euro adhoc: Sartorius AG
Quarterly or Semiannual Financial Statements
Group
sales revenue up 4.9% (currency-adjusted: +6.2%); EBITDA and EBIT above
year-earlier figures; earnings targets for 2005 confirmed
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
21.07.2005
Ad hoc Announcement According to Section 15 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG)
In the first half of fiscal 2005, Group sales revenue rose 4.9% (currency-adjusted: +6.2%) to EUR233.2 million (previous year: EUR222.3 mn). In the Biotechnology Division, we could boost sales revenue 8.3% (currency-adjusted: +9.7%) to EUR120.9 million (EUR111.7 mn), whereas sales revenue for the Mechatronics Division edged up 1.5% (currency-adjusted: +2.8%) to EUR112.3 million (EUR110.6 mn). Group-level order intake at EUR244.4 million was up 0.9% (currency-adjusted: +3.0%) above the year-earlier figure (EUR242.3 mn).
First-half EBITDA climbed 6.5% to EUR23.9 million (EUR22.5 mn). At the same time, we could increase EBIT by 28.2% to EUR14.9 million (EUR11.6 mn); accordingly, the Group EBIT margin improved from 5.2% to 6.4%. EBIT for the Biotechnology Division surged from EUR5.7 million to EUR8.7 million (+51.6%); at EUR6.2 million, EBIT for the Mechatronics Division was 5.4% above the year-earlier figure of EUR5.9 million.
First-half net cash flow was EUR5.4 million (EUR13.2 mn). Our gross debt rose slightly by EUR2.5 million relative to December 31, 2004, and was at EUR88.1 million as of June 30, 2005 (net debt: EUR81.4 million).
Based on the business figures of the first half of 2005, we continue to adhere to our earnings targets for the current year, which provide for an increase in EBIT to over 8% of consolidated sales revenue. We assume that the positive growth trend of the first half will continue in all business areas, with the exception of our fermenter and bioreactor business, in which we expect a persistently difficult market environment for the second half. Accordingly, full-year growth for the Sartorius Group is likely to be below the rate posted for the first half.
end of announcement euro adhoc 21.07.2005 08:01:25
Further inquiry note:
Andreas Wiederhold
Phone +49.551.308.1668
Fax +49.551.308.3153
andreas.wiederhold@sartorius.com
www.sartorius.com
Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: DE0007165607
WKN: 716560
Börsen: Berliner Wertpapierbörse
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse
Börse Düsseldorf
Bayerische Börse
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB)
Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse
Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover