euro adhoc: BWT Aktiengesellschaft
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
/ BWT achieves double-digit growth rates in the first half-year
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
6-month report
10.08.2007
Sales +12.0% to EUR 195.2 million EBIT +12.4% to EUR 20.7 million Net profit +13.5% to EUR 15.0 million
In the first half of the 2007 financial year, the BWT Group increased its consolidated sales by 12% from EUR 174.2 million to EUR 195.2 million. In the second quarter, the previous year´s value of EUR 91.6 million was exceeded by 15.7% and consolidated sales of EUR 106.0 million were achieved.
Andreas Weissenbacher, Chief Executive Officer, comments, "All segments contributed to this positive development. The BWT Group thus further strengthened its leading role in the European water treatment market. Accounting for the growth opportunities in Eastern Europe, we set up a new subsidiary in the Ukraine in the first half-year. In the Point-of-Use field we started activities in France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland."
In the second quarter, earnings growth in the BWT Group accelerated. EBIT increased by 17.6% in the second quarter following a 6.3% increase in the first three months of the current financial year. This means that an accumulated EBIT of EUR 20.7 million (11.1% of sales) was achieved in the first half year. This represents a 12.4% increase on the previous year's value of EUR 18.4 million.
In the first half of the year, earnings before tax improved by 13.8% from EUR 18.3 million to EUR 20.9 million and therefore amounted to 10.7% of sales (previous year: 10.5%). Consolidated earnings after minority interests increased by 13.5% from EUR 13.2 million to EUR 15.0 million, and amounted to 7.7% of sales. The number of shares issued remained unchanged in the first half of 2007, so that earnings per share came to EUR 0.84 after EUR 0.74 in the previous year.
Outlook In addition to using the very good economic conditions in the core markets, BWT Management has set itself the goals of geographical expansion in the growth markets of Eastern Europe and Asia as well as the expansion of the product range, particularly in the Point-of-Use area.
In light of the positive result from the first half of the year as well as the favorable market conditions expected in the water treatment industry for the rest of the 2007 financial year, consolidated group sales are expect to increase to over EUR 390 million and group profit to EUR 25 million.
end of announcement euro adhoc 10.08.2007 07:30:00
Further inquiry note:
BWT Aktiengesellschaft
Ralf Burchert
ralf.burchert@bwt.at
Tel.: +43 (0)6232/5010-1113
Branche: Water Supply
ISIN: AT0000737705
WKN: 884042
Index: ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market