euro adhoc: ElringKlinger AG
quarterly or semiannual financial statement /
ElringKlinger generates growth in sales revenues of 16 percent and net earnings
growth of 23 percent in the first quarter of 2006
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
11.05.2006
> Consolidated net income after minorities increases 23% > Operating result 28% higher > EBIT increases by 14% > Order backlog 10% above the prior year
Dettingen/Erms, May 11, 2006 --- The ElringKlinger Group further increased sales revenues and earnings in the first quarter of 2006. Sales revenues increased by 16.2% to EUR 136.0 (117.0) million. The automotive supplier achieved strong growth in North America and Asia. ElringKlinger profited from the ongoing trend toward diesel engines, from new product ramp-ups and from increasingly stricter vehicle emissions legislation worldwide.
In the Original Equipment segment, sales revenues in the first three months of 2006 increased by 18.3% to EUR 95.8 (81.0) million, with particularly strong growth coming from the Shielding Technology division. A recently acquired order from a commercial vehicles manufacturer for the production of shielding parts had a positive impact in the first quarter and resulted in one-time sales of EUR 4.3 million. Sales revenues in the Aftermarket segment increased by 9.7% to EUR 22.2 (20.2) million. In the Engineered Plastics segment, which primarily develops products from the high-performance plastic PTFE, the ElringKlinger Group increased sales revenues by 14.7% to EUR 15.3 (13.3) million.
The cost of sales rose at a disproportionately low rate compared to sales revenues, increasing by 15.4% to EUR 88.5 (76.7) million. Rationalization and further increases in productivity enabled ElringKlinger to compensate for the continuation of high raw materials and energy costs and to increase its gross margin from 34.4% to 34.9%. As of March 31, 2006, the number of employees at the Group declined to 3,121 (3,128).
Due to increased capacity utilization, new product ramp-ups and a favorable product mix, ElringKlinger was able to increase its operating result by 27.7% to EUR 24.4 (19.1) million. EBIT including exchange rate effects increased by 13.5% to EUR 22.7 (20.0) million. EBITDA increased by 13.2% and amounted to EUR 33.4 (29.5) million.
The pre-tax earnings exceeded the figure in the prior year's quarter by 17.3%. Earnings before taxes increased from EUR 18.5 million in the prior year to EUR 21.7 million, an increase of 17.3%. The decrease in the tax rate by 1.4 percentage points to 35.9% (37.3%) resulted in a disproportionately high increase in consolidated net income, which grew by 19.8% to EUR 13.9 (11.6) million. Consolidated net income after minority interests amounted to EUR 12.7 (10.4) million, which corresponds to an increase of 22.7% compared to the first quarter of 2005. Earnings per share (IFRS) increased from EUR 0.54 to EUR 0.66.
Investment expenditure, which amounted to EUR 7.0 (7.5) million, was once again financed entirely by the cash flow from operating activities, which increased from EUR 7.0 million to EUR 16.2 million.
Order intake and the order backlog both developed positively. Order intake increased by 16.7% to EUR 144.5 (123.8) million, and the order backlog amounted to EUR 186.2 (169.6) million.
In the 2006 financial year, the company projects sales revenues to grow by 5 to 7%. Consolidated net income is expected to grow by 10 to 12%. The anticipated increase is primarily due to series production ramp-ups of new products. In the event that the favorable economic climate and industry environment continues, ElringKlinger expects sales revenues and earnings increases to be at the upper end of the range forecast for 2006.
end of announcement euro adhoc 11.05.2006 07:28:41
Further inquiry note:
Stephan Haas
Investor Relations Manager
Telefon: +49(0)7123 724-137
E-Mail: stephan.haas@elringklinger.de
Branche: Automotive Equipment
ISIN: DE0007856023
WKN: 785602
Index: SDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / official dealing/prime standard
Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / official dealing