Major Positive Market Shift for Marine Harvest Towards End of Q4

Alf-Helge Aarskog, CEO of Marine Harvest commented: "Although the market for Atlantic salmon in Europe experienced a momentous positive turn from December, the result in the fourth quarter was impacted by a low price realisation. Salmon of Norwegian origin, generating 68 per cent of the Group's volume, was positively impacted by the increased prices in December combined with an excellent cost position throughout the quarter. In theAmericas, the market situation is still concerning and Chilean costs continued to increase. The Canadian business is starting to see cost benefits from the restructuring measures carried out. Whilst measurable operational improvements were observed in Scotland during the quarter, the results remained negatively impacted by biological events during the previous quarters."

Marine Harvest reported operational revenues and other income of NOK 4,071 million (NOK 4,254 million) in the fourth quarter of 2012. Harvest volumes were 103,215 tonnes in the quarter.

Marine Harvest Norway achieved an operational EBIT per kilo of NOK 3.62 (4.77) in the fourth quarter, while Marine Harvest Scotland and Marine Harvest Canada reported operational EBIT per kilo was NOK -1.14 and NOK -4.94 respectively (4.56 and -3.40). Marine Harvest Chile achieved an operational EBIT per kg of NOK -8.43 (2.65). The numbers include contribution from Sales and Marketing, including VAP Europe.

Marine Harvest VAP Europe reported an operational EBIT of NOK 16 million compared to NOK 65 million in the fourth quarter of 2011. Marine Harvest Group expects to harvest a volume of 350,000 tonnes gutted weight in 2013, of which 75,000 tonnes are expected to be harvested in the first quarter.

Cash flow from operations amounted to NOK -169 million (NOK -108 million) in the fourth quarter of 2012 after a seasonal increase in working capital of NOK 373 million (NOK 476 million). Net financial items amounted to NOK 58 million (NOK -37 million). Net financial items include interest expenses of NOK 101 million (NOK 107 million). Net interest-bearing debt for fourth quarter was NOK 5,381 million, compared to NOK 6,467 million Q4 2011, and to 5,005 million at the end of Q3 2012.

The equity ratio was 50.2 per cent at the end of the quarter (49.1 per cent at end of the third quarter). Annualised ROCE for the quarter was 1.9 per cent and NIBD/Equity 46.0 per cent at the end of the fourth quarter.

"I am very encouraged by the strong market outlook in Europe, with future prices above NOK 30 per kg for both 2013 and 2014. Marine Harvest is well positioned to take advantage of this as 80 per cent of our volume will be originating in Europe combined with high exposure to spot prices. Although we have limited exposure to the region, we are equally concerned about our operations in Americas which is seeing market prices well below break-even levels and continued cost escalation in Chile. I am enthusiastic about the Morpol acquisition and our on-going feed investment. Both these investments are bringing us closer to our ambition of transforming Marine Harvest towards an integrated protein company," concluded Mr Aarskog.