Beneficiary, Aevis Victoria aims for personal care

Aevis Victoria returned to black numbers last year, following slipping into the red in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. The investment company is eyeing new sectors of activity and in particular that of personal services.

The Friborg group recorded an operating result (Ebit) of 16.8 million francs in 2021, following an operating loss of 36.6 million the previous year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Aevis Victoria recorded a consolidated net profit of 4.6 million francs, once morest a net loss of 30.9 million a year earlier.

The company also confirmed its turnover on Thursday, unveiled in early March, and which stood at 895 million francs, up 22.1%.

From the Bernese Jura to London

In the hospital activities grouped under Swiss Medical Network (SMN), ‘operations have completely normalized and have shown significant growth organically and in acquisitions’, managing director Antoine Hubert told AWP.

The adjustment of the portfolio continued at full speed last year, with 10% of SMN having been sold to the American Medical Properties Trust. The group also raised its holdings in the Bernese Jura Hospital, the Rosenklinik in Rapperswil and Klinik Pyramide am See in Zurich. In the hotel industry, the luxury London establishment L’Oscar was acquired.

“In the hotel industry, the start of the year was still strongly impacted by restrictions, but activity then normalized thanks in particular to a very good winter season. The situation in this sector has normalized in 2022′, detailed Mr. Hubert.

Billion turnover in sight

Thanks to this resumption of activity, SMN saw its turnover increase by 19% to 760.1 million francs and Victoria Jungfrau recorded receipts of 114.3 million, a sharp increase of 57.2%.

After two years of scarcity, shareholders should once once more receive a dividend for the 2021 financial year. The board of directors will propose to the general meeting the payment of an ordinary dividend of 40 cents and an extraordinary dividend of 60 cents per share, a total of 1 franc per title.

Aevis Victoria is counting this year on ‘continued growth’ in its activities in clinics and hospitals and a ‘positive development’ in the hotel industry, while the real estate segment ‘will be considerably strengthened thanks to the projects in progress’.

Thanks to this solid growth and the consolidation of current investments, it is not excluded that the company might achieve this year ‘a turnover of around one billion francs’, predicted the managing director.

‘We are very interested in this’

The group also wants to strengthen its niche in personal services platforms, following investing last year in Batgroup, parent company of the Batmaid cleaning services portal. The Friborg group sees this sector as an extension of its historical activity in the hotel and healthcare sector.

In September 2021, Aevis Victoria indicated that it wanted to invest up to 25 million francs in several tranches over the next 15 months to gradually hold up to 27% of Batgroup. “Investing in personal service platforms is of great interest to us,” admitted Antoine Hubert.

According to the leader, the technology of the Batmaid household platform can thus be used in the field of home care, which is “essential for reducing the length of hospital stay”.

/ ATS