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The Aforti Group has been awarded the Pearls of the Polish Economy certificate
The Aforti Group has been awarded the Pearls of the Polish Economy certificate
We are very pleased to announce that in this year’s, 16th edition of the Pearls of the Polish Economy ranking organized by the magazine “Polish Market”, the Aforti Group won a certificate in the category of Large Pearls, earning the 10th place overall.
The certificate was awarded “for consistent implementation of the company’s policy and strategy and the position of the leader among the most dynamic and most effective enterprises in Poland”.
The Pearls of the Polish Economy ranking, comprising over 2,000 enterprises, is developed by scientists from the Department of Decision Support and Analysis, the Institute of Econometrics at the Warsaw School of Economics.
The AFORTI Group is successfully closing the four quarters of 2018
The AFORTI Group – a financial holding providing loan, debt collection and factoring services for micro, small and medium enterprises and managing an online currency exchange platform for companies – achieved cumulatively after four quarters of 2018 PLN 571.88 million of consolidated net sales revenues. It’s a little over 200 percent. more compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the consolidated net profit of the AFORTI Group increased to PLN 1.64 million from PLN 1.21 million in 2017. During this time, the Group’s EBIT exceeded PLN 10.60 million compared to PLN 7.02 million after four quarters of 2017 , which gives an increase of 50.95%.
The good financial results of the Group are accompanied by a high valuation of Aforti Holding, which is headed by the company and listed on the NewConnect market. At the end of 2018, the average capitalization of the company was estimated at PLN 48.92 million, ie by 65% more compared to mid-2018, when it amounted to only PLN 29.65 million. At the end of January 2019, the capitalization of Aforti Holding was estimated at PLN 62.26 million, which indicates that the company’s valuation during the month increased by nearly 30%.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, the AFORTI Group generated over PLN 206.15 million of net sales revenues compared to PLN 68.88 million generated in October-December 2017, recording an increase of almost 200 percent. What’s more – this value is even slightly higher than the revenues generated by the Group in four quarters of 2017, when the companies managed by Klaudiusz Sytek achieved the result of PLN 190.58 million.
The growing popularity of loan, debt collection, factoring and online currency exchange services certainly contributed to such good results at the end of the last quarter of 2018.
In the fourth quarter of 2018, the value of microloans sold by Aforti Finance amounted to PLN 14.03 million. The Aforti Exchange generated on the national online currency exchange platform for companies EUR 96.78 million turnover compared to EUR 34.46 million in IVQ 2017, which gives an increase of 180%, while Aforti Exchange Romania generated almost EUR 33.32 million compared to: EUR 14.64 million in Q3 2018. On the other hand, the nominal value of collection orders collected jointly by Aforti Collections and LifeBelt, which officially from January 2019 are already operating as one entity under the name Aforti Collections SA, was in IVQ 2018 PLN 98.07 million. On the other hand, the value of receivables financed by Aforti Factor was estimated from October to December 2018 to be up to PLN 10.20 million.
Our activity on the market of non-bank loans, debt collection and factoring services as well as online currency exchange for companies brings tangible financial benefits, which is confirmed by the results for the fourth quarter of 2018. In accordance with the development strategy adopted for 2018-2020, we have set very ambitious challenges and plans, such as – starting a leasing business, foreign expansion of currency exchange online platforms for companies to at least 7 new countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Macedonia, as well as the transition of Aforti Holding to the WSE. Effective implementation of the business strategy should result into strengthening the company’s growth potential and its value in subsequent years. From quarter-to-quarter, we improve our revenues and profits, which also grow, unless we invest significant amounts in the development of the Group in a given period. We are dynamically developing our activities outside the country – last year, another of our companies, Aforti Finance started its operations on the Romanian market. In the fourth quarter, we also finalized the merger process of LifeBelt and Aforti Collections, which currently operate under the Aforti brand – summarizes Klaudiusz Sytek, President of the Management Board of Aforti Holding.
As Paweł Opoka, the Vice-President of the Management Board of Aforti Holding adds – Achieving very good financial results by the AFORTI Group cumulatively after four quarters of 2018 was made possible through many initiatives, both at the investor and business level. We constantly strive to improve our services, increase their availability and improve quality, which brings tangible results in the form of satisfying numbers. I believe that good prospects for the industries in which our companies operate, as well as the constant demand from entrepreneurs for the services of the AFORTI Group, allow us to believe that 2019 should also be auspicious for us. Significant extension of the portfolio of products and services offered to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises by companies from the AFORTI Group will be accompanied by the development of new business areas, based, among others, on on expanding the product portfolio for corporate and investment banking in the field of leasing. To this end, AFORTI plans to establish a new company within the next three years, but the acquisition of an existing entity cannot be excluded.
FINANCIAL RESULTS OF AFORTI GROUP – DETAILED INFORMATION:
• The value of the microloans sold by Aforti Finance in IVQ 2018 amounted to PLN 14.03 million.
o The total value of loans granted in 2018 amounted to PLN 59.19 million, which gives an increase of 63.4%. compared to 2017.
• On the online currency exchange platform for companies, the Aforti Exchange generated EUR 96.78 million of turnover in Q4 2018 compared to EUR 34.46 million in IVQ 2017
o From January to December 2018, the value of turnover on the national Aforti Exchange platform reached the level of EUR 269.95 million, recording an increase of 198.53% every year
• Aforti Exchange Romania has recorded on the Romanian platform in Q4 2018 with 33.32 million EUR of turnover in relation to: 14.64 million EUR of turnover in IIIQ 2018; EUR 12.51 million in Q2 2018 and EUR 7.21 million in Q1 2018
o Froim January to the end of December 2018, the Aforti Exchange Romania recorded EUR 67.81 million of the total turnover
- The value of receivables financed by Aforti Factor – a company which commenced operating activities only in Q1 2018 – amounted to PLN 10.20 million in Q4 2012 compared to PLN 8.3 million in IIIQ 2018, PLN 5.82 million in Q2 2018 and 2, PLN 93 million in Q1 2018, which gives cumulatively, at the end of December 2018, the value of PLN 27.26 million.
• As a result of acquisition in 2018, 76.9 % of LifeBelt shares, the company specializing in the mass recovery at the request of banks, loan companies, telecoms and other debt collectors, in the perspective of 2-3 years, Aforti Collections assumes strengthening its share in the debt collection market. In December 2018, there was the official merger of companies that currently operate as one entity under the name Aforti Collections S.A.
o The nominal value of collection orders collected jointly by Aforti Collections and LifeBelt amounted to PLN 988,07 million in Q4 2018.
The AFORTI Group was once again distinguished in the Home&Market ranking
Just like last year, the AFORTI Group was awarded by the Home&Market magazine in the latest ranking of 500 socially responsible companies.
Thank you very much for the distinction! See you in next year’s edition of the ranking!
The launch of the “Project Everest 2018” supported by AFORTI
Paweł Stempniewski from Łódź has just set out for the Himalayas on one of the biggest expeditions of his life. His aim is to climb the highest mountain in the world, i.e. the eight-thousander Mount Everest (8,848 m above sea level). Thus, he struggles to add to his mountain collection the fourth peak of the so-called Seven Summits, i.e. the highest mountain peaks of each continent. Less than 500 people in the world managed to do this, and Paweł Stempniewski has a good chance to join this group.
In his struggle to climb Mount Everest, Paweł Stempniewski is supported by: the financial group AFORTI, Poczta Polska, Bank Pocztowy, Epson Polska and others. The honorary patronage over the “Project Everest 2018” has been taken by Mrs Hanna Zdanowska, the Mayor of Łódź. The media partner of the Himalayan escapade is Telewizja TOYA, and the trainer Karol Hennig from Forma na Szczyt made sure that the adventurer was fit for the expedition. Paweł Stempniewski was also supported in his preparations by WOW Centrum Języków i Rozwoju.
The Mount Everest summit push – after 1-month acclimatization period and making three camps – is scheduled for the second half of May 2018. Stempniewski chose the classic route. He will follow the steps of the first conquerors, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who were the first ones to put their feet on the summit of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. Thus, Stempniewski is going to climb the eight-thousander via the South-East ridge from Nepal, with the main base on the Khumbu glacier.
“AFORTI very actively supports sports. In the brand’s development strategy for years 2018 – 2020, the sports marketing is what determines our promotional activity. We are convinced that the financial support for teams or individual athletes as part as #AfortiSupPORT programme, or funds provided to sports juniors thanks to the newly established project #AfortiMocnyStart, first of all is the driving force for those who are – similarly to the companies of AFORTI Group – persistent and conscientious. These values are also dear to AFORTI, therefore we decided to sponsor the Project Everest 2018 expedition of Paweł Stempniewski” – stresses Agata Grzela, Marketing and PR Director at AFORTI.
The new Aforti Finance TV campaign
Aforti Finance comes up with a new TV campaign. The latest commercial spot will be broadcasted in channels of Polsat and TVN. The campaign will end on December 2018. Our first TV spot could be seen during the holidays and from September to the end of October this year.
The advertising spot of Aforti Finance is aiming mostly at enterprenours running a sole proprietorship. The theme of the campaign is a case study of the entrepreneur – a dressmaker. After receiving a loan from Aforti Finance, she transforms her small service point into a thriving company, along with a fashion showroom in which she can proudly present designer clothes. The story is a continuation of the brand’s narrative, in which the support provided by Aforti Finance helps entrepreneurs to develop their company quickly and efficiently.
The Prospero agency was responsible for the direction, script and production of the Aforti Finance’s 15-second advertising spot. Media buying and planning was carried out by the WaveMaker media house and Marketing and PR Department of the AFORTI Group.
The new version of Aforti Finance campaign refers to the trend we are observing regarding the profile of borrowers. We try to precisely reach the industries which, according to the conducted analyzes, are not afraid of investments and focus on the development of their companies. The structure of our clients is very diverse, however, wholesale and retail trade are still dominant. An interesting trend refers to the increase in the number of entrepreneurial women who apply for higher and higher loan amounts for the development of their own business. This is the reason why the theme of female entrepreneur has been used in the campaign. Our statistics also indicates a dynamically growing number of business owners who are active Internet users, hence the decision to expand online channel with our Tv campaign. Such a holistic approach ensures not just reaching the target group, but also strengthens the brand image. – emphasizes Agata Grzela, the director of Marketing and PR Department of the AFORTI Group.
The loan services offered by Aforti Finance –in Poland and in Romania (since Nov.,2018) – target at entrepreneurs looking for optimal forms of financing their own business and development plans, as well as people running a sole proprietorship or starting to accumulate capital at its launch.