Here are some of the highlights from Sask-atchewan Wheat Pool’s 1998-99 financial year:
- Sales and other operating revenues were down 14 percent to $3.59 billion.
- The company handled eight million tonnes of grain through its primary elevators, down from 10.1 million tonnes. Volumes at terminal elevators were also down sharply, dropping to 5.3 from 7.5 million tonnes.
- Sales and revenues from grain handling and marketing dropped by $600 million to $2.26 billion. Farm supply sales increased nine percent to $619 million, while sales in the agri-food processing segment declined slightly to $640 million.
- Earnings from operations were a net loss of $23.7 million, com-pared with a positive return of $30.9 million a year earlier.
- The key measure of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was $76.8 million, prior to pro-visions, compared with $116.3 million last year.
- Cash flow from operations was $47.5 million or $1.27 per share, compared with the previous year’s $79.5 million or $2.51 per share.
- The ratio of debt to equity was 50:50, compared with 41:59 last year. The company said it expects to return to the targeted level of 40:60 in the next few years as major projects are completed and cash flow increases.
