
Helsinki-listed steelmaker SSAB’s shares rose about 1 percent on Tuesday afternoon, outperforming the OMX Helsinki 25 index, which was down roughly 0.6 percent. The rest of the reporting companies declined more than the broader market after releasing first-quarter results.
SSAB bucked the downward trend after reporting an operating profit of SEK 2.2 billion (EUR 203.2 million), up from SEK 1.35 billion a year earlier, driven by stronger performance in its Europe and Americas divisions. “The shipments of advanced steels were at a good level in the first quarter,” the Swedish company said, pointing to its focus on higher margin products.
Bank of Åland shares fell around 2 percent. Net operating profit decreased 6 percent to EUR 17.2 million, while return on equity remained above its long-term target. The bank said it delivered “good results in a world marked by rising geopolitical turbulence and increasing uncertainty,” with higher commission income partly offsetting lower net interest income.
Wärtsilä, which provides technology and lifecycle solutions for marine and energy markets, and construction group YIT both dropped just over 5 percent. Wärtsilä reported a 10 percent increase in order intake to EUR 2.1 billion and a 16 percent rise in comparable operating profit to EUR 199 million, supported by growth in energy and marine equipment. Chief executive Håkan Agnevall said the company saw “a strong start to the year in Marine and Energy,” although cash flow weakened due to higher working capital.
YIT reported an operating loss of EUR 18 million, compared with a profit a year earlier, with results impacted by negative fair value changes and restructuring costs despite stable revenue.
Share of Valmet, a supplier of technologies and services for process industries such as pulp and paper, declined more than 7 percent. Orders received fell 18 percent to EUR 1.1 billion, reflecting weaker capital project activity, while comparable EBITA decreased 6 percent to EUR 114 million due to a lower margin project mix. The company said that “strategy execution progressed in the first quarter, while sales mix impacted the results.”
Revenio, which develops ophthalmic diagnostic devices, was the weakest performer, down nearly 11 percent. Operating profit fell to EUR 2.4 million from EUR 6.6 million, mainly due to around EUR 3.1 million in acquisition-related costs and other one-off items. The company is in the process of acquiring France’s Visionix to expand its position in ophthalmic diagnostics.
After a day of shrinking stock prices, investors will have more to take in tomorrow, with several large caps, including Kone, UPM-Kymmene, Neste, Fortum, and Kesko set to report their first-quarter results.
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