Company Announcements

Grupo Clarín Announces First Half and Second Quarter 2020 Results

Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 8, 2020 - Grupo Clarín S.A. ("Grupo Clarín" or the "Company" - LSE: GCLA; BCBA: GCLA), the largest media company in Argentina, announced today its first half and second quarter 2020 results. Figures in this report have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards ^(*) ("IFRS") as of June 30, 2020 and are stated in Argentine Pesos ("Ps"), unless otherwise indicated. 

^(*) The Company's Management has applied IAS 29 in the preparation of these financial statements (inflation adjustment) because Resolution 777/18, issued by the Comisión Nacional de Valores ("CNV"), establishes that the restatement will be applied to the financial statements.

Highlights (1H20 vs.1H19):

§ Total Revenues reached Ps. 10,232.9 million, a decrease of 28.6% compared to 1H19, mainly due to lower advertising revenues in all segments and lower circulation in the Printing and Publishing segment.

§ Adjusted EBITDA ⁽¹⁾ reached Ps. 484.8 million, a decrease of 55.1% compared to 1H19, mainly driven by lower results in the Broadcasting and Programming segment.

§ Grupo Clarín's Adjusted EBITDA Margin ⁽²⁾ was 4.7% in June 2020, compared to 7.5% in 1H19.

§ Loss for the period totaled Ps. 377.6 million, compared to Ps. 329.8 million loss reported in 1H19. Loss for the period attributable to Equity Shareholders amounted Ps 230.1 million in 1H20.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(1)  We define Adjusted EBITDA as Total Revenues minus cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization) and selling and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization). We believe that Adjusted EBITDA is a meaningful measure of our performance. It is commonly used to analyze and compare media companies based on operating performance, leverage and liquidity. Nonetheless, Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of net income or cash flow from operations and should not be considered as an alternative to net income, an indication of our financial performance, an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or a measure of liquidity. Other companies may compute Adjusted EBITDA in a different manner; therefore, Adjusted EBITDA as reported by other companies may not be comparable to Adjusted EBITDA as we report it.

(2) We define Adjusted EBITDA Margin as Adjusted EBITDA over Total Revenues.

OPERATING RESULTS

Total Revenues reached Ps. 10,232.9 million, a decrease of 28.6% from Ps. 14,338.0 million in 1H19. Advertising revenues decreased 44.5% and represented around 35.6% of the Total Revenues of the Company. Circulation revenues decreased 25.4% and represented 29.6% of the Total.

Following is a breakdown of Total Revenues by business segment:

REVENUES

Cost of sales (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization) reached Ps. 6,544.4 million, a decrease of 26.8% from Ps. 8,939.3 million reported in 1H19 due to lower costs across all business segments, mainly in Printing and Publishing segment due to lower salaries and printing costs.

Selling and Administrative Expenses (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization) reached Ps. 3,203.7 million, a decrease of 25.8% from Ps. 4,319.9 million in 1H19. This drop was mainly due to lower salaries and fees for services across all business segments.

Adjusted EBITDA reached Ps. 484.8 million, a decrease of 55.1% from Ps. 1,078.7 million reported for 1H19. This decrease was driven by lower advertising revenues across all business segments, partially offset by lower cost and expenses.

Following is a breakdown of adjusted EBITDA by business segment:

ADJUSTED EBITDA

Financial results net totaled Ps. (300.7) million compared to Ps. (669.8) million in 1H19. This decrease was mainly due to lower interest payments due to lower levels of debt.

Equity in earnings from unconsolidated affiliates in 1H20 totaled Ps. 416.7 million, compared to Ps. 143.0 million in 1H19.

Other Income (expenses), net reached Ps. (221.4) million, compared to Ps. (29.7) million in 1H19.

Income tax as of 1H20 reached Ps. (165.3) million, from Ps. (178.5) million in 1H19.

Loss for the period totaled Ps. 377.6 million, from Ps. 329.8 million loss reported in 1H19. This was mainly due to lower EBITDA in the Broadcasting and Programming segment. The Equity Shareholders Loss for the period amounted Ps. 230.1million.

Cash used in acquisitions of property, plant and equipment (CAPEX) totaled Ps. 250.3 million in 1H20, a decrease of 42.1% from Ps. 432.5 million reported in 1H19. Out of the total CAPEX in 1H20, 58.5% was allocated towards the Broadcasting and Programming segment, 37.9% to the Printing and Publishing segment and the remaining 3.6% to other activities.  

Debt profile ⁽¹⁾: Debt coverage ratio for the period ended June 30, 2020 was 0.64x and the Net Debt at the end of this period totaled Ps. (755.9) million.

⁽¹⁾ Debt Coverage Ratio is defined as Total Financial Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA (Last Quarter Annualized). Total Financial debt is defined as financial loans and debt for acquisitions, including accrued interest.

SALES BREAKDOWN BY SOURCE OF REVENUE - JUNE 2020

SALES BREAKDOWN BY SOURCE OF REVENUE - JUNE 2019

RESULTS BY BUSINESS SEGMENT

BROADCASTING AND PROGRAMMING

Revenues

Revenues decreased by 26.4% to Ps. 4,666.4 million in 1H20, compared to Ps. 6,341.2 million in 1H19 due to the lower advertising revenues, that was partially offset by higher programming revenues.

Cost of Sales (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Cost of sales decreased by 19.0% to Ps. 3,130.0 million in 1H20, compared to Ps. 3,863.7 million in 1H19. This is mainly attributable to lower salaries and fees for services.

Selling and Administrative Expenses (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Selling and administrative expenses decreased by 15.9% to Ps. 1,022.7 million in 1H20, compared to Ps. 1,216.6 million in 1H19. The decrease was primarily the result of lower salaries and fees for services.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expenses increased by 8.5% to Ps. 277.5 million in 1H20 compared to Ps. 255.8 million reported in 1H19.

PRINTING AND PUBLISHING

Revenues

Total revenues decreased by 26.6% to Ps. 5,199.8 million in 1H20, mainly as a result of lower circulation and advertising revenues in real terms (inflation was 42.8% from June 2019 to June 2020 while circulation increased by 11% in current pesos and advertising revenues in current pesos decreased by approximately 24%).

Cost of Sales (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Cost of sales decreased by 30.2% to Ps. 2,996.0 million in 1H20, compared to Ps. 4,291.2 million in 1H19. The decrease was mainly the result of lower salaries, printing costs and lower severance payments.

Selling and Administrative Expenses (Excluding Depreciation and Amortization)

Selling and administrative expenses decreased by 24.5% to Ps. 2,243.9 million in 1H20, compared to the Ps. 2,973.1 million reported in 1H19. This was primarily the result of lower salaries and advertising expenses.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased by 30.0% to Ps. 196.0 million in 1H20 compared to Ps. 279.9 million in 1H19.

OTHERS

Total revenues in this segment were driven by administrative and corporate services rendered by the Company and its subsidiary GC Gestión Compartida S.A. to third parties, as well as to other subsidiaries of the Company (which are eliminated in the consolidation). Additionally, this segment includes the production of digital content and the organization of trade fairs and exhibitions. Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization) was mainly the result of salaries and professional consulting fees.

In this period, total revenues decreased 42.9% to Ps. 983.7, from Ps. 1,724.2 million reported in 1H19, due to lower revenues from Gestión Compartida and Grupo Clarin.  EBITDA resulted in Ps. 11.2 million.  

OPERATING STATISTICS BY BUSINESS SEGMENT

PRINTING AND PUBLISHING

⁽¹⁾ Average number of copies according to IVC (including Diario Clarín and Olé)

⁽²⁾ Share in Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires Area (AMBA) Diario Clarín. Source: AGEA and IVC.

⁽³⁾ Share in Buenos Aires and Greater Buenos Aires Area (AMBA) Diario Clarín. Source: Monitor de Medios Publicitarios S.A.

BROADCASTING AND PROGRAMMING

⁽¹⁾ Company estimate, over ad spend in Ps. In broadcast TV for AMBA region.

 ⁽²⁾ Share of broadcast TV audience according to IBOPE for AMBA. PrimeTime is defined as Monday through Friday from 8pm to 12am. Total Time is defined as Monday through Sunday from 12 pm to 12 am.

OTHERS

⁽¹⁾In millions. Average. Source DAX and Company Estimates.

DEBT AND LIQUIDITY

Total Financial Debt⁽¹⁾ and Net Debt, decreased from Ps. 1,962.8 million to Ps. 1,582.5 million and decreased from Ps. (81.0) million to Ps. (755.9) million respectively.

Debt coverage ratio ⁽¹⁾ as of June 30, 2020 was (0.30x) in the case of Net Debt and of 0.64x in terms of Total Financial Debt.

⁽¹⁾ Debt Coverage Ratio is defined as Total Financial Debt divided by Adjusted EBITDA (Last Quarter Annualized). Total Financial debt is defined as financial loans and debt for acquisitions, including accrued interest.

REVENUES AND EBITDA - IAS 29 Adjustment

REVENUES

EBITDA

STOCK AND MARKET INFORMATION

Grupo Clarín trades its stock in the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (BCBA) and in the London Stock Exchange (LSE), in the form of shares and GDS's, respectively.

CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST INFORMATION

GRUPO CLARIN S.A.

(BCBA: GCLA; LSE: GCLA)

cordially invites you to participate in its conference call and webcast presentation

to discuss Second Quarter 2020 Results

Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Time: 12:00pm Buenos Aires Time/4:00pm London Time/11:00am New York Time

To access the conference call, please dial:
Argentina Participants: 0-800-666-0250

U.S. Participants: 1-877-830-2576

All other countries: +1-785-424-1726
Passcode: CLARIN

The 2Q20 results will be accompanied by a webcast presentation. To access the live stream and slide presentation, visit: https://services.choruscall.com/links/gcla200909L6DLNNO3.html

NOTE: Grupo Clarín will release its Second Quarter 2020 Earnings on Tuesday, September 8, 2020

before the markets opens.

There will be a replay available, for 7 days, starting four hours after the conclusion of the conference call. To access the replay, please dial 1-844-488-7474 toll free from the U.S., or +1-862-902-0129 from anywhere outside the U.S. The replay passcode is: 67412548

The webcast presentation will be archived at http://www.grupoclarin.com/ir/

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Grupo Clarín is the largest media company in Argentina and a leading company in printing and publishing and broadcasting and programming markets. Its flagship newspaper -Diario Clarín- is one of the highest circulation newspapers in Latin America. Grupo Clarín is the largest producer of media content in Argentina, including news, sports and entertainment and reaches substantially all segments of the Argentine population in terms of wealth, geography and age.

Disclaimer

Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Grupo Clarín. You can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "expect", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend", "will", "could", "may" or "might" the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements are only predictions and actual events or results may differ materially. Grupo Clarín does not intend to or undertake any obligation to update these statements to reflect events and circumstances occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Many factors could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in Grupo Clarín's projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, general economic conditions, Grupo Clarín's competitive environment, risks associated with operating in Argentina a, rapid technological and market change, and other factors specifically related to Grupo Clarín and its operations.

GRUPO CLARÍN S.A.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE SIX-MONTH PERIODS ENDED JUNE 30, 2020 AND 2019,

AND THE THREE-MONTH PERIODS BEGINNING ON APRIL 1

AND ENDED ON JUNE 30, 2020 AND 2019

 In Argentine Pesos (Ps.)

⁽¹⁾        Includes amortization of intangible assets and film library, right-of-use assets and depreciation of property, plant and equipment in the amount of $ 591,700,050 and $ 673,433,704 for the six-month periods ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

The Consolidated Statements of Operations for each business segment are included in the Financial Statements as of June 30^th, available at http://www.grupoclarin.com/ir.

GRUPO CLARÍN S.A.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

AS OF JUNE 30, 2020 AND DECEMBER 31, 2019

In Argentine Pesos (Ps.)

The notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.