euro adhoc: freenet.de AG
Quarterly or Semiannual Financial
Statements
freenet.de reports EBITDA of 49.52 million euro in first
three quarters of 2003 (E)
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
freenet.de reports EBITDA of 49.52 million euro in first three quarters of 2003 ·First effects from network extension evident in third quarter: 49.52 million euro EBITDA and 28.84 million euro EBT (both IAS, cumulated nine-months figures 2003) ·Group result of 21.73 million euro (IAS) for the first three quarters of 2003 ·Twice as many DSL customers at end of third quarter than during previous quarter: 44,000 customers
freenet.de AG / Hamburg - freenet.de AGs nine-months revenues
(248.86 million euro) represent a significant year-on-year increase
of over 760%; revenues for the same period last year totaled 28.84
million euro. EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization rose to 49.52 million euro for the
first nine months of the year; freenet.de generated 20.56 million
euro of this in the third quarter alone. This represents an increase
of nearly 1000% (959%) versus the first three quarters of 2002 (4.68
million euro). During the same period, earnings before taxes (EBT)
amounted to 28.84 million euro - an upsurge of over 3.400% vs. the
same period last year (0.82 million euro). After taxes, freenet.de
shows group results of 21.73 million euro for the first nine months
of the current year, as compared to a slight deficit of 0.26 million
euro during the same period in 2002.
"These figures serve to illustrate freenet.des tale of success,
which began in 1999 with annual revenues of 3.48 million euro as a
pure-play ISP. Today we are Germanys second-largest
Internet/telecommunications company and show revenues of 248.86
million euro for the first nine months of 2003 alone," declared
freenet.de AG CEO Eckhard Spoerr, commenting on freenet.des
nine-months figures.
In Internet access - where growth was somewhat stagnant due to
reticent usage behavior during this years magnificently warm and
beautiful summer - freenet.de AG generated total third-quarter
revenues of 73,08 million euro. At the same time freenet.de AG
cemented its clear No.2 position in the German Internet market and,
with over 3.75 million access customers, nearly was on par with last
quarters extremely high levels. In the DSL growth market, the number
of users more than doubled vs. the previous quarter; the company had
44,000 DSL customers at the end of September 2003. For the fourth
quarter 2003, freenet.de expects to further step up its customer
recruitment rates, not least thanks to the renewed DSL price campaign
launched at the beginning of the current (fourth) quarter.
During Q3/2003, freenet.de increased its portal revenues slightly vs.
the previous quarter, to 6.8 million euro; with over 5.6 million
active members of its online service, it is a fixture on the German
Internet and offers an extremely attractive platform for numerous
eCommerce partners and advertisers. At 33.25 million euro,
third-quarter revenues in the newly acquired voice telephony business
were 7% below the revenues of the previous quarter. Customer
acquisition in this segment will not be stepped up until after the
completion of the "immediate investment" program launched directly
following the takeover of the fixed-line business. In the B2B sector,
freenet.de registered successful growth, with third-quarter revenues
amounting to 2.0 million euro, a significant 41% increase over the
previous quarter. Growth in this sector is due primarily to the
Virtual Private Network (VPN) products offered to SMEs.
~
Q3/03 Q1-Q3/03 Q1-Q3/02 Q1-Q3/03 Q2/03
vs.
Q1-Q3/02
Segment: Internet access 73,084 154,519 12,761 +1111% 76,403
Segment: Voice 33,254 69,003 - - 35,749
Segment: Portal 6,796 21,567 15,358 +40% 6,762
Segment: B2B services 2,000 3,775 718 +426% 1,420
Revenues 115,134 248,864 28,837 +763% 120,334
EBITDA 20,559 49,516 4,675 +959% 25,204
Earnings before taxes(EBT) 10,745 28,840 817 +3429% 15,517
Group result 6,368 21,733 -258 - 14,121
~
Financials (IAS); in thousand euro / Source: freenet.de AGend of announcement euro adhoc 10.11.2003
Further inquiry note:
Andreas Neumann
Tel.: +49 (0)40 51306 778
E-Mail: IR@freenet-ag.de
Branche: Online
ISIN: DE0005792006
WKN: 579200
Index: Prime Standard, TecDAX
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing
Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover / free trade
Berliner Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB) / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade