Half yearly balance of Jungfraubahn Holding AG
Interlaken (ots)
We send you the letter to the shareholders of Jungfraubahn Holding AG including the half yearly balance:
Dear Shareholders
We welcomed 264'000 guests to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe in the first six months of the year (previous year 232'000). Due to this fact we were able to compensate the drop in sales from winter business by the middle of the year. At CHF 6.6 million, the semester result is slightly below that of last year, due to a 1.4% increase in operating costs and higher depreciation,
HALF-YEARLY BALANCE AS OF 30 JUNE 2007
In the first semester we were able to increase operating revenue by 1.1% to almost CHF 60 million. We recorded a considerable loss in winter sport revenue owing to poor snow conditions and persistently high temperatures. The extremely pleasing number of guests to the Jungfraujoch and the new Lauterbrunnen-Mürren aerial cableway made it possible to compensate for the winter deficit and even increase overall traffic revenue by CHF 0.5 million.
Visitor frequency 1.01 - 30.06. 2007 2006 Variation Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe (arrivals) 263,853 232,405 +13.5% Kleine Scheidegg (WAB frequencies) 1,261,223 1,258,226 +0.2% Grindelwald-First (from valley station) 243,173 311,135 -21.8% Lauterbrunnen-Mürren (BLM frequencies) (1) 230,391 162,189 +42.1% Harder Kulm (arrivals) 18,327 18,800 -2.5%
(1) Suspension of operations from 24 April 2006 for construction
We recorded the most marked increase in frequencies at our Premium excursion destination: an average of over 1400 guests per day visited the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe at 3454 metres altitude. Visitors from overseas made a considerable contribution to the increase. The results of our Experience Mountains are at about the same level as last year. The operative result (EBIT) is CHF 8.6 million, equivalent to an EBIT margin of 14.3%. The final result for the first half-year shows a profit of CHF 6.6 million.
MAJOR PROJECTS ON SCHEDULE
We are constantly adapting our offers to cater to guest requirements. In April the first cut in the soil was made for the extension of the Lauterbrunnen parking garage, where we are constructing the 105 parking spaces already sold. April this year also saw the realization of Switzerland's largest snow-making project, in the Kleine Scheidegg area. The Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen skiing area will also receive a considerable boost for the coming 2007/2008 winter season with the replacement of the Honegg draglift by a highly modern six-seater chairlift. And last but not least, the coming winter will see the modernization of the Harder Railway in time for its centenary in 2008.
2007 BUSINESS YEAR
The environment for our business activities continues to show positive development. Bookings in the group-travel business for the second semester allow us to look to the future with optimism.
Unfortunately the Harder Railway was seriously damaged by a landslide on 8 August following heavy rainfall and will be out of operation for some weeks. The damage is for the most part covered by insurance and will have no appreciable effect on the 2007 group result.
Investor Relations - key dates:
The frequencies for the 2007 business year will be announced on 2 January 2008.
The financial statement media conference for the 2007 business year will be held on 19 March 2008.
The next AGM of Jungfraubahn Holding AG shareholders will be held on Monday, 19 May 2008 in Interlaken.
Contact:
Christoph Seiler
CFO Jungfrau Railways
Phone: +41/33/828'71'11
Kathrin Naegeli
chief information officer Jungfrau Railways
Phone: +41/33/828'72'30
Mobile: +41/79/222'53'10