Sapa: Full Year Report January-December 2002

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, February 07, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Sapa (Other OTC:SPKKF): Strong improvement in operating result through improved productivity and increased market share.


 - Earnings per share doubled to SEK 7.85 (3.90)
 - Delivered volumes up by 3 per cent
 - Strong cash flow - strengthened balance sheet
 - Board of directors proposes an increase in dividend to 5.50 SEK
   (5.00)

 Sapa in brief          Oct-Dec  Oct-Dec  Jan-Dec   Jan-Dec
                          2002     2001     2002      2001
 Net sales, MSEK1         2,689    2,735   11,090    11,600
 Operating profit,          132       14      483       373
 MSEK1,2
 Profit before tax,         124      -26      427       194
 MSEK1,2
 Operating margin,          4.9      0.5      4.4       3.2
 %1,2
 Deliveries, tonnes1     69,870   63,030  285,020   277,650
 Cash flow after            342      149      592       320
 investments, MSEK3
 Debt/equity ratio                           0.28      0.44

 (1 Excluding Eurofoil and Autoplastics, which were divested in 2001)
 (2 Excluding non-recurring items (see note, page 8 of full report))
 (3 Excluding company acquisition/divestment)

Comparisons in accordance with the legal structure can be seen from thetables on pages 7 and 8 of the full report

"2002 started and ended with weak market conditions. In between themarket was characterised by sharp swings in demand. Despite this, wemanaged to improve the operating profit by 30 per cent, mainly comingfrom improved productivity and restructuring of the cost base. Ourproactive market efforts have resulted in increased market shares in U.S.and Asia," commented Staffan Bohman, President and CEO of Sapa.

"The strong financial position of the group, further strengthened duringthe year, gives excellent freedom of action in the prevailing marketcondition."


For further information please contact:
Staffan Bohman, CEO, tel. +46-8-459 59 11
Bo Askvik, CFO, tel. +46-8-459 59 18 
Gabriella Pihl, Communications Manager, tel. +46-8-459 59 62.

This report is also available on Sapa's website: www.sapagroup.com.

A slide presentation of this release can be downloaded as a PDF-file.Select Financial Information/Quarterly Reports.

Sapa: Full Year Report January-December 2002

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