covered low-voltage electronics as an editor since 1990, serving as editor and publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He joined CE Pro in 2000 and serves as Editor-in-Chief of that brand. He served as chairman of the Security Industry Association’s Education Committee from 2000-2004 and sat on the board of that association from 1998-2002. He is also a former board member of the Alarm Industry Research and Educational Foundation. He has been a member of the CEDIA Business Working Group since 2010. Jason graduated from the University of Southern California. Have a suggestion or a topic you want to read more about? Email Jason at [email protected]
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