Finance result vs. net profit

[Torsten]

Hi, could somebody please explain the term finance result. I know there is a rather simple explanation -- but at the moment I can't quite understand why you can have a positive net profit while your finance result is negative. Here is the text:

Recording a consolidated net profit (after minority interests) of EUR 5.1 million, PC-WARE managed to lift its bottom-line result by 14.4% year on year, despite a negative finance result.

Depreciation and amortisation fell by 6.9 % year on year, thus resulting in a rise in earnings before interest and taxes (and minority interests) (EBIT) by 39.1 % to the record level of ?9.6 million. Earnings before taxes (and minority interests) (EBT), receded by 6.6 % year on year to ?7.7 million as a result of a negative finance result of minus ?1.96 million.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Mister Micawber]

.
No idea really, Torsten, but it seems to have something to do with the foreign exchange effect on corporate financing:

"One-time negative finance result – Securities position reduced substantially"

A strengthening Swiss Franc and a reduction in the value of the company’s portfolio of marketable securities resulted in a negative finance result in Q2 of CHF -4.9 million (Q1: +0.4 million, half-year: -4.5 million). To minimize any future exposure to such risks, the company has substantially reduced both its deposits in USD and its holdings in marketable securities."

Interestingly, googling for 'negative finance result' turns up some pages, but 'positive finance result' locates no pages at all. Must be a bad year.
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Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mr. Micawber

[Yankee]

Hi Torsten,

"Finance result" is just an overly direct translation of the German word Finanzergebnis. In English it should be "financial results". Hard though it may be to believe, googling "positive financial results" locates thousands of pages. Just one more example of what can happen in translation (and afterwards).

Unfortunately, I also don't know much about how corporate number crunchers figure and report things. But I have heard they're quite creative sometimes.

Amy

[Torsten]

Hi Amy,

The interesting thing with that translation is that I do think it was made by an English speaker. Strangely enough though they use the term finance result which sounds very German indeed.
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Yankee]