euro adhoc: feratel media technologies AG
Quarterly or Semiannual
Financial Statements
feratel - marked improvement to all earnings
ratios in Q1 2004/05 (E)
22.09.2004 – 08:25
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
"Financial 2004/05 started well for us, with all key earnings ratios clearly improved in the period-to-period comparison," says Markus Schröcksnadel, CEO at feratel media technologies AG.
Consolidated sales increased from Euro 2.7 million in the first quarter of the previous year to Euro 2.8 million in the first quarter of 2004/05.
In the Telecommunications Division, sales are always concentrated in the second half of the financial year, whereas overheads are distributed equally over the whole year. For that reason budgeted income for the division is always significantly lower for the first half of the year, with higher figures for the second half to compensate the situation and generate a positive year-end result.
Nevertheless, all earnings ratios showed a marked improvement in the period-to-period comparison for the first quarter of the year already. Earnings before taxes (EBT) were up from minus TEuro 991.1 in the first quarter of the previous year to minus TEuro 558.2. The operative result was minus TEuro 555.9 after minus EUR 1 million Euro in the same period of the previous year. Consolidated EBITDA also improved, from minus TEuro 545.3 to minus TEuro 142.3. And in operative cash flow the turnaround was achieved, from minus TEuro 357.2 in the first quarter of the previous year to plus T 365.5 in the first quarter of the current business year.
Highlights of the first quarter of 2004/05 In July 2004 transmission of feratel weather cams was introduced by the Dutch public television station TROS-NED 2, the countrys biggest family broadcasting company. In addition to an audience of 11.8 million households in the Netherlands, TROS-NED 2 also reaches 7 million households in Belgium and a further 2 million in Luxembourg. The feratel program, which is called "Kijk op Europa" (View over Europe), is broadcast Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. That brings feratels total number of international broadcasting slots to eleven.
feratel currently has five camera locations in the Netherlands (in Drachten, Ijmuiden, aan Zee, Sluis, Utrecht and Vlissingen), plus two in Belgium (in Antwerp and De Haan). In the period under report, cameras were installed in Veszeprém in Hungary, in Utrecht, Drachten and Sluis in the Netherlands, in Antwerp in Belgium, and in Jelsa, Primosten and Tribunj in Croatia.
The market launch of feratels new inquiry wizard was very successful, and a number of big customers have already been recruited, such as the Hohe Tauern National Park and Dachstein Tauern regions, St. Anton am Arlberg and Serfaus.
At Berlins Tegel Airport, arrivals can now take advantage of a new hotel reservation facility developed jointly by feratel and HOTELdirect. The system offers visitors a free 24-hour reservation service with accommodation available for direct booking with the affiliated hotels. Berlin Tourismus Marketing GmbH (BTM) is also featured with its own presentation window. An integrated telephone with abbreviated dialing provides visitors with a direct link to the information and reservation center operated by the German capitals official tourism arm with more than 400 hotels to choose from.
Outlook "For the months ahead, we are optimistic with regard to performance on our core markets in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, where the goal is to further consolidate our good market position in our traditional fields of business. In the case of Germany especially, however, achievement of that goal will be dependent on the further course of general economic developments. In addition, we are working on a number of projects to service new markets," says the CEO.
"Given the present state of our knowledge, we are working on the assumption that we will achieve our operative goal of continued improvements in sales and results in the forthcoming quarters of the financial year," Schröcksnadel concludes.
end of announcement euro adhoc 22.09.2004
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