DGAP-News: Highlight Group in line with planning after three months
31.05.2017 – 17:42
DGAP-News: Highlight Communications AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement Highlight Group in line with planning after three months 31.05.2017 / 17:39 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Highlight Group's sales and earnings developed in line with expectations in the first quarter of 2017: Consolidated sales of CHF 80.0 million below the previous year's figureEBIT declines to CHF 2.4 million due to production reasonsSlight increase in consolidated equity to CHF 136.4 million Group development in the first quarter of 2017 Consolidated sales at CHF 80.0 million were down 37.5% year-on-year in the first three months of the year. The decline is attributable to the Film segment, which had generated exceptionally high income in the previous year due to the start of exploitation of "Fack Ju Göhte 2" in home entertainment and the launch of the TV series "Shadowhunters" in the US.Consolidated operating expenses were down 32.0% to CHF 118.5 million. The main reason for this was considerably lower amortization of film assets and a production-related decrease in the cost of materials and licenses.EBIT declined from CHF 8.7 million to CHF 2.4 million, due particularly to lower production volume.Consolidated equity (including non-controlling interests) at CHF 136.4 million was up by CHF 1.1 million as against the end of 2016 (CHF 135.3 million). As a result, the equity ratio improved by 1.5 percentage points to 38.2%. The quarterly statement as of March 31, 2017 will be available for download at www.highlight-communications.ch starting from today. Highlight Group at a glance Group figures according to IFRS in CHF million 1Q2017 1Q2016 Change in % Sales 80.0 128.1 -37.5 EBIT 2.4 8.7 -72.4 Net profit for the period (after taxes) 0.8 5.5 -85.5 Net profit attributable to shareholders 0.7 5.4 -87.0 Earnings per share (CHF) 0.02 0.12 -83.3 Segment sales Film 65.5 113.1 -42.1 Sports- and Event-Marketing 14.5 14.7 -1.4 Other Business Activities 0.0 0.2 n/a Segment result Film -2.7 0.5 -640.0 Sports- and Event-Marketing 6.8 6.7 1.5 Other Business Activities 0.0 2.7 n/a in CHF million March 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Change in % Balance sheet total 357.0 368.5 -3.1 Equity 136.4 135.3 0.8 Equity ratio (%) 38.2 36.7 1.5 points Current financial liabilities 61.2 52.3 17.0 Cash and cash equivalents 90.3 88.5 2.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31.05.2017 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Highlight Communications AG Netzibodenstrasse 23b 4133 Pratteln Switzerland Phone: +41 61 816 96 96 Fax: +41 61 816 67 67 E-mail: ir@hlcom.ch Internet: www.hlcom.ch ISIN: CH0006539198 WKN: 920299 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News Service -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 579289 31.05.2017