q4 & fy 2017: strong conversion of robust topline.

highlights

• revenue: € 5,977.9 billion; organic growth +8.7%
• underlying EBITA of € 307 million; EBITA margin 5.1% (+30bp); underlying ICR > 50%, full year ICR of 40%
• proposed cash dividend of € 2.76 (up 46%); regular dividend of € 2.07 and special dividend of € 0.69; record high
• topline grew 11% in Europe, 1% in North America and 10% in Rest of the world
• gross margin 20.1%; pricing climate stable; perm fees up 13% (Q3 2017: 10%)
• full year 2017 free cash flow up 26% to € 586 million
• full year 2017 ROIC of 16.7%; leverage ratio of 0.9
• monster: EBITA positive driven by cost optimization program; key strategic initiatives in progress
• capital allocation: conditional floor dividend and optional cash returns when leverage ratio < 1.0
• january organic sales growth of around 7%

 

"We look back on another exciting year for Randstad," says Randstad CEO Jacques van den Broek. "Our revenue rose organically by 8% in 2017, the highest level of growth since 2011 and we are proud to have outperformed in most relevant markets. We finished the year on a strong note, despite markedly tougher comparables. Our organic sales growth remained robust at 9% in Q4, while our profitability and FCF increased substantially. We aim to gain further market share, driven by our differentiating Tech & Touch strategy, lifting the barriers to entry. We are integrating technology into our everyday activities in such a way that we create experiences for our clients and candidates that are smart, personal and effective. The digital transformation we are going through as a company culminated in the launch of our new brand promise in the last quarter of 2017: Human Forward. Our financial position remains healthy, reflected by the proposal of a cash dividend of € 2.76 per ordinary share, including a special dividend of € 0.69, a record high. I feel very proud of all my colleagues and I would like to thank them and all stakeholders for an excellent 2017."

You can read and download our annual report 2017 here.

Attachments

Q4 and full-year results 2017.pdf