euro adhoc: Eybl International AG
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
/ Eybl International announces its results for the first three quarters of the
2006/07 financial year
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
25.01.2007
- Weak French market has a negative effective on sales figures. - Self-financing capability enhanced by optimisation measures.
Krems, January 25, 2007. Eybl International AG, which manufactures components for automotive interiors and is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, continues to be affected by the tense situation in the European automotive market and the related massive cost pressures in the sub-supplier industry. According to the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers, during 2006 the number of new registrations rose by a mere 0.7%. Moreover, the exceptional increase in the number of new registrations in Germany, caused by the planned rise in VAT at the beginning of 2007, was counterbalanced by a slump in sales in France, which is Eybl Internationals second main market.
Expected slight fall in sales and earnings in the third quarter
Accordingly, at EUR 253.3 million, sales in the first three quarters of the current financial year 2006/07 were slightly down on the EUR 254 million of the previous year. The operating result (EBIT) at the end of the third quarter 2006/07 amounted to EUR 6.3 million and was also lower than the comparable figure for the preceding year (EUR 7.0 million). On the reporting date, the ordinary business result amounted to EUR 2.7 million (Q3 2005/06: EUR 3.4 million). By contrast, operating cash flow was raised markedly by some 38% from EUR 8.3 million (Q3 2005/06) to EUR 13.5 million, which clearly demonstrated the sustained successes of the process-oriented measures undertaken by the management.
Increased self- financing capability and constant assets structure
The rise in EBITDA of around 11 % to EUR 17.2 million at the end of the third quarter of 2006/07 and the improvement in the EBITDA margin to 6.8 % (31.12.2005: 5.9 %) mirror the considerable rise in the self-financing capability attained through ongoing optimisation measures. In spite of the payment of a dividend totalling EUR 3.1 million for the 2005/06 financial year, on the reporting date of December 31, 2006, equity had increased to EUR 54.1 million and was therefore EUR 2.7 million up on the figure at the beginning of the current financial year. With total assets of EUR 255.4 million, in the first three quarters of 2006/07, Eybl International achieved a constant equity ratio of around 21%.
New orders demonstrate positioning as an innovative supplier with stable processes
Order intake on the reporting date of December 31, 2006 amounted to EUR 196.2 million and was therefore down on the EUR 260 million of the previous year. The main reason for this development was the branch trend towards the replacement of long-term orders with extremely short-term contracts. Nonetheless, particularly in the technical textiles segment, Eybl International was able to demonstrate its excellent market positioning.
Outlook for the 2006/07 financial year
The company has responded to the anticipated prolongation of the difficult market situation in 2007 with a further increase in the efficiency of customer-oriented, corporate processes and the further flexibilisation of production sequences. The Eybl International CEO, Johannes M. Elsner, is cautiously optimistic, "As a result of an enhanced, targeted focus on the earnings capacity of individual orders, the efficiency of which will be realised during this financial year, we anticipate that if all these measures are taken into account, at a minimum, a reasonable earnings capacity at the current level will be attainable."
The results of the first three quarters at a glance(in EUR m)
Key indicators 2006/07 2005/06 Sales 253.3 254.0 EBIT 6.3 7.0 EBIT margin in % 2.5 2.8 EBITDA margin in % 6.8 5.9 Profit for the period 3.3 4.8 Order intake 196.2 260.0 Employees 4,167 4,178
end of announcement euro adhoc 25.01.2007 08:30:00
Further inquiry note:
Eybl International AG
Investor Relations
Robert Gabriel
Tel.: +43 (0) 2732 881-300
Fax: +43 (0) 2732 881-79
mailto:robert.gabriel@eybl-international.com
Branche: Speciality stores
ISIN: AT0000908157
WKN: 914117
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market