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EANS-News: Wienerberger reports strong performance in the first 9 months 2020

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  Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide
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Quarterly Report

Vienna - 05 November 2020

Highlights

* Strong results thanks to a resilient business model and further catch-up
  effects in the summer months
* Wienerberger benefits from operational excellence, innovative solutions and a
  continuous focus on sustainability
* External revenues of EUR 2,543.3 million (-4%) and EBITDA LFL of EUR 431.7
  million (-7%) fall just short of the previous year's record level
* High liquidity and a robust balance sheet as a solid basis for future growth

Outlook 2020

* Due to renewed uncertainty in the markets, performance is expected to slow in
  the 4th quarter
* Based on the company's previous strong results, Wienerberger expects to reach
  the upper range of its EBITDA LFL guidance of EUR 480-500 million


The Wienerberger Group reported strong business performance in the first three
quarters of 2020 despite the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company closed the first nine months of 2020 with Group external revenues of
EUR 2,543.3 million, driven by a strong 3rd quarter resulting, just 4% lower
than the previous year's record level (Q1-3/2019: EUR 2,655.5 million).
Wienerberger benefited from improvements to the product mix and the continued
pursuit of its proactive pricing strategy to cover cost inflation as well as
increased demand as a result of catch-up effects as lockdowns ended. The Fast
Forward program made a positive contribution of EUR 24 million to EBITDA LFL
which decreased by a mere 7% to EUR 431.7 million (Q1-3/2019: EUR 462.6
million). Wienerberger thus achieved a profitability that almost reached the
record level of the previous year.

"Our results for the first nine months clearly demonstrate how resilient
Wienerberger has become. After the negative effects of state-imposed lockdowns
in the second quarter, we were able to significantly increase our earnings again
to just below the previous year's record level", said Wienerberger CEO Heimo
Scheuch. "We quickly adapted to the situation and reaped the benefits of our
leading position across diversified end markets. Thus, we have not only been
able to overcome the crisis, we have also emerged from it as a stronger company
that is well equipped to actively shape the future of our sector."

Through stringent working capital management cost discipline and by increasing
our financing, the company was also able to increase its cash position to EUR
584 million at 30 September 2020, up from EUR 129 million at the end of 2019.
The balance sheet position remained robust with a Net debt/EBITDA ratio at the
end of the quarter of 1.2x (30 September 2019: 1.6x).

Performance at Wienerberger's Business Units
Despite the lockdown in many of the unit's Western markets, external revenues at
Wienerberger Building Solutions declined by only 4% to EUR 1,581.7 million (Q1-
3/2019: EUR 1,651.4 million). At EUR 312.4 million, EBITDA LFL fell short of the
previous year's level of EUR 349.5 million.

Wienerberger Piping Solutions succeeded in generating further growth in earnings
and improved its profitability. With external revenues of EUR 718.8 million (Q1-
3/2019: EUR 746.5 million) EBITDA LFL improved by 6% to EUR 86.3 million (Q1-3/
2019: EUR 81.1 million).

The North America Business Unit delivered a strong performance despite the
difficult environment. External revenues amounted to EUR 242.8 million (Q1-3/
2019: EUR 257.6 million). Through strict cost discipline and an improved product
mix, EBITDA LFL rose to EUR 33.0 million (Q1-3/2019: EUR 32.0 million).

Outlook 2020
After the strong summer months, the second wave of Covid-19 is again creating
uncertainty which is weighing on markets. Thus, for the year as a whole, the
company expects a market decline of around 10% compared to the previous year. In
the fourth quarter, Wienerberger will therefore continue its strict management
of working capital and adjust capacities in line with market trends and weather
conditions. Based on the very strong performance to date, Wienerberger continues
to expect that EBITDA LFL will reach the upper end of the guidance of between
EUR 480 and 500 million for the full year 2020.

In the medium term, Wienerberger sees great potential to benefit from the
positive trends in its core markets. Investments in infrastructure, housing and
renovation are urgently needed in both Europe and the USA. "Our medium-term
strategy therefore remains consistently focused on improving performance,
innovations & digitalisation with a clear commitment to sustainability",
explained Heimo Scheuch. This will enable the company to advance its pioneering
role. Wienerberger will leverage its own strength to generate an EBITDA
enhancement of EUR 135 million by 2023 from the base in 2020. "With our growth
strategy, diversified portfolio, and innovative and digital business model we
are optimally positioned to overcome future challenges and make use of market
momentum to generate value" the Wienerberger CEO concluded.

The complete report on the first nine months 2020 is available at
https://www.wienerberger.com/en/investors/latest-results.html [https://
www.wienerberger.com/en/investors/latest-results.html]

External
Revenues
in MEUR        1-9/2020   1-9/2019  chg. in %    Q3 2020     Q3 2019   chg. in %
Wienerberger
Building        1,581.7    1,651.4         -4      567.3       577.3          -2
Solutions
Wienerberger
Piping            718.8      746.5         -4      248.4       249.5           0
Solutions
North             242.8      257.6         -6       87.9        92.6          -5
America
Group           2,543.3    2,655.5         -4      903.6       919.4          -2
EBITDA LFL
1)
in MEUR        1-9/2020   1-9/2019  chg. in %    Q3 2020     Q3 2019   chg. in %
Wienerberger
Building          312.4      349.5        -11      128.5       129.8          -1
Solutions
Wienerberger
Piping             86.3       81.1          6       31.4        30.0           5
Solutions
North              33.0       32.0          3       16.7        12.7          32
America
Group             431.7      462.6         -7      176.6       172.5           2

1) adjusted for effects from consolidation, FX, sale of core and non-core assets
as well as structural adjustments

Wienerberger Group
The Wienerberger Group is a leading international provider of smart solutions
for the entire building envelope and for infrastructure. Wienerberger is the
world's largest producer of bricks (Porotherm, Terca) and the market leader in
clay roof tiles (Koramic, Tondach) in Europe as well as concrete pavers
(Semmelrock) in Central Europe. In pipe systems (Steinzeug-Keramo ceramic pipes
and Pipelife plastic pipes), the company is one of the leading suppliers in
Europe. With its total of 201 production sites, the Wienerberger Group generated
revenues of EUR 3.5 billion and EBITDA LFL of EUR 587 million in 2019.

Wienerberger AG is a pure free float company, whereby the majority of shares are
held by Austrian and international institutional investors. Additional
information on the shareholder structure is provided under
https:/ /wienerberger.com/en/investors/share [https://wienerberger.com/en/
investors/share]



Further inquiry note:
Claudia Hajdinyak, Head of Corporate Communications Wienerberger AG
t +43 664 828 31 83 |  claudia.hajdinyak@wienerberger.com

Anna Maria Grausgruber, Head of Investor Relations Wienerberger AG
t +43 1 601 92 - 10221 |  investor@wienerberger.com


end of announcement                         euro adhoc
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issuer:       Wienerberger AG
              Wienerbergerplatz 1
              A-1100 Wien
phone:        +43 1 60 192-0
FAX:          +43 1 60 192-10159
mail:          office@wienerberger.com
WWW:       www.wienerberger.com
ISIN:         AT0000831706, AT0000A2GLA0
indexes:      ATX
stockmarkets: Wien
language:     English

Original content of: Wienerberger AG, transmitted by news aktuell

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