Note 36 Financial risks and Finance policy

Finance and treasury

The Group is exposed to various types of financial risks through its operations. The term financial risk refers to fluctuations in the company’s profit/loss and cash flow resulting from changes in exchange rates, interest rates, raw materials prices, refinancing and credit risks. Group finance and treasury is governed by the Finance Policy established by Peab’s Board of Directors. The policy is a framework of guidelines and regulations in the form of a risk mandate and limitations in finance and treasury. The Board has appointed a Finance Committee which is chaired by the Chairman of the Board. It is authorized to make decisions that follow the Finance Policy in between meetings of the Board. The Finance Committee must report any such decisions at the next meeting of the Board. The Group function Finance and Treasury and the Group’s internal bank Peab Finans AB manage coordination of Group finance and treasury. The overall target of the finance function is to provide cost-effective funding and to minimize the negative effects on Group profit/loss from financial risks.

The liquidity risk refers to the risk of Peab having difficulties in meeting its payment obligations as a result of a lack of liquidity or problems in converting or receiving new external loans. To ensure access to liquid funds binding credit facilities are contracted. The Group has a rolling one-month liquidity plan for all the units in the Group. Plans are updated each week. Group forecasts also comprise liquidity planning in the medium term. Liquidity planning is used to handle the liquidity risk and the cost of Group financing.

The objective is for the Group to be able to meet its financial obligations in favorable and unfavorable market conditions without running into significant unforeseen costs. Liquidity risks are managed centrally for the entire Group by the central Finance and Treasury function and the liquidity available at year-end is presented below.

Peab’s Finance Policy contains guidelines and regulations for managing Group interest-bearing liabilities. The Finance Policy does not, however, comprise regulations concerning interest-bearing liabilities in Swedish tenant-owner associations or leasing liabilities that Peab recognizes for leases that by the lessor are classified as operational leasing (IFRS 16, Additional leasing). Liabilities in Swedish tenant-​owner associations are approved in connection with handling start-up permission for tenant-​owner association projects, which is decided by the Group’s investment group for Housing Development. Utilization of operational leasing in Peab is managed according to Peab’s regulations for entering rental agreements and is decided by the Group’s investment group for Property Development. Mandates from the Board of Directors concerning investment groups are regulated in the Policy for Internal Control and Steering.

The Finance Policy dictates that Group net debt should mainly be covered by loan commitments that mature between 1 and 5 years. At the end of 2020, the average loan period for utilized credits was 60 months (78), for unutilized credits 28 months (27), and for all granted credits 43 months (57). Basic financing is a credit facility totaling SEK 7,400 million which matures in September 2024, after extension options have been utilized. This loan facility is supplemented by capital market financing, other kinds of current operations financing, project-related credits, financial leasing and installment financing. At the end of the year SEK 1,393 million (-) of the loan facility was utilized. The loan facility contains financial covenants in the form of interest coverage ratios and equity/assets ratios that the Group must meet, which is standard for this kind of loan. Peab exceeded the key ratios by a broad margin at the end of 2020.

Peab set up a lending program for commercial papers in 2004. Under the program, Peab can issue commercial papers for a maximum of SEK 3.5 billion. The borrower is Peab Finans AB and the guarantor is Peab AB. At the end of the year, Peab had outstanding commercial papers worth EUR 11 million corresponding to SEK 110 million (1,360).

Peab set up a MTN program in 2012 with a loan limit of SEK 5 billion. In 2020 new bond loans were issued with a nominal value of SEK 750 million (200) under the MTN program while bonds nominally worth SEK 750 million (200) matured during the year. At the end of the year 2020 Peab had outstanding bonds with a nominal value of SEK 2,250 million (2,250).

Total credit commitments, excluding the unutilized part of the certificate program and the unutilized part of the MTN program, amounted to SEK 15,121 million (14,346) per December 31, 2020. Of the total credit commitments SEK 7,157 million (8,346) was utilized.

Peab acquired YIT’s Nordic paving and mineral aggregates operations on April 1, 2020. The transaction was a combination of an asset deal and share purchase. The total purchase price amounted to SEK 3,184 million for debt free operations and was financed by utilizing the credit facility.

Interest rate risk

The interest rate risk is the risk that Peab’s cash flow or the value of financial instruments may vary with changes in market interest rates. The interest rate risk can result in changes in fair values and cash flows. A crucial factor affecting interest rate risk is the fixed interest period.

The Finance Policy dictates that the average fixed interest period on total borrowing (excluding additional leasing and liabilities in Swedish tenant-owner associations) may not exceed 24 months. Peab has chosen short fixed interest periods for outstanding credits. Per December 31, 2020 there were interest rate swaps totaling SEK 250 million (250) maturing in 1 year at an effective interest rate of 2.5 percent (2.3) according to the table below. Regarding interest rate swaps Peab pays a fixed annual interest rate and receives floating rates (Stibor 3 months). The swap agreement is recognized at fair value on balance sheet dates. Per December 31, 2020 this fair value was SEK -8 million (-13).

Interest-bearing liabilities excluding liabilities in Swedish tenant-owner associations and additional leasing according to IFRS 16 were per December 31, 2020 SEK 7,157 million (8,346). The interest-bearing credit facilities with a maturity of more than twelve months were SEK 2,876 million (5,004) and with a maturity of less than twelve months were SEK 4,281 million (3,342)

As the table below shows, the fixed interest period for SEK 6,781 million (7,614) of the Group’s utilized credit facilities, including derivatives, is less than 1 year. Total interest-​bearing asset items including liquid funds were SEK 2,310 million (1,603), of which SEK 1,124 million (643) have short fixed interest periods. Net unutilized credit lines and interest-​bearing asset items with short fixed interest periods of less than 1 year were SEK 5,657 million (6,971). The net amount, including derivatives, is therefore almost directly susceptible to changes in market interest rates. Since financial liabilities have a short maturity most of the interest rate risk is considered a cash flow risk. For further information regarding Peab’s risk sensitivity see the Sensitivity Analysis in the Board of Directors’ Report.

Interest rate risk in bank loans in Swedish tenant-owner associations

Interest on bank loans taken out by Swedish tenant-owner associations is included in the cost of ongoing work-in-progress in project and development property. A change in the interest rate on these liabilities would therefore not affect Peab’s net financial items.

Currency risks

The currency risk is the risk that fair values and cash flows of financial instruments may fluctuate with changes in the value of foreign currencies.

Financial exposure

Group borrowing is done in local currencies to reduce currency risks in operations. Assets and liabilities in foreign currency are translated at the rate on the balance sheet date. Borrowing in the interest-bearing liabilities per December 31,2020, including leasing and liabilities in Swedish tenant-owner associations but excluding currency and interest rate derivatives, was allocated as follows:

Internal loans from Peab Finans AB are used to handle temporary liquidity needs in Peab’s foreign operations. Currency swaps are used to eliminate exchange risks. Currency swaps usually run less than three months. Currency swaps are recognized at fair value when closing the books and value changes are recognized as unrealized exchange rate differences in the income statement and as current receivables and liabilities on the balance sheet. At the end of the year, there were no outstanding currency swaps relating to financial exposure. Exchange rate differences in net financials items from financial exposure were SEK -90 million (-2) in 2020. Exchange rate differences primarily refer to claims on subsidiaries in Norway and Finland and have no cash flow effect. Exchange rate differences in operating profit were SEK 2 million (-3).

Exposure of net assets in foreign currency

The translation exposure arising from investments in foreign net assets can be hedged through loans in foreign currency or forward exchange contracts. At the end of 2020 hedges in forward exchange contracts in EUR for foreign net assets in Finland were EUR – million (6).

A change in the euro rate as of December 31, 2020 by ten percent would involve a translation effect on equity of SEK 146 million (75). A corresponding change of the Norwegian krone and Danish krone, respectively, would generate a translation effect on equity of SEK 209 million (195) and 2 million (–). The translation effects are calculated on that part of foreign net assets which are not hedged.

Translation differences in equity (net assets in foreign subsidiaries) for the year amounted to SEK -172 million (49).

Commercial exposure

Although international purchases and sales of goods and services in foreign currency are currently limited, they are expected to increase as the competition grows regarding purchasing goods and services. Contracted or forecasted currency flows can be hedged for 12 months from the date of the contract. At the end of 2020, there were exchange rate hedges related to forecasted currency flows of EUR 5 million (9) and of PLN 2 million (–). Peab did not apply hedge accounting for these hedges.

Raw materials risk

Bitumen is a binder in asphalt production and is the single highest cost in asphalt operations. Peab’s asphalt operations are exposed to changes in the price of bitumen, which has a direct effect on earnings and margins. The price of bitumen generally follows the specific oil price index HSFO.

Peab has two different kinds of bitumen exposures.

1. In fixed price sales there is a risk that the price of bitumen will rise before delivery, which raises the purchase price. The fixed price sales cannot be adjusted to cover additional costs. Therefore the project’s profit margin is not ensured.
2. Warehousing risk due to lead times. Peab stores bitumen in different depos during the off season. The contents of the depos can stem from material left over from the season that can be used in the next. It can also be strategic to buy material during the off season in order to ensure access to bitumen for asphalt production in the coming season.

The risk of fixed price sales and the warehousing risk are managed by Peab Finans via oil futures. Per December 31, 2020 the outstanding futures with HSFO as an underlying variable were 24,739 tons and a market value on the balance sheet day of SEK 3 million.

Credit risk

Credit risk refers to the risk of losing money if a counterparty fails to meet its obligations.

Credit risks in financial instruments

Credit risks in financial instruments are very limited since Peab only deals with counterparties with high credit ratings. Counterparty risks are primarily associated with receivables to banks and other counterparties involved in the purchase of derivatives. The Finance Policy contains special counterparty regulations which specify the maximum credit exposure for various counterparties. The framework agreement of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) is used with all counterparties in derivative transactions. According to the agreement when a counterparty cannot settle its obligations in all transactions the agreement is discontinued and all outstanding dealings are then settled for a net amount. ISDA agreements do not meet the criteria for offsetting on the balance sheet. The information in the table below shows the financial instruments covered by ISDA agreements.

Peab did not suffer any financial instrument credit losses in 2020. Total counterparty exposure related to derivative trading calculated as a net receivable per counterparty amounted to SEK 3 million (0) at the end of 2020. The estimated gross exposure to counterparty risks related to liquid funds and current investments amounted to SEK 968 million (373). Most of the Group’s liquid funds are placed in banks with the credit rating AA- from Standard & Poors.

Credit risk in accounts receivable

The risk that Group customers cannot meet their obligations, i.e. payment is not received from customers, is a customer credit risk. Credit losses are relatively rare in the construction and civil engineering business since there are a great number of projects and customers that are invoiced at regular intervals during production. The Group’s customers undergo a credit rating control providing information on customers’ financial positions from various credit rating companies before a project is undertaken. The Group has an established Credit Policy for handling customer credit. For instance, it specifies where decisions regarding credit limits of various sizes are taken and how uncertain receivables should be handled. Bank guarantees or other collateral are required for customers with low credit ratings or insufficient credit history. The maximum exposure to credit risk is the recognized value on the Group balance sheet. Total bad debts in 2020 amounted to SEK 12 million (29). The credit quality in accounts receivable that are not yet due is considered good. Accounts receivable that are more than 90 days overdue, excluding loss provisions, amounted to SEK 1,845 million (2,539). Overdue accounts receivable are for the most part unclarities regarding contract terms relating to the customer about the final contract amount. Risks in accounts receivable have been taken into account in project forecasts or been handled as provisions.

The table below shows accounts receivable per customer category.

There are no mature receivables of significant amounts for other receivables.

Capital management

Peab strives to have a good capital structure and financial stability in order to provide a stable basis for continuing business activities, thereby enabling the company to keep existing owners and attract new ones. A good capital structure also promotes the development of good relations with the Group’s creditors in a manner which benefits all parties.

Capital is defined as Equity and refers to equity attributable to shareholders in the parent company.

Financial targets up to December 31, 2020

One of Peab’s financial targets is an equity/assets ratio according to segment reporting (equity divided by the balance sheet total) in excess of 25 percent. The Board of Directors believes that this level is well suited to Peab’s construction and civil engineering activities in Sweden, Norway and Finland. The target is a part of the Group’s strategic planning. If the equity/assets ratio is expected to exceed this level on a permanent basis, the capital should be transferred to the shareholders in an appropriate form. The equity/assets ratio at the end of 2020 was 36.2 percent (32.5).

It is the ambition of the Board of Directors to preserve a balance between a high return on equity, which can be done through increased lending, and the security and benefits associated with a higher equity ratio. Therefore, one of Peab’s financial targets is a return on equity according to segment reporting (profit for the period attributable to shareholders in the parent company divided by the average equity attributable to shareholders in the parent company) in excess of 20 percent. The return on equity was 23.1 percent (17.9) for 2020. In comparison, the Group’s average interest expenses on interest-bearing borrowing, including derivatives, were 1.4 percent (1.5) on December 31, 2020.

Peab’s target for dividends is an annual distribution to shareholders of at least 50 percent of profit for the year according to segment reporting. Dividends should be reasonably proportionate to Peab’s profit and consolidation requirements. Besides the ordinary dividend, extra cash dividends may be proposed if the Board of Directors finds there are sufficient funds which are not considered necessary to Group development. Extra dividends may also be made in other forms besides cash. In February 2021 Peab’s Board proposed an ordinary dividend of SEK 4.50 per share for the calendar year 2020. Excluding the 1,086,984 shares held by Peab AB per December 31, 2020 which do not entitle to a dividend, the proposed dividend entails a total dividend amount of SEK 1,327 million (-). Calculated as a share of recognized Group profit after tax (excluding the effect of the distribution of Annehem Fastigheter of SEK 952 million) the proposed dividend amounts to 66 percent (-). No dividend was distributed for 2019 due to the corona pandemic and the uncertainty concerning financial developments. In 2020 Peab distributed Annehem Fastigheter containing wholly owned completed commercial properties and homes. The value of Annehem Fastigheter was, at the time of the distribution in December 2020, 97 percent of profit for the year 2019.

Financial targets as of January 1, 2021

Peab has reviewed our targets and strategies and updated them as of 2021. Through the strategic transactions carried out by Peab in 2020 – acquisition in paving and mineral aggregates operations and distribution of Annehem Fastigheter –  the company has more clearly become a community builder throughout the Nordic region. With our four collaborating business areas and local presence, our business model provides us with unique opportunities to, with our own resources and control over the entire value chain, meet our customers’ needs and external expectations. In order to further promote value creation Peab has revised our targets – everything from our mission, business concept and strategic target areas to internal and external financial and non-financial targets. As of 2021 Peab will externally report the performance of the business by monitoring nine targets, of which three are financial and based on segment reporting:

Operating margin > 6 %

Net debt/equity ratio 0.3 – 0.7

Dividend > 50 % of profit for the year

Holdings of own shares

At the start of 2020 Peab’s holding of own shares amounted to 1,086,984 B shares, corresponding to 0.4 percent of the total number of shares. On 6 May 2020, Peab’s AGM authorized the Board of Directors to acquire shares in Peab AB up to an amount so that after acquisition Peab would hold a maximum of 10 percent of the registered shares in the company. The purpose of the purchase of own shares is to improve the capital structure of the company or to be used in the financing of acquisitions. During 2020 no repurchases or divestitures have taken place.