-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
09.03.2007
• Order backlog: +25% to EUR 183mn • Sales: +14.5% to EUR 210mn • EBIT: + 77% to EUR 7.0mn
Christ Water Technology Group reports pleasing growth in orders, sales and earnings. Thanks to recent acquisitions a focus on high quality orders was maintained with order intake again reaching a high level of 246mn EUR (+2% on last year´s EUR 241.5mn). Order backlog of EUR 183mn at year-end 2006 exceeded the value of last year (2005: EUR 146.5mn) supported by positive trends in all divisions. Group sales increased 15% from EUR 183mn to EUR 210mn.
In the first full stand-alone year after its spin-off from BWT (November 2005), CHRIST has undertaken important growth steps: extension of R&D activities was accompanied by foundations of new businesses and takeovers for expansion into new markets and customer segments.
EBIT jumped 77% from EUR 4.0mn to EUR 7.0mn and EBITDA grew to EUR 10.2mn from EUR 6.6mn a year earlier. The key drivers of earnings were the divisions Ultrapure Water and Municipal Water Treatment. In Pharma & Life Science, the market launch of new products and the expansion of international presence put a strain on divisional income. In Food & Beverage restructuring effects and start-up costs in the new participation burdened operating earnings.
A higher share of taxes made net income increase moderately from EUR 2.9mn last year to EUR 3.4mn for 2006 resulting in earnings per share of EUR 0.19 after EUR 0.16.
Net debt increased from EUR 20.4mn to EUR 34.6mn while equity amounted to EUR 43.2mn as of December 31, 2006. This corresponds to a share of 25.6% of the balance sheet total after 28.5% due to the higher volume of business.
The number of employees increased to 1,032 persons after 842 on 31/12/2005 caused by acquisitions and organic growth.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Hartmut Gussmann will resign from the managing board for personal reasons and leave the CHRIST Group at the end of March. He will remain available for CHRIST as a consultant. The vacancy will be filled.
Outlook
In the year 2006 a series of important decisions was made to secure further earnings growth. CHRIST-initiatives targeting new technologies and markets include considerable synergy- and earnings potentials. The strategic focus on the margin-positive service business will be continued. Based on the good order backlog as of year-end 2006 and supported by the positive economic conditions in all business units management expects double-digit growth in sales and disproportionate growth in EBIT in the current year.
end of announcement euro adhoc 09.03.2007 17:00:00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ots Originaltext: CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de
Further inquiry note: Christ Water Technology Group Ralf Burchert ralf.burchert@christ-water.com Tel.: +43 (0)6232/5011-1113
Branche: Biotechnology ISIN: AT0000499157 WKN: 675399 Index: WBI, ATX Prime Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market
Forum
