Brazil's BRF Q1 profit beats analysts' expectations
Adds details from earnings statement and CFO quote
By Ana Mano
SAO PAULO, May 7 (Reuters) -Brazilian pork and poultry processor BRF SA BRFS3.SA has reported first quarter results that beat analysts' expectations on the back of strong international and domestic performance, according to an earnings statement on Tuesday.
The company said it earned 594 million reais ($117.17 million) in the period, beating the average of analysts' forecasts at 449.79 million reais.
Consolidated operating margins came in at 15.8%, which management considers strong for a quarter that is seasonally weaker compared with the final three months of the year, when Christmas and holidays tend to bolster food sales.
BRF said operating efficiencies, financial discipline and what it called "an optimized capital structure" drove results while also helping lower BRF's debt levels. The company's net debt to EBITDA ratio fell to 1.45 times in the three months ending in March, the lowest in eight years, BRF said.
"We remain committed to reducing debt, creating conditions for the company to improve its business profile and generate value for shareholders," CFO Fabio Mariano was quoted as saying in a press release. "This quarter's result shows us that we are on the right path."
On BRF's international operations, the company said it advanced in its market diversification strategy, winning 25 new export licenses, which allowed the meatpacker to better target export destinations.
The EBITDA margin for the segment stood at 16.9%, driven by sales in Turkey and the Gulf countries, where the company benefited from the seasonal effect of Ramadan celebrations and the recovery in export prices.
On the domestic market, BRF said its regular meat portfolio had margin expansion on an annual and quarterly basis, excluding the seasonal effect of products sold during the holidays.
Another factor contributing to better margins in Brazil was a 12.1% annual drop in the cost of products sold driven by the lower price of grains, a key ingredient for animal feed.
($1 = 5.0695 reais)
Reporting by Ana Mano; Editing by Leslie Adler and Chris Reese
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