EANS-Adhoc: USU Software AG announces preliminary figures for Q4/2010 and 2010 as a whole: USU generates highest consolidated sales and best consolidated EBITDA in company history
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annual report/Preliminary figures for Q4/2010 and 2010 as a whole
03.03.2011
Highly positive business performance in fourth quarter of 2010 Record sales and EBITDA for entire Group in 2010 Significant rise in dividend to EUR 0.20 per share advised by Management Board Further increase in Group liquidity Strong sales and earnings growth also forecast for coming years
Möglingen/Germany, March 3, 2011 - According to preliminary calculations, USU Software AG (ISIN DE000A0BVU28) and its subsidiaries increased its Group-wide sales (IFRS) by 40% year-on-year to EUR 12.9 million (Q4/2009: EUR 9.2 million) in the fourth quarter of 2010. This rise resulted from both the expansion of organic business and from the majority takeover of Aspera GmbH. In the final quarter of 2010, USU improved its EBITDA by 170% to EUR 3.2 million (Q4/2009: EUR 1.2 million). The company also saw strong growth in EBIT to EUR 2.2 million (Q4/2009: EUR -0.1 million) and doubled its net profit for the quarter to EUR 1.9 million (Q4/2009: EUR 0.9 million).
According to the preliminary figures, USU increased its consolidated sales by almost 12% for the whole of 2010 to EUR 38.0 million (2009: EUR 34.0 million), the highest figure for consolidated sales in USU history. Combined with only a moderate rise in its cost base overall, USU increased the profitability of the Group as a whole considerably. At Group level, USU´s EBITDA surged by over 80% to EUR 4.6 million (2009: EUR 2.5 million), significantly outstripping sales growth and also setting the best operating earnings figure for the Group since it was founded.
At EUR 2.6 million (2009: EUR 0.5 million), USU´s EBIT increased more than fivefold as against the previous year. The company also significantly increased its net income for the year to EUR 2.3 million (2009: EUR 1.5 million). Thus, its earnings per share rose by more than half to EUR 0.23 (2009: EUR 0.15).
On the basis of this positive business performance, the Management Board of USU Software AG is planning, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to propose to the company´s Annual General Meeting on June 30, 2011 to increase the dividend per entitled share by one third to EUR 0.20 (2009: EUR 0.15), a dividend policy both agreeable to shareholders and ensuring continuity. Thus, the shareholders of USU Software AG will participate substantially in the company´s success as announced.
With consolidated liquidity of EUR 11.1 million as of the end of fiscal 2010 (2009: EUR 10.9 million), USU Software AG still has an extremely solid financing position to make targeted investments and, if potential acquisition options arise, to acquire equity holdings or even other companies. The Management Board of USU Software AG is forecasting that it will generate Group-wide sales growth of more than 10% in both fiscals 2011 and 2012 as well, while at the same time achieving stronger growth in EBITDA compared to sales and thereby further expanding the 2010 EBITDA margin of 12%.
The Management Board will publish the final, audited figures for 2010 on March 24, 2011.
end of announcement euro adhoc --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
USU Software AG
Investor Relations
Falk Sorge
Spitalhof
D-71696 Möglingen
Tel.: +49 (0) 71 41 - 48 67 351
Fax: +49 (0) 71 41 - 48 67 108
E-Mail: f.sorge@usu-software.de
Branche: Software
ISIN: DE000A0BVU28
WKN: A0BVU2
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
Hannover / free trade
München / free trade
Stuttgart / regulated dealing