euro adhoc: feratel media technologies AG
Quarterly or Semiannual
Financial Statements
Consolidated sales and results on target for
the first half of the financial year; personnel expenses and other
operating expenses significantly reduced; new TV pa
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
"The first half of financial 2003/04 developed in line with expectations and the general economic framework for the tourism industry," says Markus Schröcksnadel, CEO at feratel media technologies AG.
Group sales totaled approx. EUR 5.8 million after EUR 7.1 million in the first half of the previous year. This downturn is due primarily to the withdrawal of ticketing business in the IRS Division following deconsolidation of Tourismus Service GmbH at 31.1.2003.
Personnel expenses were reduced from about EUR 3.6 million in the first half of 2002/03 to approx. EUR 2.9 million. "This is a reflection of the reorganizational measures now in place at our German subsidiary," explains Schröcksnadel. A significant decrease was also achieved in the case of other operating expenses, from EUR 2.8 million to EUR 2.1 million.
EBITDA for the group stood at minus TEUR 545.5 and EBIT at minus EUR 1.47 million. These figures are in line with expectations. Earnings in the Telecommunications Division always peak in the third and fourth quarters of the financial year, whereas expenditures are distributed uniformly over the full twelve-month period. For that reason, the negative result reported for the first half of 2003/04 is as planned.
New TV partner In the last few months feratel has reached an agreement with the leading Swiss French-language TV station TSR (Télévision Suisse Romande). Transmissions got off to a successful start on 20 December 2003, with Crans Montana, Verbier and Villars already signed up as feratels first panorama cam customers in Western Switzerland.
New Deskline customers A number of new Deskline systems were installed in the Neusiedler See Tourism Region, the Black Forest, and in Basel and Zug. feratel also launched a new web-based Deskline solution by the name of Deskline-FIT that comes complete with a software download for quick and easy installation.
New information kiosks A feratel information kiosk complete with an on-line traffic report feature was installed at the Gotthard motorway service area in Switzerland, and feratel also delivered its first information kiosk to Bulgaria. In addition, feratel won a contract from the Austrian Ministry of the Interior to supply a total of seven information kiosks. This innovative solution will be used to explain the correct procedure to asylum-seekers in their own languages.
Outlook "For the second half of financial 2003/04, we anticipate satisfactory business developments and a stable performance," says feratels CEO.
The further development of new markets will again be a main focus, especially in Bulgaria and Hungary where the first successful steps have already be taken. Additional agreements are planned with various television stations plus further additions to feratels international panorama cam network, especially in the French-speaking part of Switzerland.
"A main focus at feratel is to achieve continued improvements in terms of results in all divisions. Our goal is again to pay shareholders a dividend for financial 2003/04," Schröcksnadel concludes.
* For reasons of economy and practicability, this half-yearly balance sheet for the period 1 May to 31 October 2003 of feratel media technologies AG, the e-tourism and media group quoted on the Vienna stock exchange, was drawn up pursuant to the provisions of the Austrian Commercial Code (HGB). For that reason no direct comparisons can be made with the figures presented for the previous year on an IAS basis.
~ Extract from the income statement (in TEUR)
1st half of 2003/2004 2nd half of 2002/2003
öHGB IASSales 5,755.8 7,094.9 Income from operations 6,072.1 8,244.6 EBITDA -545.5 -128.6 EBIT -1,466.5 -1,369.3 EBT -1,441.8 -1,378.3 ~
end of announcement euro adhoc 15.01.2004
Further inquiry note:
Herr Fritsch Martin
Branche: Tourism & Leisure
ISIN: AT0000737804
WKN: 073780
Index: Standard Market Auction
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official dealing
Berliner Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / free trade