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  2. French to English

à structure constante

English translation: in constant terms

12:22 Jan 20, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial
French term or phrase: à structure constante
From a financial report analysing the first quarter results of a company. Sentence: "Le CA ressort à 100 m€ en baisse de 9% et en hausse de 1% à structure constante".

How can the turnover be 9% down but 1% up? Is this phrase the key? Thanks!
louisajay
English translation:in constant terms
Explanation:
turnover or sales can be down overall but taking into account the same items as for the previous year or quarter or yardstick, they could be up.

The terms can be the currency or the items that were sold.

If in the year they are looking at, they are selling OTHER items, it's down but removing those and then comparing, it's up.
Selected response from:

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Grading comment
Thanks all - I selected this one mainly because it fits best into my translation, but also because I think it covers all the others while still being nice and general since the article is not specific about any acquisitions/sales or what the terms might be. Cheers Jane!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2in constant terms
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
5 +1on a comparable structure basis
Béatrice Huret-Morton
4 +1like for like turnover
Richard Nice
5based on identical structure
Buzzy
4from continued operations
Yakov Tomara
1overall
Adam Thomson


  

Answers


31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
à structure constante
overall


Explanation:
It may be that the turnover is down 9% year-on-year but is up 1% overall

Just a suggestion

Adam Thomson
Local time: 10:40
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in pair: 98
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
in constant terms


Explanation:
turnover or sales can be down overall but taking into account the same items as for the previous year or quarter or yardstick, they could be up.

The terms can be the currency or the items that were sold.

If in the year they are looking at, they are selling OTHER items, it's down but removing those and then comparing, it's up.

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
PRO pts in pair: 8576
Grading comment
Thanks all - I selected this one mainly because it fits best into my translation, but also because I think it covers all the others while still being nice and general since the article is not specific about any acquisitions/sales or what the terms might be. Cheers Jane!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Richard Nice: comparing same items or same sales outlets etc?
3 mins
  -> yes comparing same items...could also be currency ....
agree  Vincent SOUBRIE: or maybe the company sold a part of its business at the end of n, resulting in a decrease in turnover at ( n+1), so they compare remaining activities at n+1 with the same activities at n. Am I clear ?!
1 hr
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
like for like turnover


Explanation:
Google and used regularly in British press eg discussing fortunes of retailers

Richard Nice
Germany
Local time: 11:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 129

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X): yes unless they are taking currencies into account
18 mins
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
à structure constante
from continued operations


Explanation:
Please see an example on the referenced page. The aquisitions may naturally affect overall turnover.


    Reference: http://www.matthey.com/AR03/accounts/cpla.html
Yakov Tomara
Local time: 12:40
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in pair: 228
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
à structure constante
on a comparable structure basis


Explanation:
That's wat I usually say.

Cheers,

Béa

Béatrice Huret-Morton
Local time: 11:40
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 300

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yakov Tomara: or "constant structure basis" sometimes; I've seen it on a number of British sites, mainly in the documents translated from French and about French companies
7 hrs
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21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
à structure constante
based on identical structure


Explanation:
... a decrease of 9%, but a 1% increase based on identical structure (to the prior quarter OR the first quarter of last year, or whatever it is!)
It's the group or company structure that has changed and is the main explanation for the 9% drop: calculated as if the business hadn't changed its structure (as VSoubrié says above, probably selling a subsidiary or branch, but possibly adding an entity that affects sales/turnover in this way), things don't look so bad.

Just an alternative to "constant structure", my other favourite.



Buzzy
Local time: 11:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 377
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