o Operating revenue of NOK 212.6 million (212.4)
o EBIT of NOK 24.3 million (-246.6). Stable EBIT when adjusting for the
impairment of goodwill in 2023
o NOK 32.3 million in cash flow from operations, driven by credit control
measures and the sale of the collection portfolio
o Continued strong development for ONH with 22 percent revenue growth
year-on-year
o Improved profitability for Sonans, despite reduced revenue
o Strong start for the autumn intake for ONH, while the Sonans intake shows a
more stable development
o Appointment of a new Chairperson and CEO of Lumi Gruppen
Lumi Gruppen delivered stable revenue and profit in the first half-year 2024
compared to last year when excluding the impairment of goodwill. The development
was driven by continued strong growth for Oslo Nye Høyskole (ONH) whereas the
market continued to be soft for Sonans.
Nina Vesterby was appointed new CEO of Lumi Gruppen in May 2024, succeeding Erik
Brandt, who decided to step down after more than a decade as CEO. Vesterby took
up her new role 1 August 2024, coming from the position as CEO of Story House
Egmont.
"I am excited to join a company that plays such an important role in the lives
of thousands of students across Norway. I see great potential for a positive
development for the group going forward, especially with the clarified
regulatory framework for Sonans. We will continue to streamline Sonans and
constantly develop the offering for high school candidates. ONH is on a very
positive trajectory, and going forward, we will aim to further bolster the
segment's profitable growth profile," said Nina Vesterby.
ONH
Oslo Nye Høyskole (ONH) sustained its positive trajectory in the first half,
growing 22 percent to NOK 123 million. However, the operating profit declined by
NOK 4 million. This decline can be attributed to investments related to the
vocational initiative (ONF, previously named NTech), higher investments in
marketing, and changes in allocation of overhead expenses at the segment level.
SONANS
Sonans experienced a continued challenging market in the first half of 2024, but
the revenue decline of 19 percent to NOK 89 million was compensated for by cost
measures contributing to an improvement in operating profit of 5.4 million in
the period.
GROUP FINANCIALS
Total revenue in the first half was NOK 212.6 million, compared to NOK 212.4
million in the same period of 2023. The development was driven by significant
growth for ONH and a decline in the private candidate market.
EBIT was NOK 24.3 million, compared to NOK -246.6 million in the same period the
year before, which was affected negatively by impairment of goodwill. Adjusted
for this, EBIT was stable. EBIT excluding impairment was NOK 23.7 million last
year.
Net profit for the half year was NOK 2.9 million, compared to a loss of NOK
264.7 million in the same period in 2023. Earnings per share were NOK 0.05,
compared to negative NOK 5.75 the year before.
Cash flow from operations was NOK 32.3 million in the first half, compared to
NOK 2.3 million last year, driven by credit control measures and the sale of the
collection portfolio from the previous academic year.
OUTLOOK
The autumn intake for ONH is above 20 per cent higher than at the same time the
previous year, while the intake for Sonans is more in line with last year.
Consequently, Lumi Gruppen expects somewhat higher revenue for the 2024/2025
academic year than the previous academic year, with continued growth for ONH and
stabilisation in revenues for Sonans. Lumi Gruppen intends to publish a trading
update in the beginning of October, summarizing the result of the intake for the
academic year 2024/2025.
A webcast and formal presentation of the H1 2024 report are not planned at this
time. To schedule a meeting and Q&A session with management, please send an
email to ir@lumigruppen.no.
Please see the attached first half report for further information.
For further information please contact:
Martin Prytz, CFO and Head of Investor Relations
E-mail: IR@lumigruppen.no
Mobile: +47 480 14 078
About Lumi: Lumi Gruppen is a leading Norwegian education provider founded in
1989. Today, Lumi Gruppen consists of two main divisions: Sonans and Oslo Nye
Høyskole. Sonans is the market leader in Norway within private candidate exam
preparation courses, and Oslo Nye Høyskole offers high quality bachelor's
degrees within health, social sciences, psychology and business and
administration, both on campus and online.