Empresas y finanzas

Fiscal 2006: Sodexho's Overall Growth Accelerates + 9.4 % and Organic Growth Increases to + 6.4 % from + 4.3 % in Fiscal 2005



    Sodexho Alliance (NYSE:SDX) (PARIS:SW):

    -0-
    *T
    -- Confirmed leadership in Food and Facilities Management Services:

    -- Strong acceleration of organic growth in North America
    (+ 5.0 %) and Continental Europe (+ 5.2 %) driven, in
    particular, by Healthcare and Seniors

    -- Return to growth in United Kingdom and Ireland: + 4.8 %

    -- High activity levels in the Rest of the World: + 16.1 %
    (Remote Sites, Latin America and Asia-Australia)

    -- Continuing rapid development in Service Vouchers & Cards: + 15.9%
    *T

    SODEXHO ALLIANCE (NYSE:SDX) (PARIS:SW), the leading global
    provider of food and facilities management services, today announced
    consolidated revenues for Fiscal 2006, up 9.4 %. Group organic growth
    accelerated from + 4.3% in Fiscal 2005 to + 6.4 % in Fiscal 2006.

    -0-
    *T
    Revenue by activity and geography

    In millions Fiscal Fiscal Organic Currency Total
    of euro 2005 2006 growth impact(2) Acquisitions change
    (in IFRS) (1)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Food and
    Facilities
    Management : 11,394 12,431 6.2 % 2.7 % 0.2 % 9.1 %

    -- North
    America 5,004 5,479 5.0 % 4.5 % - 9.5 %
    -- Continental
    Europe 3,922 4,148 5.2 % - 0.6 % 5.8 %
    -- United
    Kingdom and
    Ireland 1,302 1,370 4.8 % 0.4 % - 5.2 %

    -- Rest of the
    World 1,166 1,434 16.1 % 6.9 % - 23.0%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Service
    Vouchers and
    Cards 305 373 15.9 % 6.0 % 0.6 % 22.5%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Elimination of
    intragroup
    revenues -6 -6
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTAL 11,693 12,798 6.4 % 2.8 % 0.2 % 9.4 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    (1) Organic growth: increase in revenues at constant consolidation
    scope and exchange rates.

    (2) Currency impact is calculated by applying the average exchange
    rate for the prior year to the current fiscal year figures

    Acceleration of organic revenue growth during the fiscal year
    resulted primarily from:

    -- Development in Healthcare and Seniors (+ 8.1 %),

    -- Progress in Business & Industry (+ 6.4 %), and

    -- Strong growth in Service Vouchers and Cards (+ 15.9%).

    In Education, the modest growth reflects the Group's selectivity
    in public sector markets (+ 3.7 %).

    Michel Landel, Chief Executive Officer of Sodexho, said: "During
    Fiscal 2006, we have continued to implement our strategy. Our client
    retention rate continued to improve, reaching 93.9%. Comparable unit
    sales growth on existing sites exceeded 3% and our development rate of
    new contracts awarded during the fiscal year was above 9%.

    The Group is currently closing and auditing its accounts for
    Fiscal 2006 in IFRS. These accounts will be published on November 16.
    Growth in our operating profit should be consistent with, if not
    slightly above, our objective of + 6%.

    This performance gives us confidence in our medium term objective
    to achieve average annual organic revenue growth of 7%."

    Organic growth revenue analysis

    (See table in Annex 2 and a selection of new clients in Annex 3)

    -- Food and Facilities Management Services

    In North America, revenue reached 5.5 billion euros, with organic
    growth gaining 0.6 % to reach 5.0 % for the full fiscal year.

    Revenue in Business & Industry increased for the first time in
    three years. The 2.4 % growth resulted, in particular, from improved
    client retention and from the development of sales on existing sites,
    including in leisure activities, such as the Houston Space Center, and
    also from increased demand for catering services.

    The solid growth in Healthcare and Seniors (+ 7.2 %) was driven
    by:

    -- The ramp-up of significant contracts signed last year, notably
    those concluded with New York City and with the Hermann
    Memorial (Texas),

    -- New contracts in Facilities Management, representing two
    thirds of the sales development over the year. Included among
    Sodexho's new clients are the Mount Clemens General Hospital
    (Michigan) and the North East Medical Center (Texas),

    -- Robust development of sales on existing sites.

    Education was up 4.7 % compared to the prior year, despite:

    -- the negative impact of hurricanes during the first months of
    the fiscal year, and

    -- the effect of contracts that were not renewed with certain
    public schools at the end of Fiscal 2005, a result of
    Sodexho's non-acceptance of price reductions to a level that
    would have prevented the Group from maintaining its quality
    standards.

    In Universities, the revenue growth on existing sites benefitted
    from good summer camp activity in the last months of the fiscal year
    as well as from continued development in Facilities Management, such
    as Ohio Northern University where the foodservice contract was
    extended to facilities management.

    In Continental Europe, revenue reached 4.1 billion euros and
    internal growth improved to 5.2 % compared to 4.0 % in Fiscal 2005.

    In Business & Industry, the revenue increase (+ 5.3 %) resulted
    from three main factors:

    -- new contract awards across the continent,

    -- positive development of leisure activities in France, as
    highlighted by the signature of a master agreement with the
    Pierre & Vacances Group, and by the foodservice concession at
    the chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte in the fourth quarter,

    -- the progressive start-up of services in two new correctional
    facilities under public-private partnership arrangements in
    France.

    In Healthcare and Seniors, robust organic growth (+7.7 %) resulted
    from the highly effective Fiscal 2005 new sales efforts and from
    continuing extension of the Group's service offerings. Recent new
    contracts awarded to Sodexho include both a hospital and the public
    schools of Saint-Malo.

    Slower growth in Education (+1.4 %) reflects Sodexho's continued
    selective approach, particularly in public sector markets.

    In the United Kingdom and Ireland, revenue rose to 1.4 billion
    euros. For the first time in three years, and in line with the Group's
    plans, Sodexho returned to growth, recording an increase of +4.8%
    compared to -2.6% in Fiscal 2005.

    This progress results primarily from new contracts won in
    Healthcare, Correctional Facilities and Defense, segments where
    revenues include a significant facilities management component. The
    summer months were strong in leisure and hospitality, for example at
    the Chelsea Flower Show and the Ascot races.

    Action plans are in place to continue to further improve client
    retention rates.

    In the Rest of the World, revenue was 1.4 billion euros. Organic
    growth of 16.1%, was primarily driven by:

    -- double-digit development in Latin America, in Asia and in
    Australia,

    -- a robust level of activity in Remote Sites, given the strength
    of raw material prices,

    -- the start-up of operations in Correctional Facilities in
    Chile.

    The Group also continued to rapidly expand its activities in
    mainland China and in India.

    Service Vouchers and Cards

    Revenues increased to 373 million euros, with organic growth
    improving from 13.2% to 15.9%. The issue volume (or face value
    multiplied by the number of service vouchers and cards issued) was 6.3
    billion euros, up 13.8% (at constant consolidation scope and exchange
    rates).

    Demand for traditional services (Restaurant Pass and Food Pass)
    remained very strong in Latin America where growth exceeded 20% over
    the past 12 months.

    During Fiscal 2006, the Group increased its penetration in Europe
    with the launch of new services such as Childcare Pass in the United
    Kingdom, the Sport and Culture Pass in Belgium or the Childcare Pass
    in Spain.

    Conference call

    SODEXHO ALLIANCE will hold a conference call today to discuss
    revenues for Fiscal 2006. The call will begin at 8:30 am (Paris time).
    The call-in access number is + 33 1 72 26 01 65. A slideshow
    presentation will be available by clicking on the link
    www.sodexho.com, under the "latest news" section, beginning at 7:00
    a.m. To access the replay of the conference call, please dial + 33 1
    72 28 01 49, code: 186238#.

    Financial communications calendar

    -- Fiscal 2006 results

    The press release for Fiscal 2006 results will be published on
    November 16. 2006. A presentation for analysts and journalists will be
    held the same day, at Etoile-St-Honore, 23, rue Balzac, 75008 Paris.

    -- First quarter revenue for Fiscal 2007

    January 10, 2007 conference call.

    -- Annual General Meeting of Shareholders for Fiscal 2006

    January 30, 2007 at 16 :30 (Paris time). The meeting will take
    place at the Palais des Congres (Porte Maillot, Paris).

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

    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.

    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 324,000 employees on 26,700 sites in 76 countries. Listed on
    Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange, the Group's current
    market capitalization is 6.9 billion euro.

    -0-
    *T
    Annex 1 : Comparison of Consolidated Revenues In thousands of euro

    Fiscal 2005 Fiscal 2005
    As IFRS
    published standards Fiscal 2006
    new
    presentation
    -----------------------------------------------------------
    FIRST QUARTER (Sept to Nov)
    Food and Facilities
    Management
    -- North America 1,403,189 1,403,189 1,527,658
    -- Continental Europe 1,018,804 1,019,724 1,076,643
    -- United Kingdom and
    Ireland 324,287 324,287 332,971
    -- Rest of the World 278,114 280,223 340,191
    Service Vouchers and
    Cards 61,123 64,492 82,525
    Elimination of intra
    group Revenues 0 -1,344 -1,758
    3,085,517 3,090,571 3,358,230
    -----------------------------------------------------------

    SECOND QUARTER (Dec. to Feb.)
    Food and Facilities
    Management
    -- North America 1,182,564 1,182,564 1,390,868
    -- Continental Europe 962,463 963,923 1,034,727
    -- United Kingdom and
    Ireland 315,760 315,760 330,433
    -- Rest of the World 274,258 274,542 337,770
    Service Vouchers and
    Cards 70,193 75,722 95,812
    Elimination of intra
    group Revenues -1,385 -1,524
    2,805,238 2,811,126 3,188,086

    -----------------------------------------------------------
    THIRD QUARTER (March to May)
    Food and Facilities
    Management
    -- North America 1,304,920 1,304,920 1,441,063
    -- Continental Europe 1,020,959 1,021,406 1,082,213
    -- United Kingdom and
    Ireland 320,428 320,428 332,960
    -- Rest of the World 290,756 293,826 377,757
    Service Vouchers and
    Cards 71,622 75,955 94,505
    Elimination of intra
    group Revenues -1,386 -1,780
    3 008,685 3,015,149 3,326,718

    -----------------------------------------------------------
    FOURTH QUARTER (June to August)
    Food and Facilities
    Management
    -- North America 1,115,723 1,113,074 1,119,871
    -- Continental Europe 917,083 917,008 954,624
    -- United Kingdom and
    Ireland 341,999 341,999 373,371
    -- Rest of the World 321,039 317,388 378,429
    Service Vouchers and
    Cards 77,121 88,497 100,360
    Elimination of intra
    group Revenues -1,526 -1,333
    2,772,965 2,776,440 2,925,322

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    % Var.
    TOTAL FISCAL YEAR at at
    cur. con.
    Food and Facilities ex. ex.
    Management ratesRates
    -- North America 5,006,396 5,003,747 5,479,460 9.5% 5.0%
    -- Continental Europe 3,919,309 3,922,061 4,148,207 5.8% 5.8%
    -- United Kingdom and
    Ireland 1,302,474 1,302,474 1,369,735 5.2% 4.8%
    -- Rest of the World 1,164,167 1,165,979 1,434,147 23.0%16.1%
    Service Vouchers and
    Cards 280,059 304,666 373,202 22.5%16.5%
    Elimination of intra
    group Revenues 0 -5,641 -6,395
    TOTAL 11,672,405 11,693,286 12,798,356 9.4% 6.6%
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    Growth breakdown:

    -- Organic growth 6.4%

    -- Acquisitions (*) 0.2%

    -- Currency effect (**) 2.8%

    (*) net of divestitures

    (**) currency impact is calculated by applying the average
    exchange rate for the prior year to the current fiscal year figures

    -0-
    *T
    Annex 2 : Food & Facilities Management Services revenues by segment
    Group

    In millions of euro Fiscal 2005 Fiscal 2006 Organic growth (1)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    -- Business & Industry 5,634 6,147 6.4 %
    -- Healthcare 2,932 3,261 8.1 %
    -- Education 2,828 3,023 3.7 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTAL 11,394 12,431 6.2 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    -0-
    *T
    North America

    In millions of euro Fiscal 2005 Fiscal 2006 Organic growth (1)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    -- Business & Industry 1,278 1,367 2.4 %
    -- Healthcare 1,785 1,995 7.2 %
    -- Education 1,941 2,117 4.7 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTAL 5,004 5,479 5.0 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    -0-
    *T
    Continental Europe

    In millions of euro Fiscal 2005 Fiscal 2006 Organic growth (1)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    -- Business & Industry 2,326 2,469 5.3 %
    -- Healthcare 910 986 7.7 %
    -- Education 686 694 1.4 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTAL 3,922 4,149 5.2 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    -0-
    *T
    UK & Ireland

    In millions of euro Fiscal 2005 Fiscal 2006 Organic Growth (1)
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------

    -- Business & Industry 961 1,001 3.9 %
    -- Healthcare 185 219 1.,8 %
    -- Education 156 149 -4.8 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    TOTAL 1,302 1,369 4.8 %
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    *T

    (1) Organic Growth : increase in revenue at constant scope and
    exchange rates.

    -- Annex 3 : A selection of new clients

    Foodservices & Facilities Management

    North America

    Business & Industry

    Novartis, 6 sites (5,500 employees, foodservices and facilities
    management) ; Seattle Aquarium, (foodservices) ; Walt Disney Company,
    California (2,800 employees, foodservices) ; GE Nuclear, Wilmington,
    North Carolina, (1,900 employees, foodservices) ; NASA White Sands,
    New Mexico (900 customers, foodservices); US Navy MWR, Florida (15,000
    customers, foodservices)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Baptist Hospital, Tennessee (530 beds, foodservices); DePaul
    Health Center, Missouri (530 beds, foodservices and facilities
    management); Northeast Medical Center, Texas (160 beds, foodservices
    and facilities management); Westminster-Canterbury, Virginia, (420
    beds, foodservices); Covenant Village of Florida, (390 beds,
    foodservices); Morris View Nursing Home, New Jersey (430 beds,
    facilities management); Mount Clemens General Hospital, Michigan, (250
    beds, foodservices and facilities management);

    Education

    Francis Howell School District, Missouri (18 schools, 18,200
    students, foodservices); Springfield Public Schools, Massachusetts,
    (27,500 students, foodservices); Wayne Township School District, New
    Jersey (14 schools, 9,000 students, foodservices)

    Continental Europe

    Business & Industry

    Finnair, Finland (1,000 employees, foodservices); Deutsche Post -
    Posttower, Germany (3,000 employees, foodservices); DESY, Germany
    (1,400 employees, foodservices) ; RIE Saint Georges Chateaudun
    Laffitte, France (foodservices) ; RIE Cristallin, France,
    (foodservices); Akzo Nobel, Sweden, (facilities management) ; If
    Insurance Espoo, Finland, (650 employees, foodservices) ; ACERGY,
    France, (foodservices) ; RIE le Doublon, France (foodservices) ; BMW
    Group Iberia, Spain (700 employees, foodservices) ; Microsoft,
    Netherlands, (foodservices, facilities management) ; Groupe Mornay
    Paris, France, (foodservices) ; KappAhl, Sweden, (facilities
    management)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Mutualites de L'Isere - Clinique les Eaux Claires, France (220
    beds, foodservices and facilities management); Centre Hospitalier
    Lucien Russel, France, (630 beds, foodservices)

    Education

    Thiais, France (foodservices) Mairie de Saint Malo, France
    (foodservices for the schools and the hospital)

    UK & Ireland

    Business & Industry

    Everton Football Club (foodservices)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    Salvation Army (2 sites, 450 employees, facilities management)

    Education

    West Sussex Secondary Schools (13 schools, 13 000 students,
    foodservices)

    Rest of the World

    Business & Industry

    GM Colombia , Colombia (foodservices); Veracel, Brazil
    (foodservices); Pandrobras Rlan, Brazil (foodservices) ; Lenovo
    Mobile, China (foodservices) ; Procter & Gamble, Brazil (550
    employees, foodservices) ; Sony Huizhou, China (10 000 employees)

    Healthcare and Seniors

    ACHS (Chilean Safety Association) (23 sites)

    Education

    Foshan Country Garden School, China (3,100 students,
    foodservices); Lecong Middle School (3,200 students, foodservices)

    Service Vouchers and Cards

    Latin America

    -- Traditional service offerings :

    Argentina : Grupo Penaflor (Food Pass, 1,186 beneficiaries);
    Casino Magic Neuquen (Food Pass, 523 beneficiaries); Ecco (Food Pass,
    235 beneficiaries) Brazil : Carioca Christiani Nielsen (Meal Pass, 400
    beneficiaries); Samsung Electronics (Meal Pass, 340 beneficiaries);
    Assistance Institute of the Municipality of Belem (Meal Pass, 895
    beneficiaries); Citizens Institute of Curitiba (Food Pass,1,283
    beneficiaries) Chile : Entel (Mobility Pass,1,000 beneficiaries)
    Mexico : Technical and Engineering Services Assistance (Food Pass,
    1,000 beneficiaries); Natural Resources Ministry ; Venezuela :
    Manufacturas de Papel (Food Pass, 1,896 beneficiaries); Distributeur
    Greacla (Food Pass, 714 beneficiaries);

    -- Cross-selling :

    Brazil : Municipal Business Development of Campinas (Food Pass,
    1,522 beneficiaries); Patrimonial (Food Pass, 1,488 beneficiaries)
    Colombia : Willis insurance (Work clothes) Chile : Altec(Mobility
    Pass, 800 beneficiaries) ;

    -- New services :

    Venezuela : Independent Firefighters Institute (Food Pass, 414
    beneficiaries); Texcoven (Food Pass, 657 beneficiaries)

    Asia

    -- Traditional service offerings :

    India: Tata Consulting group (Meal Pass, 22,000 beneficiaries);
    Blue Star Limited (Meal Pass, 1,521 beneficiaries); Tata Motors
    limited (Gift Pass, 1,969 beneficiaries); National Thermal Power
    Corporation (Meal Pass, 1,004 beneficiaries); Deutsche Bank (Meal
    Pass, 650 beneficiaries); Business Objects (Meal Pass, 280
    beneficiaries); BNP Paribas (Gift Pass, 204 beneficiaries)

    Central Europe

    -- Traditional service offerings :

    Poland: Kopalnia Wegla Kamiennego Kazimierz-Juliusz(Gift Pass,
    1,700 beneficiaries) Czech Republic : TRW-DAS (Meal Pass, 240
    beneficiaries); GEHE Pharma Praha (Meal Pass, 167 beneficiaries)

    -- Cross-selling :

    Poland : Yellow Pages Polskie Ksiezki Telefoniczne (Education &
    Leisure Pass, 540 beneficiaries) Bank Ochrony Srodowiska (Culture &
    recreation Pass, 401 beneficiaries) Slovakia : Les brasseries Pivovar
    Saris (Vital Pass, 530 beneficiaries)

    -- New services :

    Czech Republic : Deloitte (Flexi Pass); Lego (Relax Pass)
    Slovakia: Slovak Telecom (Vital Pass); Tesco (Flexipass)

    Western Europe

    -- Traditional service offerings :

    Belgium: Multipharma (Meal Pass, 1,200 beneficiaries); KBC bank
    (Gift Pass, 2 000 beneficiaries) France : Mairie de Marseille (Meal
    Pass, 9 500 beneficiaries) Germany : UBS (Meal Pass, 620
    beneficiaries) Italy: BNL (Meal Pass, 4 200 beneficiaries); Banca
    Popolare di Milano (Meal Pass, 1,200 beneficiaries) UK : Cummins
    Limited(Education & Leisure Pass, 165 beneficiaries); Imperial Tobacco
    (Education & Leisure Pass, 101 beneficiaries)

    -- New services :

    Belgium : Electrabel (Sport and culture, 1,400 beneficiaries)
    Spain: Mairie de Madrid (Assistance)