Mondi Group: Trading Statement 22 July 2011

As part of the dual listed company structure, Mondi Limited and Mondi plc (together 'Mondi Group') notify both the JSE Limited and the London Stock Exchange of matters required to be disclosed under the Listings Requirements of the JSE and/or the Disclosure and Transparency and Listing Rules of the United Kingdom Listing Authority.

In terms of paragraph 3.4(b) of the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited, companies are required to publish a trading statement as soon as they become reasonably certain that the financial results for the period to be reported on next will differ by at least 20% from those of the previous corresponding period.

Mondi is currently finalising its results for the six months ended 30 June 2011, which will be released on 28 July 2011. As announced in Mondi’s Interim Management Statement released on 5 May 2011, underlying operating profit for the first quarter of 2011 was considerably above the comparable prior year period. It can now be confirmed that the underlying operating profit for the first half of 2011 is expected to be considerably higher than that of the comparable prior year period.

On 30 June 2011, shareholders approved the recapitalisation and demerger of Mpact (formerly Mondi Packaging South Africa) and the related Mondi Limited share consolidation. The results of Mpact will therefore be presented as a discontinued operation in the financial results of the Group at 30 June 2011 with comparative information restated accordingly. Full details will be provided in the half-yearly financial statements.

The Mondi Limited share consolidation was determined based on the volume weighted average prices of Mondi Limited, Mondi plc and Mpact Limited trading during the nine business days ending 21 July 2011 as more fully described in the announcement issued today in this regard. Mondi will include a table in the half-yearly results showing the illustrative effect on the Mondi Group as if the recapitalisation and demerger of Mpact and related Mondi Limited share consolidation had taken place at the beginning of each of the periods presented in the announcement.

The net special item gain in the six month period ended 30 June 2011 is approximately €4 million (June 2010: €7 million).

Accordingly, Mondi advises that it expects half year earnings per share (‘EPS’) to be within the ranges shown below:
- basic earnings per share (euro cents) 38 to 43 (2010 : 21.5 euro cents)
- basic headline earnings per share (euro cents) 37 to 42 (2010 : 24.8 euro cents)

Mondi has disclosed basic EPS which comprises the total operations of the Group including the discontinued operation and the effect of special items. The disclosure of basic headline EPS is required under the Listings Requirements of the JSE Limited and has been calculated in accordance with Circular 3/2009 as issued by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. Other measures of EPS, considering the effects of special items and the impact of discontinued operations will be fully disclosed in the half-yearly results announcement on 28 July 2011.

The above information has neither been reviewed nor audited by Mondi’s auditors.

Editor's notes

Mondi is an international paper and packaging Group, with production operations across 31 countries and revenues of €6.2 billion in 2010. The Group's key operations are located in central Europe, Russia and South Africa and as at the end of 2010, Mondi employed 29,000 people. (2010 figures include Mpact Limited).

Mondi is fully integrated across the paper and packaging process, from the growing of wood and the manufacture of pulp and paper (including recycled paper), to the conversion of packaging papers into corrugated packaging, industrial bags and coatings.

The Group is principally involved in the manufacture of packaging paper, converted packaging products and uncoated fine paper (UFP).

Mondi has a dual listed companies structure, with a primary listing on the JSE Limited for Mondi Limited under the ticker code MND and a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange for Mondi plc, under the ticker code MNDI, as well as a secondary listing for Mondi plc on the JSE under the ticker code MNP. The Group has been recognised for its sustainability through its inclusion in the FTSE4Good UK, Europe and Global indices in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and the JSE's Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Mondi Limited
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
(Registration number: 1967/013038/06)
JSE share code: MND ISIN: ZAE000097051

Mondi plc
(Incorporated in England and Wales)
(Registration number: 6209386)
JSE share code: MNP ISIN: GB00B1CRLC47
LSE share code: MNDI

Last change: 22/07/2011