VIENNA—Bolstered by demand that surged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sempermed continues to deliver profits for parent Semperit A.G., prompting the Austrian-based company to further delay potential divestment.
Sempermed hit "historic" records in 2020, Semperit said, adding that it sees "no reason to implement the separation," which it contends remains imminent. The executive board is "very confident" that the pandemic-related positive effects in the medical business will continue in 2021.
"The temporary goal is to benefit from the attractive profit contributions from the medical business as long and as comprehensively as possible," Semperit said in a March 18 statement.'
The Vienna-based company previously had plans to divest the Sempermed unit, but pulled back on those efforts when gloves sales surged last year.
Semperit saw significant increases in overall sales and earnings throughout 2020, not only from medical glove demand, but from the group's on-going restructuring efforts. Semperit plans to continue its growth trajectory, and is looking to do so through the implementation of one or more comprehensive company acquisitions in 2021. These acquisitions would be part its delayed transformation strategy within its industrial segment.
As a result, Semperit said, it might deviate from a dividend pay-out ratio of 50 percent of its earnings after tax this year to build the financial strength required.
The executive board expects a perceptible recovery of the markets in the industrial sector for 2021.
