SLOVENIA
SBITOP gained 0.65 percent
SBITOP gained 0.65 percent on the Krka's 1,05 gain at 632.99 thusand gain. Other gainers were Petrol (+1.42%) and Telekom Slovenije (1.46%).
The Krka Group (KRKG SV) sold €1,266.4 million worth of products and services in 2017, up 8% from 2016
Sales in markets outside Slovenia represented €1,178.4 million, accounting for 93% of total sales. The largest sales region was East Europe, where sales totalled €388.2 million, which is 30.7% of overall sales and represents a year-on-year increase by 17%. This was the highest growth recorded among all Krka's sales regions. The Russian Federation remains Krka's key and largest individual market; sales value there amounted to €270.9million, up 20%. Prescription pharmaceuticals recorded a 21% increase and contributed the most to increasing Krka's market share. Double-digit sales growth was also reached in Tajikistan (30%), Armenia (27%), Kazakhstan (22%), Azerbaijan (22%), Ukraine (14%), Belarus (13%), and Georgia (12%).
The most important group of products in terms of sales value remains prescription pharmaceuticals, whichcontributed €1,046.1 million or 82.6% of the Krka Group sales in the reported period, up 9% from the previous year.Sales of prescription pharmaceuticals exceeded €1 billion for the first time in Krka's history. As far as sales of prescription pharmaceuticals are concerned, medicines for the treatment of cardiovasculardiseases remained the key therapeutic group in 2017, followed by pharmaceuticals for diseases of the centralnervous system, and medicines for alimentary and metabolic diseases.In 2017, sales of new products, i.e. products launched in individual markets in the past five years, accounted for33% of the Krka Group overall sales. The most important new products were Pragiola* (pregabalin), launched at theend of 2014, and Dulsevia* (duloxetine), launched in 2015. They ranked among the 20 leading Krka's products interms of sales.Medicines containing perindopril (Prenessa*, Co-Prenessa*, Amlessa*, Co-Amlessa*) remained the leading groupin terms of sales in 2017. They were followed by medicines containing losartan (Lorista*, Lorista H*, Tenloris*),atorvastatin (Atoris, Atordapin*), pantoprazole (Nolpaza*), and valsartan (Valsacor, Valsacombi*, Vamloset*).Among the ten leading Krka’s prescription pharmaceuticals in terms of sales were medicines containingesomeprazole (Emanera*), rosuvastatin (Roswera*, Rosudapin*), enalapril (Enap, Enap-H*, Elernap*), tramadol(Doreta*, Tadol), and clopidogrel (Zyllt*).Non-prescription product sales amounted to €119.2 million (9.4% share in overall Krka Group sales), a year-on-yearincrease by 7%. Sales of animal health product totalled €63.2 million (5% share in overall Krka Group sales), up 1%from 2016.
Source: KRKA
SERBIA
Current market conditions could sound a buy signal soon
Yesterday we have experienced negative systemic effect due to the implementation of protectionist policies. This might drag on for a while due to the responses from other countries. However, this is might be a big opportunity, as market fundamentals are very healthy! Once we will see that this effect will persist less or completely pass, we could see a buy signal in the market. In two weeks time the pace of earnings will go higher and we expect for good german firm earnings, good german financial results, as growth of exports in Germany was high in the last quarter of 2017 and first of 2018. Exports in Germany in Q4 FY2017 increased by 8.7 percent in October, 8 percent in November and 3.9 percent in December, while in January 2018 they increased by 8.6 percent compared to the same month in 2016. These levels of growth in German exports should be seen in top line of some German companies.
INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
AERO: French corporation Vinci takes over Belgrade airport for 25 years
A 25-year concession contract for Belgrade's Nikola Tesla Airport (AERO) was signed on Thursday with the French company Vinci Airports. Vinci Airports will pay 417 million euro ($513.2 million) to the Serbian government and 84 million euro to the retail shareholders of airport operator Nikola Tesla for the concession plus an annual concession fee of between 4.4 million euro and 15.1 million euro, the government said in a statement. Moreover, the French company will invest in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Belgrade airport's main runway, the construction of auxiliary runways and quick exits, the government said. The French company committed to making investments worth 732 million euro during the 25-year term of the concession, the government said back in January.
Source: SeeNews
World Bank supports Serbia with three loans worth EUR 225.7 million
The World Bank announced on March 21 that it had approved three loans in the amount of EUR 225.7 million supporting the Government of Serbia’s efforts to improve its management of public expenditures, to make energy and transport public utilities more efficient and financially sustainable, and to advance the health care of its citizens. As pointed out, the benefit of the first operation, in the amount of EUR 160.6 million, is that people working in Serbian public administration will get equal pay for the same work, whereas public enterprises such as EPS, Srbijagas and Serbian railways will lower their expenses and increase their revenues, while 70,000 households will benefit from support from the Energy Vulnerable Program.
Source: Ekapija
US Embassy in Belgrade invites construction companies for cooperation
The Embassy of the United States of America in Belgrade is organizing an industry day for construction firms interested in competing on US Embassy construction projects, the embassy's website announces. As said, everyone interested is invited to attend the event on March 29, 2018 at the Embassy. The goal is to provide contractors an opportunity to come to the Embassy and meet with key Embassy acquisition officials, learn about working with the Embassy, and to present their firm’s capabilities. There will also be a questions and answers session.
Source: Ekapija
