Notwithstanding the expected reduction in postal sector revenues, the Group’s operating results during the first six months of 2015 were positive, with Operating profit reaching Euro 638 million, an increase of 26.1% with respect to the corresponding period in the prior year (Euro 506 million) and Profit for the period of Euro 435 million (Euro 222 million for the first six months of 2014).
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF PROFIT AND LOSS
| Increase/(decrease) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| millions of Euro | 2014 | 2015 | Amount | % |
| Revenue from sales and services | 4,593 | 4,390 | (203) | (4.4) |
| Insurance premium revenue | 8,249 | 9,474 | 1,225 | 14.9 |
| Other income from financial and insurance activities | 2,063 | 2,055 | (8) | (0.4) |
| Other operating income | 53 | 31 | (22) | (41.5) |
| Total revenue | 14,958 | 15, 950 | 992 | 6. 6 |
| Cost of goods and services | 1,278 | 1,233 | (45) | (3.5) |
| Net change in technical provisions for insurance business and other claims expenses | 9,584 | 10,385 | 801 | 8.4 |
| Other expenses from financial and insurance activities | 54 | 311 | 257 | n/s |
| Personnel expenses | 3,031 | 2,983 | (48) | (1.6) |
| Depreciation, amortisation and impairments | 342 | 289 | (53) | (15.5) |
| Capitalised costs and expenses | (10) | (12) | (2) | 20.0 |
| Other operating costs | 173 | 123 | (50) | (28.9) |
| Total costs | 14,452 | 15, 312 | 860 | 6. 0 |
| Operating profit/(loss) | 506 | 638 | 132 | 26.1 |
| Finance income | 141 | 88 | (53) | (37.6) |
| Finance costs | 129 | 61 | (68) | (52.7) |
| Profit/(loss) on investments accounted for using the equity method | (1) | - | 1 | n/s |
| Profit/(loss) before tax | 517 | 665 | 148 | 28.6 |
| Income tax expense | 295 | 230 | (65) | (22.0) |
| Profit for the period | 222 | 435 | 213 | 95.9 |
n/s: not significant.
Revenues in the Financial Services segment increased with respect to the first six months of 2014 (Euro 2,680 million in the first six months of 2015 compared with Euro 2,665 million in the first six months of 2014) with contribution to Operating profit up 48.6% on the corresponding period (Euro 468 million for the first six months of 2015 compared with Euro 315 million for the same period in 2014). The results achieved by the Insurance Services segment were also positive.
GROUP - REVENUE BY OPERATING SEGMENT
(DATA IN MILLIONS OF EURO)
Total revenue generated by the Poste Group during the first six months of 2015 amounts to Euro 15,950 million, an increase of 6.6% with respect to the corresponding period in 2014; in addition to the positive performance of the Insurance business, and the increased revenue of the Financial Services segment which increased as well as Other Services.
- Postal and Business Services: total revenue generated by Postal and Business Services decreased by Euro 135 million with respect to the corresponding period in 2014, reflecting the effects of the digitalisation of media and communications that has led to a progressive reduction in demand for traditional products and services.
- Financial Services: revenues increased from Euro 203 million during the first six months of 2014 to Euro 320 million during the first six months of 2015 (+57.6%). Total revenue earned by Financial Services increased by Euro 15 million with respect to the corresponding period in • 2014, due to the positive performance of Other income from financial activities.
- Insurance Services: excellent results with Group insurance premium collection (generated by Poste Vita and its subsidiary, Poste Assicura) amounting to Euro 9.5 billion (Euro 8.2 billion in the corresponding period in 2014) earned mainly on traditional Class I and V investment and savings products, in which Group performance is particularly strong.
- Other Services: total revenue from Other Services amounted to Euro 123 million, an increase of 10.8%, thanks to the positive contribution of PosteMobile which during the first six months of 2015 achieved positive results through development of its customer base and increase in voice traffic volumes.