It is going well for Academedia. The profit is increasing, the revenues as well, as is the profitability which improved (operating margin of 11.3 percent), shows the latest results report.
It may possibly be sensitive in the political debate about profit extraction in school. How high can the profitability become before it becomes a problem for you?
"Surplus provides security"
Having a surplus is incredibly much about security for the employees and development power for the company, says Marcus Strömberg.
Academedia continues to grow in Europe with several purchases of school operations in among other things Germany and the Netherlands. According to their own figures, Academedia is the largest free school group in Europe.
We become a more stable and secure company by standing on several legs and in several different countries, says Strömberg.
The critics usually say that the profit you make in Sweden, the money you send on to grow abroad?
I want to strongly oppose that. We have been very clear in our strategy, that each country should stand on its own economic legs, says Strömberg.
Afraid of overregulation
He points out that the company has local loans in each country that will finance the operations.
Regarding the political discussion at home, he welcomes the government's intentions to come up with a set of rules.
What we have been critical of, is that it risks becoming an overregulation.
The criticism of profit extraction from school is usually hardest from the left block in politics. Are you worried about what happens if there is a Social Democratic-led government after the next election?
I think that if the current government now puts its set of rules in place. Then I also think that it can actually be a basis for Social Democrats to think that it is quite good, says Marcus Strömberg.
Olle Lindström/TT
Facts: Academedias results
TT
Academedia made an operating profit of 578 million kronor for the second quarter, which was higher than the profit of 532 million the same period last year.
The revenues increased by 5.4 percent to 5,118 million kronor.
"All our segments have improved compared to the previous year. Above all, the improvement in our international operations continues", writes CEO Marcus Strömberg in the report.
Source: Academedia
