euro adhoc: CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG / Financial Figures/Balance Sheet / Continuous growth in all important areas

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20.11.2006

• Order intake: +4% to EUR 179.6 million
• Orders on hand: +31% to EUR 175.0 million
• Sales: +17% to EUR 151.1 million
• EBIT: +220% EUR 4.8 million

"The third quarter confirmed the sustained upturn in the Christ
Group. With the acquisitions Innoterv, KF and the increase in the
strategically important Indian Joint Venture Nishotech and the strong
earnings improvement in the Ultrapure Water division we are on track
for 2006 while creating further opportunities for 2007," says Karl
Michael Millauer, CEO of the Christ Water Technology Group.

Order receipts showed an improvement on the prior year’s record
figure (EUR 173.5 million) and now stand at EUR 179.6 million. The
highest growth rates were posted by the Food & Beverage segment
(+76%), which in addition to the organic growth at Van der Molen also
includes the newly acquired KF Service for the first time. Pharma &
Life Science (+12%) also benefited from the buoyant investment mood
around the world in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
The growth experienced by the Municipal Water Treatment segment
(+25%) resulted primarily from the initial consolidation as per 1
July of the Hungarian company Innoterv RT, part of the Aqua
Engineering Group. In the microelectronics sector of the Ultrapure
Water segment, the concentration on qualitative growth has resulted
in reduced order receipts (-25% to last year). New orders in the
investment-friendly power plant business provided an effective
cushion against the impact of the resulting decline. The order book
reached an excellent EUR 175.0 million (prior year: EUR 133.6
million) at September 30.

After the first three quarters, consolidated Group sales were running
at EUR 151.1 million and thus + EUR 21.6 million to prior year (EUR
129.5 million).

Sales (EUR 1000s) 1 - 9 / 2006 1 - 9 / 2005 + / - %
Pharma & Life Science 34,734 31,867 +9.0%
Ultrapure Water 71,414 54,452 +31.2%
Food & Beverage 16,202 16,165 +0.2%
Municipal Water Treatment 28,701 26,996 +6.3%
Total 151,051 129,480 +16.7%

In the Pharma & Life Science segment, the growth in sales slowed to
9% due to project deferments in North and South America and in
Ireland. The business conditions remain good and the order structure
is characterized by a majority of medium size orders after the
completion of a major pharmaceutical project.

Sales in the Ultrapure Water segment displayed the largest increase
with a rise of 31% and these were distributed over the
microelectronics sector, flourishing in Asia especially, current
power plant projects in Europe and in the Middle East, and industrial
process and wastewater treatment solutions.

The Food & Beverage segment is continuing along its road to
consolidation and with Van der Molen has succeeded in finally
resolving the projects associated with weak sales and in turning
around earnings with new order qualities. The 51% participation in
aseptic specialists KF Service has been included for the first time
from the third quarter.

Sales in the Municipal Water Treatment segment also increased
steadily and this reflects the high level of demand worldwide for
both clean drinking water and municipal wastewater treatment. Due to
cooperation with, and subsequent acquisition of, the Hungarian
wastewater specialists Innoterv, we have succeeded in obtaining
further interesting municipal projects in Hungary.

Sales in the service business increased year-on-year by 26% to EUR 24
million (prior year: EUR 19 million). The proportion of sales thus
increased in percentage terms to 16%.

The third quarter closed with an accumulated operating profit (EBIT)
of EUR 4.8 million (prior year: EUR 1.5 million) and an EBIT margin
of 3.2% (prior year: 1.1%) and confirmed the sustained income
improvement in the Group.

EBIT (EUR 1000s) 1 - 9 / 2006 1 - 9 / 2005 + / - %
Pharma & Life Science 971 621 +56.4%
Ultrapure Water 3,460 289 +1097.2%
Food & Beverage -840 -786 -
Municipal Water Treatment 1,258 1,353 -7.0%
Total 4,849 1,477 +228.3%
Investments in market expansion (mainly the USA, China and India) with
associated negative earnings contributions have impaired the positive primary
business in the Pharma & Life Science segment in the third quarter. This
resulted in the accumulated EBIT margin falling to 2.8%. A healthy level of
orders on hand and promising quote volumes in all sites should result in
improved income in the last quarter.
Earnings in the third quarter supported the healthy condition of the Ultrapure
Water segment. The accumulated EBIT margin was 4.8% (prior year: 0.5%). The fact
that all the companies included in the segment are working positively and there
is no dependency on major individual projects or sectors, points to continued
stable development.
The negative earnings for the Food & Beverage segment in the third quarter were
the result of start-up losses of the new acquisition KF Service in the course of
processing old orders as well as from project preproduction costs. EBIT for Van
der Molen was already positive in the third quarter and validates the
restructuring approach. Both companies forecast improvements in earnings for the
fourth quarter.
After decreases in earnings with major projects in the prior quarter caused by
settlements, earnings for the Municipal Water Treatment segment recovered in the
third quarter. The company sites in South Africa and Dubai improved as did the
site in Hungary, where the joint appearance of Aqua Engineering and Innoterv on
the market has already resulted in positive earnings contributions.

Earnings before tax increased to EUR 3.5 million (prior year: EUR 0.5
million). The profit for the period after taxes on income rose from
EUR 0.4 million in the prior year to EUR 2.4 million. Minority shares
produced a negative amount from the loss allocation to KF Service.
This resulted in the profit for the period for the shareholders of
Christ increasing to EUR 2.6 million.

The balance sheet total increased in proportion to the expansion of
the volume of business from EUR 144.4 million to EUR 162.2 million.
Group equity (including minority shares) increased from EUR 41.2
million, as of 31 December 2005, to EUR 42.5 million. The equity
ratio decreased from 28.5% to 26.2% due to the increased balance
sheet total. Net debt has risen from EUR 20.4 million, as of 31
December 2005, to EUR 34 million.

The third quarter was characterized by the finalization and
integration of company acquisitions as well as setting the future
course, in operating terms, of current loss-making subsidiaries. The
positive momentum is already beginning to be reflected in improved
earnings in the fourth quarter.

In order to increase attractiveness for the share for US investors
management plans to launch an ADR (American Depository
Receipt)-Programme, Level 1, to be implemented over the next few
weeks.

Outlook

The obtaining of attractive orders in all segments as early as the
start of the final quarter has laid the foundation for promising
annual financial statements. Based on the good order situation in all
sectors and the continuing favorable economic climate for the 2006
financial year, the management is still assuming that sales will pass
the EUR 200 million mark and the EBIT margin will continue to
improve.

end of announcement euro adhoc 20.11.2006 07:30:00
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ots Originaltext: CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:
CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY Group
Ralf Burchert, CEFA
ralf.burchert@christwater.com
P. +43 6232/5011-1113

Branche: Biotechnology
ISIN: AT0000499157
WKN: 675399
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market


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