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Polarcus first quarter 2018 - Improved capital structure and increased market activity

Polarcus Limited ("Polarcus" or the "Company") (PLCS.OL) announces the release of its first quarter 2018 financial statements.

The first quarter 2018 is the first financial reporting period that the Company has adopted IFRS 15 Revenues from contracts with customers, a new and mandatory accounting principle on revenue recognition. IFRS 15 has a significant impact on the timing of the recognition of revenue and associated amortization arising from the Company`s multi-client projects during the prefunding stage. The Company has applied the modified retrospective approach for transition to IFRS 15, meaning the comparative period numbers are not restated. To enable better comparison with prior period results, the Company will, in places, refer to adjusted numbers that exclude the impact of IFRS 15. Such numbers are based on the same accounting principles that were in effect in 2017, before the implementation of IFRS 15.

HEADLINES Q1 2018:

  • Adjusted¹ revenues of USD 40.1 million, up 8% from Q4 2017 (IFRS revenues of USD 30.6 million)

  • Adjusted¹ EBITDA before non-recurring costs of USD 12.1 million, up from USD 2.2 million in Q4 2017

  • Gross cost of sales of USD 37.7 million, up 2% from Q4 2017

  • Cash from operations of USD 5.6 million, down from USD 18.5 million in Q4 2017

  • Completion of NOK 300 million Private Placement and financial restructuring providing debt service runway to 2022

  • Available liquidity of USD 86.0 million (including undrawn WCF of USD 40 million), up from USD 50.8 million at end Q4 2017

  • Backlog of USD 150 million

  • Post-quarter end, completion of NOK 40 million Repair Offer

¹ = adjusted for IFRS 15 effects

"The first quarter 2018 results reflect a cold winter coming to an end. Revenues were low but increased sequentially driven by increased utilization and a higher prefunding level. Utilization improved significantly as Polarcus Asima came back into production in February driven by increased demand for marine seismic services. Revenues were negatively impacted by operational delays on turnkey projects in North and South America.

"Despite the improved fleet utilization, our gross cost of sales continued to be tightly managed and remained relatively flat and on track for delivering our full year guiding of USD 150 million. Similarly, G&A expenses for the quarter adjusted for non-recurring restructuring costs came in at USD 3.1m, also on target for delivering our guiding of USD 13 million. This demonstrates that the re-shape undertaken in Q4 2017 across our onshore and offshore organisations has been successfully implemented with the benefits crystallizing during Q1 2018. Capex spend for Q1 2018 came in at USD 1.1 million also providing comfort for delivering our full year guiding of USD 10 million, excluding the purchase of the N-Class vessels.