Empresas y finanzas

Sodexho Announces Strong Growth in First-Half Fiscal 2007 Results



    Regulatory News:

    -- Acceleration in organic revenue growth: + 8.2%

    -- Operating profit up: + 20.4% excluding currency impact

    -- Substantial rise in net income: + 24%

    -- Continued robust financial model: net cash provided by
    operating activities of 211 million euro

    -- Upward revision of the Group's objectives for Fiscal 2007

    SODEXHO ALLIANCE (NYSE:SDX) (Paris:SW), The Sodexho Alliance Board
    of Directors met on April 24, 2007, under the chairmanship of Pierre
    Bellon, to approve the Group's financial statements for the first half
    of Fiscal 2007, which ended on February 28, 2007.

    -0-
    *T
    First First Change Currency
    (in millions of euro) Half Half (excluding impact Total
    Fiscal Fiscal currency (1) change
    2006 2007 impact)
    ------------------------- ------- ------- ----------- -------- -------
    Income statement highlights
    ======================================================================
    Revenues 6,546 6,819 + 8.4% - 4.2% + 4.2%
    Operating profit 315 364 + 20.4% - 4.8% + 15.6%
    Operating margin 4.8% 5.3%
    Group net income 160 198 + 29.2% - 5.0% + 24.2%
    ------------------------- ------- ------ ------------ -------- -------
    Financial structure highlights
    ======================================================================
    February February
    28, 28,
    2006 2007
    ------------------------- -------- --------
    Net cash provided by
    operating activities 93 211
    Gearing 31% 25%
    ------------------------- -------- --------
    *T

    (1) The currency impact is unfavorable, however, Sodexho
    subsidiaries' income and expenses are expressed in the same currency ;
    hence, contrary to exporting companies, currency variations carry no
    operating risk. Currency impact is calculated by applying the average
    exchange rate for the prior year to the current fiscal year figures

    "The Group's first-half results are good, reflecting the expertise
    and commitment of our teams throughout the world as well as the
    breadth of our innovative quality of life services offer. This
    performance, achieved across all geographies, leads us to revise
    upwards the objectives for operating profit growth that we are
    targeting for the current fiscal year from the 10% growth that we had
    originally stated to around 12% growth, excluding currency impact,"
    said Sodexho CEO, Michel Landel.

    Acceleration in organic growth of + 8.2%

    At 8.2%, at constant scope of consolidation and exchange rates,
    organic growth in revenues accelerated for the first-half of Fiscal
    2007. This performance reflects the improvement in client retention
    achieved in Fiscal 2006, good new sales activity, particularly in the
    Rest of the World (Latin America, Asia-Australia and Remote Sites) and
    a strong acceleration in comparable unit sales. The Service Vouchers
    and Cards activity continued to show dynamic organic growth based on
    its innovative offers.

    Revenues for the first-half of Fiscal 2007 were reported on April
    4, 2007, and the related press release is available on the Group's
    website: www.sodexho.com.

    0perating profit up : + 20.4% excluding currency impact

    Operating profit rose by 15.6% to 364 million euro and by 20.4%
    excluding the currency impact. This increase is attributable to the
    continued progress achieved by Sodexho's teams across all geographies.

    Food and Facilities Management services(1) :

    -- In North America, operating profit reached 163 million euro,
    increasing 16.1%. The operating margin for the first half of
    Fiscal 2007 was 5.6%. Several factors contributed to the
    improved operating profit:

    -- Good development in comparable unit sales in Education and
    Healthcare

    -- Comparison with a Fiscal 2006 first-half that was negatively
    impacted by several elements (hurricanes, timing of certain
    expenditures) and losses during the winter months by Spirit
    Cruises prior to its divestiture at the end of Fiscal 2006.

    Sodexho was able to successfully complete certain discussions that
    were long outstanding regarding its contract with the U.S. Marine
    Corps during the first half of Fiscal 2007.

    Among recognitions received by Sodexho in North America during the
    first half of the year:

    -- Diversity Inc magazine recently ranked Sodexho #13 among the
    Top 50 Companies for Diversity in the U.S. for 2007. Sodexho
    also received special recognition as one of the Top 10
    Companies for African Americans;

    -- In the U.S., Sodexho was named a winner of Profiles in
    Diversity Journal's International Innovation in Diversity
    Awards for Sodexho's Annual Diversity & Inclusion Report;

    (1) Comparisons with the prior year are excluding currency impact.

    -- For its commitment to Corporate Citizenship, Sodexho was
    awarded the prestigious Empresa Socialmente Responsable (ESR)
    Distinctive certification by the Mexican Philanthropy Center
    for the third consecutive year, the only facilities management
    company in Mexico to receive the award.

    -- In Continental Europe, operating profit totalled 115 million
    euro, an increase of nearly 11%. The operating margin
    increased from 4.9% to 5.1%, a result of two principal
    factors:

    -- Improved productivity and the continuing efforts of Sodexho's
    teams to reduce overhead costs;

    -- The effect of major contract start-ups in France which had
    weighed on operating profit during the first half of Fiscal
    2006.

    Sodexho teams in Continental Europe also earned recognitions:

    -- In Germany, Sodexho was ranked as a leading company for its
    human resources management strategy and practices in the
    Geva-Institute's "top employers Germany 2007" study;

    -- In Portugal, Sodexho became the first company to be certified
    for its foodservices "Integrated Management System" under ISO
    9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:1999.

    -- In the United Kingdom & Ireland, operating profit rose to 30
    million euro. Operating margin was 4.2%, compared with 2.6% in
    first-half Fiscal 2006. This substantial increase in operating
    profit confirms the business recovery and reflects the
    effectiveness of:

    -- Productivity measures undertaken over the past several years,
    particularly the reinforcement of rigorous management on
    existing sites;

    -- Application of the "Right Client Right Terms" policy to new
    contracts.

    Recognitions received in the UK & Ireland included:

    -- In Scotland, Sodexho received Corporate Hospitality Assured
    accreditation for hospitality services across all contracts,
    the only supplier to be accredited in Scotland.

    -- In the Rest of the World (Latin America, Asia-Australia and
    Remote Sites), operating profit rose to 20 million euro, a
    strong increase compared with first-half Fiscal 2006.
    Operating margin was 2.7%, compared with 1.6% in first-half
    Fiscal 2006. This good performance reflects particularly the
    ongoing development in the Middle East and Asia and strong
    activity in the mining sector in Latin America and Australia.

    In the Rest of the World, recognitions were received in several
    countries:

    -- Sodexho's health and safety practices for its North Sea
    operations were recognized for the sixth consecutive year by
    The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents'
    Occupational Health and Safety Awards and, for the eighth
    consecutive year, by the British Safety Council;

    -- Sodexho Brazil won "The Top Hospitalar 2006" award for the
    most recognized brand in foodservices for the Healthcare
    market;

    -- Sodexho Colombia was recognized for its performance in
    Industrial Safety, by its client Johnson & Johnson;

    -- Sodexho Chile received the "Award in Management of Human
    Resources" from its clients Antofagasta Minerals.

    Service Vouchers and Cards:

    Operating profit for Service Vouchers and Cards totalled 66
    million euro, an increase of 29.7%, excluding currency effects. This
    reflects the strong growth in issue volume. As operating costs are
    largely fixed in this activity, the operating margin was 31.3%, or
    about 1.8% of issue volume.

    Substantial rise in net income: + 24.2%

    Group net income rose by 24.2%, or 29.2% excluding currency
    effects. This increase, stronger than that shown for operating profit,
    is attributable essentially to the improvement in the effective tax
    rate, from 38.8% to 35.5%, primarily as a result of refunds of
    withholding taxes under international tax treaties.

    Confirmation of financial model's strength

    Net cash provided by operating activities increased 118 million
    euro compared to the first half of Fiscal 2006, reflecting the strong
    improvement in operating profit and the change in working capital.
    Although the change in working capital generally weighs on net cash
    provided by operating activities in the first half as a cash outflow,
    this outflow was much less significant during the first half of Fiscal
    2007 than for the same period of Fiscal 2006.

    Cash flow provided by operating activities enabled the following:

    -- Capital expenditures and investments at client sites of 108
    million euro, or 1.6% of revenues;

    -- Acquisitions totalling 8 million euro: notably, the
    acquisition of 100% of Off-Campus Dining Network LLC (OCDN) in
    the United States as part of the development of services
    offered to students on university campuses;

    -- Sodexho Alliance's February 12 dividend payment of 149 million
    euro;

    -- The net acquisition of company shares for 33 million euro to
    be used for stock option plans and the liquidity contract,

    As of February 28, 2007, net debt stood at 535 million euro and
    represented just 24.8% of shareholders' equity, compared with 31% at
    the end of the first-half of Fiscal 2006.

    In order to extend the maturity of its existing debt and benefit
    from current interest rates, Sodexho refinanced part of its debt by
    issuing a 500 million euro benchmark bond on March 30, 2007 with a
    maturity of seven years and a coupon of 4.5%.

    Upward revision of the Group's objectives for Fiscal 2007

    With strong performance during the first half, in Food and
    Facilities Management services as well as in Service Vouchers and
    Cards, the Board of Directors has approved the upward revision of the
    Group's objectives. Based on current information, the Group targets
    the following objectives for Fiscal 2007:

    -- organic growth in excess of 7%,

    -- an increase in operating profit, excluding currency effects,
    of approximately 12%. (2)

    (2) Versus Fiscal 2006 comparable underlying operating profit of
    577 million euros, excluding the gain on disposition of Spirit Cruises
    and the US litigation provision release.

    -- Analyst and journalist meeting

    SODEXHO ALLIANCE will hold briefings today for analysts at 8h30
    and journalists at 11h00 at Espace Etoile-St-Honore, 23, rue Balzac,
    75008 Paris. The analysts' briefing will be webcast. A slideshow
    presentation will be available on the following link www.sodexho.com,
    under the "latest news" section, beginning at 7:00 a.m. The audio
    proceedings of the analysts' briefing also can be followed by
    dialling: + 33 (0)1 72 28 08 88. An audio recording will be available
    by dialing: + 33 (0)1 72 28 01 49 and entering the code : 197012 #.

    -- Financial communications calendar

    Revenues for the first nine months of Fiscal 2007

    Wednesday, July 4, 2007. The announcement will be followed by a
    conference call.

    Fiscal 2007 revenues

    Wednesday October 3, 2007

    Fiscal 2007 results

    Thursday November 15, 2007

    The above dates are provided for information only and are subject
    to change.

    -- About Sodexho Alliance

    SODEXHO ALLIANCE, founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, is the leading
    global provider of Food and Facilities Management services, with more
    than 332,000 employees on 28,300 sites in 80 countries. For Fiscal
    2006, which closed August 31, 2006, SODEXHO ALLIANCE had sales of 12.8
    billion euro. Listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock
    Exchange, the Group's current market capitalization is 8.9 billion
    euro.

    This press release contains 'forward-looking statements' within
    the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform
    Act of 1995. These include, but are not limited to, statements
    regarding anticipated future events and financial performance with
    respect to our operations. Forward-looking statements can be
    identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical
    or current facts. They often include words like 'believe,' 'expect,'
    'anticipate,' 'estimated,' 'project,' 'plan,' 'pro forma,' and
    'intend' or future or conditional verbs such as 'will,' 'would,' or
    'may.' Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
    from expected results include, but are not limited to: those set forth
    in our Registration Statement on Form 20-F, as filed with the
    Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the competitive environment
    in which we operate, changes in general economic conditions and
    changes in the French, American and/or global financial and/or capital
    markets. Forward-looking statements represent management's views as of
    the date they are made, and we assume no obligation to update any
    forward-looking statements for actual events occurring after that
    date. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our
    forward-looking statements.

    -- Annex 1: Selection of new clients

    Food and Facilities Management services

    North America

    Business & Industry

    Alcatel, Canada, (2,000 employees, foodservices); General Electric
    Nuclear Energy, Wilmington, North Carolina, (1,970 employees,
    foodservices); USAA, multiple sites, (21,300 employees, foodservices);
    USAA Insurance, Texas (foodservices), Houston Zoo, Houston, Texas (1.4
    million visitors, foodservices); American Family, multiple sites
    (4,200 employees, foodservices and facilities management); Cafe St.
    Barts, St. Bartholomew's Church, New York (1,000 customers per day,
    foodservices, special events); PayPal, LaVista, Nebraska, (1,900
    employees, foodservices)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Pincecrest Community, Mount Morris, Illinois, (215 beds,
    foodservices); Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, Maryland (322
    beds, foodservices); Miriam Hospital Providence, Rhode Island, (208
    beds, foodservices); Landmark Medical Center, Woonsocket, Rhode
    Island, (255 beds, facilities management); Stanford University Medical
    Center, Palo Alto, California, (430 beds, plant operations and
    maintenance); Moses Cone Health Center, Greensboro, North Carolina,
    (535 beds, foodservices and facilities management); Nova Gold, British
    Columbia, Canada, (1,000 beds, foodservices and facilities management)

    Education

    Clayton State University, Morrow, Georgia, (5,600 students,
    foodservices); State University of New York-Buffalo, New York, (27,000
    students, facilities management); National Heritage Academy, Grand
    Rapids, Michigan, (52 schools, 26,000 students, foodservices and
    facilities management); Gary Community School Corporation, Gary,
    Indiana, (34 schools, 17,000 students, foodservice); Mariposa County
    USD, Mariposa, California, (14 schools, 2,600 students, foodservices);
    Lafayette Academy, New Orleans, Louisiana, (750 students,
    foodservices); Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey,
    (4,500 students, foodservices); Recovery School District, New Orleans,
    Louisiana, (12,000 students, foodservices and facilities management);
    Blue Springs School District, Blue Spring, Missouri,(14,000 students,
    foodservices)

    Continental Europe

    Leisure

    Eiffel Tower, France (6 million visitors annually, foodservices),

    Business & Industry

    Alcatel Montaigne, France (2,000 employees, foodservices); BPS
    Westpoint, Netherlands (600 employees, foodservices); KLM, Netherlands
    (foodservices and facilities management), BMW Bistro, Belgium
    (foodservices); C.E.A Biii, France (2,300 employees, foodservices)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Clinique Saint Jean Languedoc, France (300 beds, foodservices);
    Grand Hotel Philadelphia, Netherlands (100 people, foodservices); UZ
    Gent, Belgium (1,050 beds, foodservices); Hopital de Fourviere, France
    (265 beds, foodservices) Leonardo da Vinci hospitals, France, (400
    beds, foodservices and facilities management)

    Education

    University of Milan, Italy (200 customers, foodservices); Lidingo
    Stad, Sweden (2,500 people, foodservices); Dresden Fraichaud CCS,
    Germany (20,000 meals/day, foodservices); Schools in Atvidaberg,
    Sweden (2,000 students, foodservices)

    UK & Ireland

    Prestige

    World Scouts Jamboree, Chelmsford, (10 days, 40,000 people,
    foodservices)

    Business & Industry

    Royal Horticultural Society (Hampton Court Palace Flower Show),
    Hampton, (170,000 visitors, food services); ING Bank, London, (1,300
    employees, facilities management); United Biscuits, head office in
    Hayes and 11 manufacturing sites, (7,500 employees, food services);
    GlaxoSmithKline, seven R&D sites (laboratory services)

    Education

    Abingdon School, Oxford, (800 students, foodservices and
    facilities management); University of Nottingham, Nottingham, (1,000
    employees, foodservices); University of Bedfordshire, Luton, (12,500
    students, foodservices)

    Rest of the World

    Business & Industry

    CMPC Celulosa , three sites, Chile (1,300 employees, foodservices
    and facilities management); Goodyear, Chile, (600 meals/day,
    foodservices) ; Rio Tinto, Madagascar (750 employees, camp
    construction and camp management services); BP Shorebase Camp,
    Indonesia (150 employees, camp construction and maintenance services);
    Fluor O&M, Quatar (3,700 employees, camp operation and maintenance
    services); Ensco, Quatar, (100 employees, foodservices and facilities
    manaaement); Unilever China Head Office, Shanghai, China (1,000
    employees, foodservices); Tianjin Faw Toyota Motor, China (2,300
    employees, foodservices); No 3 bund, Shanghai, China (700 employees,
    foodservices); Rittal Electro-Mechanical Technology, Shanghai, China
    (800 employees, foodservices); Johnson Health Tech. Co.,Ltd.,
    Shanghai, China (5,000 employees, foodservices); Suzhou Industrial
    Park Xinhai School, Suzhou, China, (2,400 employees, foodservices);
    Henkel (China) Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China, (650 employees,
    foodservices); IBM, India (facilities management); Caroil, Congo, (100
    people, facilities management); Red Sea Housing, Saudia Arabia, (4
    camps, 400 people, foodservices and facilities management);
    PlusPetrol, Peru (facilities management); Embraer Neiva, Brazil,
    (2,500 meals/day, foodservices); Unilever, Brazil (1,370 meals/day,
    foodservices); Procter & Gamble, two sites, Colombia, (300 meals/day,
    foodservices) and Brazil (1,300 meals/day, foodservices)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Hospital Sao Lutz, Brazil (250 beds, foodservices), Caritas
    Medical Centre, Hong Kong (1,000 beds, foodservices)

    Service Vouchers and Cards

    Central Europe:

    Bulgaria: Bulyard (Food Pass, 1,300 beneficiaries); Petrol (Food
    Pass, 2,900 beneficiaries); Societe Generale (Food Pass, 1,200
    beneficiaires)

    Czech Republic: Telefonica (Holiday Pass); E.ON (Fexi Pass)

    Hungary: MAV (Gift Pass, 3,000 beneficiaries)

    Poland: Lidl (Gift Pass, 7,660 beneficiaries); Arcelor-Mittal
    (Gift Pass, 800 beneficiaries); ThyssenKrupp (Gift Pass, 1 660
    vouchers)

    Romania: University of Pitesti (Food Pass, 770 beneficiaries);
    Sind Romania (Food Pass, 1,470 beneficiaries)

    Slovakia: T-mobile (Holiday Pass, 1,200 beneficiaries)

    Western Europe:

    Turkey: Sosyal Yardimlasma ve Dayanisma Vakfi (Assistance Pass,
    1,760 beneficiaries)

    Belgium: KBC bank (Meal Pass, 2,000 beneficiaries); Kristelijke
    Medico-Sociale Institut

    (Meal Pass, 780 beneficiaries); Volvo Europa Truck (Sport &
    culture, 2,420 beneficiaries)

    France: Adecco (Gift Pass, 12,630 beneficiaries); Bouygues (Meal
    Pass, 1,750

    beneficiaries);

    Mainguy (Meal Pass, 1,200 beneficiaries); Total (CESU, 1,200
    beneficiaries)

    Italy: Ferrovie Nord (Meal Pass, 1,500 beneficiaries); KPMG (Meal
    Pass, 250 beneficiaries);

    LENORD (Meal Pass, 2,000 beneficiaries)

    Spain: Caixa* (Assistance Pass, 100,000 families); Altran (Meal
    Pass, 120 beneficiaries)

    Turkey: Sosyal Yardimlasma ve Dayanisma Vakfi (Assistance Pass,
    1,760 beneficiaries)

    UK: Citigroup (Education Pass)

    Latin America :

    Argentina: Aceitera General Deheza (Food Pass, 1,590
    beneficiaries); Coca-Cola (Food Pass, 2,160 beneficiaries)

    Brazil: Casa Bahia Comercial (Meal Pass, 1 770 beneficiaries);
    Instituto Paulo Freire (Food Pass, 3,970 beneficiaries); Secretaria
    Municipal de Saude (Gift Pass, 12,770 vouchers)

    Chile: BBVA (Mobility Pass, 3,000 vouchers); Royal & SunAlliance
    (Meal Pass, 200 beneficiaries)

    Colombia: Castrol (Gift Pass, 1,200 vouchers); Teledatos (Mobility
    Pass, 520 beneficiaries)

    Mexico: Banco de Mexico (Meal Pass); Skyworks (Food Pass, 2,010
    beneficiaries)

    Peru: Caja Sur (Food Pass, 150 beneficiaries)

    Venezuela: Cargill (Food Pass, 670 beneficiaries); M G H
    Proteccion Integral (Food Pass, 1,260 beneficiaries); Venevision (Food
    Pass, 1,700 beneficiaries)

    Asia :

    India: Bhillai Steel Plant (Gift Pass, 37,450 beneficiaries); Ford
    (Gift Pass, 2,810 beneficiaries); JP Morgan Chase (Meal Pass, 1,950
    beneficiaries); Prudential (Meal Pass, 630 beneficiaries);

    Philippines: Accenture (Gift Pass, 5,000 beneficiaries)

    Annex 2 : Consolidated financial statements

    -0-
    *T
    (in millions of Euro) % change %
    First First
    Half Revenues Half Revenues
    Fiscal Fiscal
    2007 2006
    ------- -------- ------ ------- --------

    ------- -------- ------- --------
    Revenue 6 819 100% 4. 2% 6 546 100%
    ------- -------- ------- --------
    Cost of sales (5 812) -85. 2% (5 610) -85. 7%
    Gross profit 1 007 14. 8% 7. 6% 936 14. 3%

    Sales department costs (85) -1. 2% (75) -1. 2%
    General and administrative
    costs (567) -8. 3% (547) -8. 4%
    Other operating income 12 2
    Other operating expenses (3) (1) 0. 0%
    ------- -------
    Operating profit before
    financing costs 364 5. 3% 15. 6% 315 4. 8%
    ------- -------

    Financial income 34 0. 5% 19. 3% 28 0. 4%
    Financial expense (84) -1. 2% 5. 4% (80) -1. 2%
    Share of profit of
    associates 2 3
    ------- -------
    Profit before tax 316 4. 6% 18. 7% 266 4. 1%
    ------- -------
    Income tax expense (112) -1. 6% (102) -1. 6%
    Net result from
    discontinued operations - -
    Profit for the period 204 3. 0% 164 2. 5%

    Minority interests 6 0. 1% 4 0. 1%
    ------- -------
    Group profit for the period 198 2. 9% 24. 2% 160 2. 4%
    ------- -------

    Earnings per share (in Euros) 1.27 24. 1% 1.03
    Diluted earnings per share
    (in Euros) 1.25 23. 3% 1.02
    *T

    Consolidated Balance sheeet

    -0-
    *T
    in millions of euro February August February
    28, 31, 28,
    2007 2006 2006
    -------- ------ --------
    Non-current assets
    Property, plant and equipment 434 430 424
    Goodwill 3 574 3 623 3 797
    Other intangible assets 127 126 93
    Client investments 142 146 151
    Associates 34 36 35
    Financial assets 83 75 74
    Other non-current assets 14 18 22
    Deferred tax assets 242 242 244
    Total non-current assets 4 650 4 696 4 840

    Current assets
    Financial assets 15 17 6
    Derivative financial instruments 45 42 37
    Inventories 189 168 180
    Income tax 32 17 32
    Trade receivable 2 282 1 909 2 173
    Restricted cash and financial assets related
    to 468 423 375
    the Service Vouchers and Cards activity
    Cash and cash equivalents 935 1 042 822
    Total current assets 3 966 3 618 3 625

    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ --------
    Total assets 8 616 8 314 8 465
    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ --------
    *T

    -0-
    *T
    February August February
    28, 2007 31, 28,
    2006 2006
    ---------- ------ --------
    Shareholders' equity
    Capital 636 636 636
    Share premium 1 186 1 186 1 186
    Undistributed net income 632 668 667
    Consolidated reserves -313 -334 -296
    Total group shareholders' equity 2 141 2 156 2 193
    Minority interests 16 17 17

    Total shareholders' equity 2 157 2 173 2 210

    Non-current liabilities
    Borrowings 1 794 1 852 1 727
    Employee benefits 346 349 315
    Other liabilities 78 101 94
    Provisions 68 68 60
    Deferred tax liabilities 53 49 40
    Total non-current liabilities 2 339 2 419 2 236

    Current liabilities
    Bank overdraft 84 36 81
    Borrowings 104 68 107
    Derivative financial instruments 1 2 2
    Income tax 102 80 129
    Provisions 40 40 90
    Trade and other payable 2 518 2 369 2 465
    Vouchers payable 1 271 1 127 1 145
    Total current liabilities 4 120 3 722 4 019

    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ --------
    Total equity and liabilities 8 616 8 314 8 465
    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ --------

    CASH FLOW
    (in millions of Euro) First First
    Half Half
    Fiscal Fiscal
    2007 2006
    ------ -------
    Operating activities

    Operating profit before financing costs 364 315

    Non cash items
    Depreciations 85 82
    Provisions 4 (5)
    Losses (gains) on disposals and other, net of tax (3) 2

    Dividends received from associates 1 1

    Change in working capital from operating activities (139) (191)
    change in inventories (13) (2)
    change in client and other accounts receivable (393) (393)
    change in suppliers and other liabilities 163 133
    change in Service Vouchers and Cards to be reimbursed 147 119
    change in financial assets related to the Service
    Vouchers and Cards activity (43) (48)

    Interest paid (23) (23)
    Interest received 13 9
    Income tax paid (91) (97)

    ------ -------
    Net cash provided by operating activities 211 93
    ------ -------

    Investing activities

    Tangible and intangible fixed assets investments (119) (85)
    Fixed assets disposals 12 3
    Change in Client investments (1) (9)
    Change in financial investments 3 1
    Acquisitions of consolidated subsidiaries (8) (27)
    Disposals of consolidated subsidiaries 0 0

    ------ -------
    Net cash used in investing activities (113) (117)
    ------ -------

    Financing activities

    Dividends paid to parent company shareholders (149) 0
    Dividends paid to minority shareholders of
    consolidated companies (7) (5)
    Change in shareholders' equity (33) 18
    Proceeds from borrowings 11 3
    Repayment of borrowings (64) (198)

    ------ -------
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (242) (182)
    ------ -------

    - ------ -------
    Increase in net cash and cash equivalents (144) (206)
    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ -------

    Net effect of exchange rates on cash (11) 19
    Cash and cash equivalents, as of beginning of period 1 006 928

    - ------ -------
    Cash and cash equivalents, as of end of period 851 741
    ------------------------------------------------------ ------ -------
    *T

    -0-
    *T
    Analysis of operating activities and geographic information (in
    millions of euro)

    ------ ------ ------
    Revenues First First
    Half Half
    Fiscal Change Fiscal
    2007 2006
    ------ ------ ------

    Food and Facilities Management services
    North
    America 2 890 -1. 0% 2 919
    Continental
    Europe 2 236 5. 9% 2 111
    United
    Kingdom
    and
    Ireland 720 8. 5% 663
    Rest of the
    World 766 13. 0% 678
    Service Vouchers and Cards 211 18. 4% 178
    Elimination of intragroup Revenues -4 17. 9% -3
    ------ ------ ------
    total 6 819 4. 2% 6 546
    ------ ------ ------

    ------ ------ ------
    Operating Profit First First
    Half Half
    (before corporate expenses) Fiscal Change Fiscal
    2007 2006
    ------ ------ ------

    Food and management services
    North
    America 163 7. 4% 152
    Continental
    Europe 115 11. 0% 103
    United
    Kingdom
    and
    Ireland 30 76. 8% 17
    Rest of the
    World 20 86. 7% 11
    Service Vouchers and Cards 66 24. 4% 53
    Holding Companies -30 43. 6% -21
    ------ ------ ------
    total 364 15. 6% 315
    ------ ------ ------
    *T