euro adhoc: Westag & Getalit AG / Financial Figures/Balance Sheet / Strong advance in sales and earnings in 2007; Dividend to increase to EUR 0.94 EUR per ordinary share and EUR 1.00 EUR per preferenc

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06.03.2008

Westag & Getalit AG was able to boost sales by 14.5% to EUR 225.3
million (previous year: EUR 196.8 million). We once again benefited
from the positive development of the export side where our sales rose
by 23.3% to EUR 56.8 million (previous year: EUR 46.0 million). The
export share rose to 25.2% (previous year: 23.4%).

Earnings before income taxes improved by 23.1% to EUR 16.6 million
(previous year: EUR 13.5 million). This improvement was mainly driven
by higher sales which translated into better capacity utilisation. In
contrast, raw materials prices once again weighed on our margins. The
cost of materials ratio increased again and came to 52.5% (previous
year: 49.5%). The ratio of personnel expenses to sales was lowered
from 29.5% to 27.4% in 2007, which partly reflected capital
expenditure measures completed in prior periods. Net profit for the
year 2007 came in at EUR 9.5 million (previous year: EUR 11.9
million). Adjusted for non-recurrent special tax income, the
comparable value for the prior year amounted to EUR 8.7 million. The
high 2007 tax ratio of 42.8% is due to a retroactive tax claim which
remains in dispute. Net profit per share for FY 2007 amounts to EUR
1.67 compared to the prior year´s figure of EUR 1.52 (adjusted for
special effect). Equity per share stood at EUR 15.22 (previous year:
14.38 EUR) as at the balance sheet date.

The company's Supervisory Board approved the financial statements for
fiscal 2007 at today's meeting. The Management Board and the
Supervisory Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting, which
will take place on August 12, 2008 in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, to pay out a
greatly increased dividend of EUR 0.94 per ordinary share (previous
year: EUR 0.82) and EUR 1.00 per preference share (previous year: EUR
0.88).

We are optimistic that we can continue to increase our sales during
the financial year 2008. The start to the new year has been
encouraging. In the two first months we improved by another 10% on
the already good sales figures of the previous year. Whether this
rate of sales growth can be maintained through the full financial
year will depend on the stability of construction activity in our
sector. Provided that commodities prices do not continue to surge as
they have done, we assume that we will be able to raise our 2008
earnings before income taxes in line with sales. Depending on the
development of our operating profit we expect a positive effect on
our after-tax result from Germany´s corporate tax reform. Against the
background of our high capacity utilisation and with a view to the
future development of our company, we have budgeted just under EUR 20
million for capital spending in 2008. Investments will focus on the
expansion of our cogeneration plant, a new acrylic-based solid
surface production line as well as a new press for our door
manufacturing operations.

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Westag & Getalit AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Felix Huisgen

Tel.: +49 (0)5242 17 5350

E-Mail: huisgen@westag-getalit.de

Branche: Building materials
ISIN: DE0007775207
WKN: 777520
Index: Prime All Share
Börsen: Börse Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Börse Berlin / free trade
Börse Stuttgart / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / regulated dealing


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