29.07.2004 – 13:29

Sartorius AG

euro adhoc: Sartorius AG
Earnings substantially improved over last year’s
Group sales revenue above the previous year’s
Double-digit growth in order intake
Targets for 2004 unchanged
Long-term financing package agreed (E)

  Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc.
  The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.

First-half sales revenue of the Sartorius Group rose 2.5%
(currency-adjusted:  5.2%) to EUR222.3 million from EUR217.0 million
a year ago.  We increased sales revenue for the Biotechnology
Division 1.6% (currency-adjusted: 4.6%) to EUR111.7 million from
EUR109.9 million.  For the Mechatronics Division, sales revenue grew
3.3% (currency-adjusted: 5.9%) to EUR110.6 million from EUR107.1
million a year earlier.

We raised order intake 10.4% (currency adjusted: 13.9%) to EUR242.3
million from EUR219.4 million a year ago.  For the Biotechnology
Division, order intake jumped 12.0%; for the Mechatronics Division,
it climbed 8.7%.

The positive earnings trend of the first quarter continued on into
the second quarter of 2004.  We boosted first-half EBITDA to EUR22.5
million (previous year: EUR9.1 million) and EBIT to EUR11.6 million
(previous year: - EUR2.1 million).  For the Biotechnology Division,
we improved EBIT to EUR5.7 million (previous year incl. Environmental
Technology:  EUR0.8 million) and for the Mechatronics Division, we
increased it to EUR5.9 million (previous year:  - EUR2.9 million).

Net cash flow rose to EUR13.2 million from EUR12.3 million a year
ago.  Between the reporting dates of December 31, 2003, and June 30,
2004, we reduced net debt from EUR105.0 million to EUR99.0 million.

We continue to adhere to our sales revenue and earnings targets for
fiscal 2004, and are striving to increase sales revenue in the mid-
to upper percentage range of one digit and to double EBIT over the
last year’s figures.

At the beginning of the third quarter, the Sartorius Group signed an
agreement with a bank consortium to introduce a long-term financing
package with a transaction volume totaling EUR140 million.  Through
this transaction, which consists of a syndicated credit line and an
asset-backed securities (ABS) program, a major portion of the
currently existing bank liabilities will be refinanced.

end of announcement        euro adhoc 29.07.2004

Further inquiry note:

Andreas Wiederhold
Treasury & Investor Relations
Tel.: ++49 551 308 1668
andreas.wiederhold@sartorius.com

Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: DE0007165607
WKN: 716560
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Prime Standard, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover / official dealing
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