Date: 30 May 2005
Consolidated sales remained unchanged YoY. Excluding Vitro Fibras (VIFISA) and Vitro American National Can (VANCAN), divested in March and September 2004, respectively, consolidated sales rose 3.8 percent. Consolidated EBITDA fell YoY 12 percent with margins down 1.8 percentage points to 13.1 percent. On a comparable basis, consolidated EBITDA declined 4.7 percent. Comparable EBITDA rose 8.0 percent at Glass Containers and fell 28.3 percent at Flat Glass and
23.8 percent at Glassware.
Alvaro Rodriguez, Chief Financial Officer, noted: "Results are in line with expectations for the first quarter which is always the weakest of the year. For the third consecutive quarter, on a comparable basis, all business units reported YoY sales growth. Glass Containers turned in an excellent performance, with sales up 6.4 percent. Glassware sales were up 6.7 percent and Flat Glass rose 0.9 percent."
Mr. Rodriguez commented, "During the quarter, we closed a five-year US$150 million senior secured term loan at Vitro Envases Norteamerica, our Glass Containers business unit. The net proceeds from this loan, together with the US$80 million from the reopening of the VENA bond on February 4, 2005 were
used to pay down other debt. With these transactions we completed the refinancing of this business unit. This means that we do not have any large maturities for the next five years at VENA. In addition, VENA's cost of debt fell by more than 1 percentage point and average debt life rose to 5.5 years from 3.9 years. At the same time, VENA's debt to the holding company level
fell to US$75 million, from US$221 million on March 31, 2004.
"On March 31, 2005, we issued a securitization program, first of its kind in Mexico to replace a former factoring program at VENA. The program is composed of Ps.550 million in "Certificados Bursatiles Preferentes", issued in Mexico and US$19 million of "Certificados Subordinados" in the U.S. We are pleased to say that the preferred instruments were three times oversubscribed. This transaction was rated mxAAA by Standard & Poor's and Aaamx by Moody's." "At a consolidated level, all this extends life of debt to 4.3 years from
3.8 years."
Mr. Rodriguez concluded, "On April 1, 2005 we sold our 100% interest in Plasticos Bosco, S.A. de C.V. This, divestiture, together with the other three completed over the last 18 months, finalizes our strategy of focusing on our core glass business units. Vitro today is a pure glass company operating in geographically diversified markets, selectively pursuing a unique position as a niche market leader, producing quality products for a diversified client base and plans to continue building our market position in the glass industry.
All figures provided in this announcement are in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in Mexico, except otherwise indicated. Dollar figures are in nominal US dollars and are obtained by dividing nominal pesos for month by the end of month fix exchange rate published by Banxico. In the case of the Balance Sheet, US dollar translations are made at the fix exchange
rate as of the end of the period. The exchange rate as of January 31, 2005 was 11.2991, as of February 28, 2005 was 11.0955 and as of March 31, 2005 was 11.1783 pesos per US dollar. Certain amounts may not sum due to rounding. All
figures and comparisons are in USD terms, unless otherwise stated.
This announcement contains historical information, certain management's
expectations and other forward-looking information regarding Vitro, S.A. de C.V. and its Subsidiaries (collectively the "Company"). While the Company believes that these management's expectations and forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, all such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in this report. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes
in general economic, political, governmental and business conditions worldwide
and in such markets in which the Company does business, changes in interest rates, changes in inflation rates, changes in exchange rates, the growth or
reduction of the markets and segments where the Company sells its products, changes in raw material prices, changes in energy prices, particularly gas,
changes in the business strategy, and other factors. Should one or more of
these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the underlying assumptions
prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described
herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. The Company does not
assume any obligation, to and will not update these forward-looking
statements. The assumptions, risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-
looking statements in this report include those described in the Company's
annual report in form 20-F file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, and in the Company's other filings with the Mexican Comision
Nacional Bancaria y de Valores.
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