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artnet AG — Annual Report 2010
Apr 5, 2011
37_10-k_2011-04-05_c665599f-9542-4777-a06e-8e636ed083a7.pdf
Annual Report
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artnet AG Annual Report 2010
© Barbara Kruger, Courtesy Mary Boone Gallery, New York, NY
Barbara Kruger
This Color Is You, 1995 Digital Print 11 × 8.5 in. Signed and dated
Estimate USD 2,000–2,500 End Time November 10, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 2,300 (Premium)
Roy Lichtenstein WHAAM! (Diptych), 1984 Lithograph 24.75 x 58 in. Edition of 3,000, signed
Estimate USD 12,000 – 15,000 End Time March 16, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 16,388 (Premium)
© 2011 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York, NY
Andy Warhol 32 Dollar Bills, 1981 32 US-Dollar Bills, Marker 21 × 24 in. Signed
Estimate USD 3,500–4,500 End Time January 26, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 24,200 (Premium)
Contents
- 7 Letter to Shareholders
- 10 Financial Key Figures artnet Group and Shares artnet AG
- 11 Core Statement
- 12 Company Development
- 15 artnet Products
- Information Service and Transaction Platform
- 36 Highlights
- The artnet Auctions from January to December 2010
- 49 Company Background
- 50 Report of the Supervisory Board
- 52 Corporate Governance Report
- 61 Responsibility Statement
- 62 artnet Group Management Report 2010
- 76 Financial Statements, as of December 31, 2010, and 2009:
- artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholder's Equity (USD and EUR) artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
- 80 Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 2010
- 103 Translation of the Independent Auditor's Report
- 104 artnet Authorities, Addresses, Investor Relations, artnet Stock Imprint
Letter to Shareholders
Dear Shareholders,
2010 was a successful year for artnet. Thanks to the growth of artnet Auctions—in only its second full year—and the solid expansion of the artnet Price Database, we lifted revenue by 11.9% to EUR 13.7 million. It gives me particular pleasure to report on the strong performance of our online auctions. These are becoming increasingly popular, and I believe the increase in commission income to EUR 2 million is just the beginning. While revenue from artnet Galleries remained almost steady, because galleries always take some time to recover from the last crisis, we added over 5% to revenue from the artnet Price Database. These two areas now generate approximately the same revenue. I am convinced that artnet Auctions will soon advance to first place.
We ultimately returned to profitability in 2010 after recording a loss in 2009. Over the past three years, artnet has continued to invest aggressively in new products notwithstanding the crisis and I expect this to bear fruit in the current year in the form of higher revenues.
We have laid the foundation for this, and the environment has also improved significantly. The art market has grown with the Internet boom and shown itself to be robust, even after the bubble burst. Many experienced observers view this as a consequence of the price transparency that artnet has created. Demand for high-quality, 20th century art in particular has proved to be exceptionally stable. Of course, any extreme situation is followed by a selection process, and the art market is no exception. Many galleries were forced to cut their advertising expenses dramatically or stop ad vertising altogether. This is another reason we were unable to boost our revenue from artnet Galleries.
For many years, artnet has made every effort to create the necessary transparency in the art market and create an overview of the artworks on offer. Now, it is also dedicating itself to simplifying, expediting, and reducing the cost of transactions. Back when the Company was being established, artnet positioned itself in the space between art, the market, and the Internet. We have been collecting detailed data on the art market for several years now and process this in such a way that it can easily be retrieved by users. This includes information on artists and the offerings of galleries and auction houses, but also market trends. The artnet Price Database has thus become the leading supplier of structured information about art and the art market. We further expanded this strong position last year with growth of over 5% in this area.
We have used our expertise and the excellent reputation we have earned over time to take the next entrepreneurial step. Since 2008, art lovers have been able to buy high-quality works of art at low transaction costs at any time of the year at artnet Auctions. This offer is meeting with an increasingly positive response. In 2010, we brokered purchases of USD 12 million; the most expensive lot being a painting by Richard Prince that went for USD 295,000.
Our online transaction platform provides major benefits for buyers and sellers alike. Listing a piece of artwork on artnet Auctions does not require it to first be transported, insured, and presented in well-equipped rooms. This naturally reduces
Hans Neuendorf CEO, artnet AG Photo: Oliver Helbig From: brand eins 12 /09 Ausweitung der Kunstzone (Broadening the art horizon) costs and makes us much faster than conventional competitors. artnet manages in five weeks what traditional auction houses take around five months to do.
However, not only are we cheaper and faster than the competition, but we also have a much more extensive database than any other auction house. artnet is able to offer potential bidders an unparalleled amount of background information. This is our unique selling proposition, an insurmountable competitive advantage. Revenue from artnet Auctions surged by approximately 140% in 2010.
With our online auctions, artnet is catering to a whole new target group: consumers. For many years, we supplied comprehensive information to professional market participants exclusively, but now we are also opening ourselves up to a broad public. A pure insider brand for a long time, artnet now additionally reaches art collectors who are not experts—at the very moment they express interest in a specific work of art in our auctions. What could be easier than to make these bidders users of our database?
In this way, we are substantially expanding our customer base with our new offering, generating additional sales with a new target group, and strengthening the artnet brand among consumers. We are thus unlocking entirely new growth prospects for our—and your—company.
Berlin, March 2011
Sincerely,
Hans Neuendorf CEO, artnet AG
Financial Key Figures artnet Group (in TEUR)
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 13,673 | 12,219 | 12% |
| Profit from operations | (27) | (330) | 92% |
| Earnings before income taxes | (161) | (506) | 68% |
| Net profit | 153 | (467) | 133% |
| Earnings per share (diluted) in EUR | 0,03 | (0,08) | 138% |
| Number of shares (diluted) in thousands | 5,556 | 5,553 | 0% |
| Cash flow from operating activities | 651 | (180) | 462% |
| Staff (year end) | 105 | 99 | 6% |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 2,698 | 2,191 | 23% |
| Equity | 4,315 | 3,665 | 18% |
| Total assets | 7,111 | 6,574 | 8% |
Shares artnet AG (EUR)
Core Statement
artnet is the international transaction and information platform for the art market. artnet Auctions facilitates rapid, low-cost transactions; the artnet Price Database provides objective price information; and artnet Galleries offers a global overview of the art market. Over the past 20 years, artnet has grown from B2B provider to a B2C business and, with artnet Auctions, artnet is now a professional C2C marketplace. The fully integrated artnet products offer a range of services: the artnet Price Database provides artnet Auctions buyers and sellers the data they need to make informed decisions. In return, artnet Auctions participants are potential new buyers for members of artnet Galleries, and they are new subscribers to all artnet products. artnet Auctions offers art collectors an opportunity not only to purchase, but also to sell.
Thus artnet is synonymous with efficient online art dealing, for professionals and private collectors.
Corporate Development
artnet AG was founded in 1998 as an information service for the art market. It took over Artnet Worldwide Corp., which was founded in New York in 1989, and launched the artnet Price Database and artnet Galleries on the Internet in the mid-1990s.
artnet has modernized the art business by providing reliable information and transparent trading conditions for collectors, gallerists, museums, and investors. artnet products are indispensable tools to provide independence for art buyers and sellers. With artnet Auctions, the company serves both the art professional and the private collector by covering every area of the art market. artnet Auctions has turned artnet from a pure information service into a transaction platform with integrated information, enabling it to boost its primacy in the art market.
artnet developed its information and transaction service around its first product, the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design. At the end of the 1980s, the artnet Price Database was the answer to the decentralization of the art market and the lack of transparency that posed an obstacle, especially for buyers. The art business has always been international, of course, but it was conducted on local, relatively inefficient markets by tens of thousands of geographically scattered art dealers, galleries, auction houses, book publishers, museums, and collectors. The artnet Price Database creates a global standard for comparison of these local markets. The constantly expanding artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design was supplemented in 2009 with the artnet Price Database Decorative Art, which shows the outcomes of international antique auctions. Together, the artnet Price Database contains more than 5.5 million auction sales results from 550 international auction houses since 1985. (All information as of December 2010).
Another pillar of the artnet business is the product artnet Galleries. Introduced in 1995, artnet Galleries is the world's most extensive overview of the art trade, presenting 2,100 galleries and auction houses, more than 37,000 artists, and 173,000 works of art. This gallery network serves dealers and buyers equally: it provides an overview of the global market, the prices, and the price trends and it offers the chance to make direct contact.
In 2008, with artnet Auctions, artnet created a modern, efficient platform for buying and selling art. With speedy processing and reduced costs, it also modernized the auction business. An artwork does not need to be transported, insured, and exhibited to be offered for sale on artnet Auctions. No catalog has to be printed. The artnet Auctions' lots are available around the clock at artnet.com/auctions. Registration, auction, and sale are so streamlined that artnet takes just five weeks to do what conventional auction houses need five months for. artnet Auctions' resulting cost advantage enables artnet to serve the under-USD 10,000 market segment, while simultaneously offering auction lots that command much higher prices.
Agnes Martin On a Clear Day, 1973 Screen Print, 30 Works, each 12 × 12 in. Printer's Proof, aside from an edition of 50, signed
Estimate USD 150,000–200,000 End Time: November 17, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 150,075 (Premium) A record price for this edition.
The artnet iPhone App provides clients even greater flexibility. With it, artnet users have access—anytime, anywhere—to artnet Auctions, artnet Magazine in English, German, and French, and all the information on all artists in the comprehensive product artnet Artists A–Z. The artnet Price Database will be added in 2011.
The artnet success story has fueled the company's growth. In 1999, the corporation had its first public stock listing in 1999 as artnet.com AG on the Neue Markt at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In 2002, artnet.com AG changed its name to artnet AG and has been traded on the Regulated Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since October 4, 2002. Since February 1, 2007, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange has listed artnet AG on its Prime Standard, the segment with the highest transparency standard.
artnet UK Ltd. opened with a London office on November 1, 2007 as a subsidiary of Artnet Worldwide Corp. On July 3, 2008, Artnet Worldwide Corp. founded artnet France sarl, which maintains the content for the French artnet website, www.artnet.fr, and publishes the French artnet Magazine in Paris. The artnet Group employs a total staff of 105.
artnet® Products
Information Service and Transaction Platform
Buy and Sell
artnet Galleries artnet Auction Houses artnet Auctions artnet Market Alert
Art Valuation
artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design artnet Price Database Decorative Art artnet Market Reports artnet Market Analyst
Knowledge and News
artnet Artists A–Z artnet Magazine artnet Magazine New York artnet Magazine Berlin artnet Magazine Paris artnet Monographs
artnet Galleries
With artnet Galleries, artnet connects users with more than 2,100 international galleries and auction houses, making it the world's largest network of its kind. Customers can view 173,000 works of art by 37,000 artists—an overview of almost the entire global gallery market. This allows users to compare and appraise local gallery inventory in an international context.
artnet Galleries exhibits images of artworks for sale and provides detailed information such as title of an artwork, materials used, size, description, and contact information to quickly and directly reach the gallery selling the work. Users can also see artists' current exhibitions, publications, and art fairs and find which galleries represent them—all of an artist's relevant information in the global art market at a glance.
This also benefits the galleries. artnet webpages rank higher in all search engines than individual gallery websites. This, together with the size of the artnet network, draws customers from far beyond a gallery's usual local market improving a gallery's global reach and thus increasing sales and liquidity.
artnet Galleries is a powerful research tool: the gallery directory with the segments Fine Art, Design, and Decorative Art and Antiques has 38 sub categories, for example Urban Art, Furniture and Lighting, and Carpets, Rugs, and Textiles. Additionally, the auction houses represented in artnet galleries have pages displaying current auction dates and selected lots in upcoming auctions. Plus, theDesign Marketplace allows users to quickly and easily research design objects by object type, designer, style, era, or city.
artnet Auction Houses
artnet offers a directory of 550 international auction houses with their current auction dates and results. The product connects the most important artnet products.
Subscribers can view upcoming auction lots in the artnet Price Database, where the sales results are added quickly after the end of the auction. Recent auction results are publically accessible in the artnet Auction Houses directory and upcoming auction dates are shown in the artnet Calendar.
artnet compiles the ten highest sales prices for the previous month under "Top 10 Prices at Auction" and provides background information on the most interesting lots in detailed auction reports in the artnet Magazine.
artnet Auctions
artnet Auctions modernizes the art auction business by facilitating rapid, direct contact between buyers and sellers. Customers profit because transaction costs are cut in half and processing time is drastically reduced in comparison with traditional auctions—online sales take only about a fifth of the time as conventional sales.
This is the ideal product for the international art trade: artnet Auctions customers can be flexible to changes in the market environment, take price developments into account at all times, and realize profits quickly.
Transactions on artnet Auctions are as secure as live auctions, because artnet verifies all sellers before admitting them to the auction platform. Many sellers are dealers and gallerists who already benefit from artnet Galleries. This gives professional sellers an additional tool to simplify and speed up the international art business. Buyers can register online quickly and easily and then immediately begin bidding in current auctions.
The auction platform not only reaches new customers for the sellers, but also for artnet itself. Every day, new customers come to artnet Auctions looking for artworks for sale. They find all the relevant information on the lots in question, along with selected comparable auction lots from the artnet Price Database compiled by artnet Auctions specialists. This free feature offers valuable information for buyers while also promoting other artnet products.
artnet Market Alert
artnet Market Alert enables interested collectors to directly receive details about new artworks on the market. Each subscriber can select up to 30 artists to follow from a total of 228,000 artists on artnet and the subscriber is notified by email whenever an artwork by one of the selected artists' works is offered for sale in one of the artnet Galleries, at auction in one of the artnet Auction Houses, or on artnet Auctions.
| January 19, 201 | |
|---|---|
| Dear Silvia Koch, | |
| We are pleased to provide you with the following artworks recently added on | |
| artnet based upon your preferences. | |
| Please click on title or name to view details: | |
| David Hockney | |
| artnet Auctions, Live Now | |
| Prints: | |
| 1. Main (magazine cover), Auction Ends: January 25, 2011 | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Estimate: 1,800 - 3,600 US\$ | |
| Martin Kippenberger | |
| Newly Available At Galleries | |
| Paintings : 1. Alkoholfolter, 1982 |
|
| David Zwirner, 519 West 19th Street | |
| 519 West 19th Street | |
| New York, New York 10011, USA | |
| Tel: (212) 517-8677 | |
| Tues-Sat: 10am-6pm | |
| Kristine Bell, Partner | |
| [email protected] | |
| Greg Lulay, Director [email protected] |
|
| Kelly Reynolds, Director of Registration & Conservation | |
| Kelly@ davidzwirner.com | |
| Alexandra Whitney, Director of Research & Exhibitions [email protected] |
|
| Sculptures : | |
| 1. Mary Wigmann, 1987 | |
| David Zwirner, 519 West 19th Street | |
| 519 West 19th Street | |
| New York, New York 10011, USA Tel: (212) 517-8677 |
|
| Tues-Sat: 10am-6pm | |
| Kristine Bell, Partner [email protected] |
|
| Greg Lulay, Director | |
| [email protected] | |
| Kelly Reynolds, Director of Registration & Conservation Kelly@ davidzwirner.com |
|
| Alexandra Whitney, Director of Research & Exhibitions | |
| [email protected] | |
| Kaare Klint | |
| Upcoming Works At Auction | |
| Design: | |
| 1. The red chair (set of 6), | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 Denmark |
|
| Send email | |
| 2. Ravenna chairs (set of 8), | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 | |
| Denmark | |
| Send email | |
| 3. Side table, | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 | |
| Denmark | |
| Send email | |
| Hans J. Wegner | |
| Upcoming Works At Auction | |
| Design : | |
| 1. AT 325A desk, | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 Denmark |
|
| Send email | |
| 2. Armchair (Model CH-25), | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 | |
| Denmark | |
| Send email | |
| 3. Writing desk, | |
| Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 | |
| Denmark | |
| Send email | |
| 4. The chair armchairs (pair), Bruun Rasmussen online, Auction Date: January 24, 2011 |
|
| Denmark | |
| Send email | |
| 5. Ry-20 sideboard, Bruin Darmussen online Austion Date: January 24, 2011 |
| December 10, 2010 Dear Silvia Koch, |
|
|---|---|
| We are pleased to provide you with the following artworks recently added on artnet based upon your preferences. |
|
| Please click on title or name to view details: | |
| Nan Goldin | |
| artnet Auctions, Live Now | |
| Photographs: | |
| 1. Jimmy Paulette After the Parade, NYC, Auction Ends: December 16, 2010 | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Estimate: 3,000 - 4,000 US\$ | |
| David Hockney | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Live Now | |
| Prints: | |
| 1. The Buzzing of the Blue Guitar, Auction Ends: December 16, 2010 | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Estimate: 4,000 - 4,500 US\$ | |
| 2. A Moving Still Life, Auction Ends: December 16, 2010 | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Estimate: 4,500 - 6,500 US\$ | |
| 3. Tick It, Tock It, Turn It True (from The Blue Guitar), Auction Ends: December 23, 2010 | |
| artnet Online Auctions, Estimate: 4,000 - 5,500 US\$ | |
| This message was sent to [email protected] on December 10, 2010 because you have subscribed to artnet's Market Alert service in order to be notified when artworks by chosen artists are posted on artnet.com. |
|
| Please do not reply to this email. Update your artists or unsubscribe from the Market Alert service by logging into artnet's Member Services. If you believe you are receiving this email in error, please contact us at [email protected] or +1.212.497.9700, ext. 362 or 825. |
|
| artnet will never share your personal information. View our Privacy Policy for more information. | |
| @ 2007 artnet Worldwide Corp., 61 Broadway, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. All Rights Reserved. |
| January 8, 2011 |
|---|
| ear Silvia Koch, |
| We are pleased to provide you with the following artworks recently added on artnet based upon your preferences. |
| Please click on title or name to view details: |
| David Hockney |
| Newly Available At Galleries |
| Prints: |
| 1. Flowers Made of Paper and Black Ink, 1971 |
| Leslie Sacks Fine Art |
| 11640 San Vicente Boulevard |
| Los Angeles, California 90049, USA |
| Tel: (310) 820-9448 |
| Send email |
| Monday - Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM |
| Principal: Leslie Sacks |
| Director: Lee Spiro Modern and Contemporary Sales: Alex Weinstein |
| 2. Lithograph of Water Made of Thick and Thin Lines and a Light Blue and a Dark Blue Wash, 1978 |
| Leslie Sacks Fine Art |
| 11640 San Vicente Boulevard |
| Los Angeles, California 90049, USA |
| Tel: (310) 820-9448 |
| Send email |
| Monday - Saturday, 10 AM to 6 PM |
| Principal: Leslie Sacks Director: Lee Spiro |
| Modern and Contemporary Sales: Alex Weinstein |
| 3. Paris Review 35th Anniversary, 1980 |
| The Paris Review |
| 62 White Street |
| New York, New York 10013, USA |
| Tel: 212.343.1333 |
| Send email |
| Stephen Andrew Hiltner |
artnet Price Database
There are no uniform price standards on the art market. What was available inexpensively this year can be worth double or triple the following. Without the artnet Price Database, finding the current market price of an artist or artwork once meant having to search through thousands of auction catalogs printed every year. Thanks to the 5.5 million easily-searchable auction results in the artnet Price Database, assessing the value of a work of art requires only the Internet.
The data inventory of the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design goes back to the year 1985 and includes international auction prices for more than 180,000 artists and designers recorded in 550 renowned large, medium-sized, and small auction houses. The artnet Price Database contains more auction lots for the 4,000 most-sold artists and designers than any other database for fine art in the world.
The artnet Price Database Decorative Art contains sales results from international antiques auctions since 2000—from furniture and silverware to textiles and watches. Users can search by collection category, period, or object type, as well as by medium, size, date of sale, auction house, artist, or manufacturer to see these valuable data.
artnet Market Reports
artnet Market Reports contains data on the market development of 4,300 artists. Buyers and sellers can trace the development of the artist's sales volume and the percentage of the artist's unsold lots. The reports chart the best time to buy or sell a work of art.
artnet Market Analyst
The artnet Market Analyst is a new product that applies differentiated statistical methods to segments of the art market, artists, and individual works and bundles them into comparative indices. Just as investors use stock market indices—simply and without specialized knowledge—art buyers and sellers now have the tool to help understand trends in the art market.
artnet Artists A–Z
More than 228,000 artists can currently be found on artnet. They are represented in the artnet Galleries, the artnet Price Database, and in artnet Auction Houses and artnet Auctions, or they are reviewed in artnet Magazine. The artnet directory of artists is a free resource for everyone interested in art, expanding artnet from a specialized information service for professionals into a powerful research tool for the whole art world.
artnet Magazine
artnet offers its customers everything they need to know about the art market. Three independent editorial offices in New York, Berlin, and Paris publish three versions of the daily, online artnet Magazine.
The artnet editorial staff and many renowned writers set high standards with their critical reports on the most important events and newest trends in the art market. artnet Magazine has developed into the key online source for art lovers and art professionals. The respected magazine contributes in turn to customer loyalty to artnet and is a crucial basis for the commercial offerings of artnet.
artnet Magazine New York
The first of today's three magazines was founded in 1995 in New York. Editor-in-Chief, Walter Robinson, a trailblazer for online art reporting and criticism, covers a broad spectrum of topics and formats that continue to characterize the publication to this day.
artnet Magazine Berlin
The German artnet Magazine, under the direction of Henrike von Spesshardt since November 2010, developed over its more than six-year life into one of the most important sources of information in the German art market. Many formats, including market analyses, reviews, reports, and videos, offer an extensive, in-depth, and vibrant glimpse into the international art scene.
artnet Magazine Paris
The French magazine was launched in 2008 headed by Gina Kehayoff and with its own editorial strategy. Innovative video formats supplement classical reviews and portraits. After only a short time, the publication gained recognition in the art scene as a distinctive voice.
artnet Monographs
artnet Monographs is a comprehensive library of artist catalogue raisonnés. Compiled in close collaboration with artists, estates, and galleries, they present images of works, biographical and bibliographical information, and exhibition data—all easily accessible online.
The result is a reliable, authorized, and continually updated resource. From Arman and Robert Graham to Marina Abramoviç and Imogen Cunningham to Lee Friedlander, from Peter Phillips to Robert Longo to Christa Dichgans, the selection of artists couldn't be more diverse and impressive. Experts and art lovers all over the world learn from this continuously growing, networked art library.
Highlights
The artnet Auctions from January to December 2010
With artnet Auctions, artnet offers a transaction platform facilitating art trading all over the world, around the clock. There are new auction lots to discover and something to bid on every day. artnet Auctions are faster and less expensive than traditional auctions—for buyers and sellers alike.
artnet customers do not sacrifice any of the services customary in the art business. artnet Auctions specialists gather information about the artworks including quality, origin, condition, and current estimated value. This background information is then publicly presented in the lot details, to provide buyers with the most objective basis possible for their bidding decisions.
Buyers and sellers always have a point of contact at artnet. The artnet Client Services Team in New York, Berlin, and Paris are accessible every workday by telephone and email to help if questions or problems arise. Contacting artnet is straightforward, making it easier for newcomers to enter the auction market—artnet Auctions serves as the entryway.
In 2010 artnet mediated sales amounting to USD 12 million via artnet Auctions. A painting by Richard Prince titled Last Week fetched the highest price, going for USD 295,000 (premium USD 339,250). The second-highest auction price was for a series of 30 prints by Agnes Martin. On a Clear Day went for USD 150,075 (premium), thereby setting an auction record for this work by the American artist, who died in 2004. In January, a real bidding war broke out over a work by Andy Warhol. After 70 bids, his work 32 Dollar Bills sold for USD 22,000 (premium USD 24,200)—more than four times its previously estimated value.
In the field of decorative art and design artnet also reached high prices in 2010. Ron Arad's Blo Void 1, a chaise longue made of woven, polished aluminum was auctioned for USD 84,525 (premium). A gilded punchbowl with ladle by Pavel Ovchinnikov was bid up to USD 60,000 in February (premium USD 66,000).
The following artworks are 12 examples of lots sold on artnet Auctions in the past 12 months.
© Annie Leibovitz/ Contact Press Images, Courtesy of the Artist
Annie Leibovitz John Lennon and Yoko Ono, The Dakota, N.Y. December 8, 1980, 1980 Dye Bleach Print 34.2 × 33.9 in. AP 1/5, signed
Estimate USD 25,000–35,000 End Time January 19, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 27,500 (Premium)
© Thomas Struth, Courtesy Schirmer/Mosel
Thomas Struth Museo del Prado (Room 12), Madrid, 2005 C-Print 9.6 × 11.3 in. Edition of 100, signed
Estimate USD 2,000–3,000 End Time February 24, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 4,180 (Premium)
Jean-Michel Basquiat Jawbone of an Ass, 2005 Screen Print 42.6 × 60 in. Edition of 85, signed by Gerard Basquiat
Estimate USD 12,000 – 16,000 End Time March 31, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 12,650 (Premium)
George Rickey A Dynamic Kinetic Sculpture, 1986 Steel, Wood 15 × 9 × 9 in. Signed
Estimate USD 16,500–18,500 End Time April 25, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 18,975 (Premium)
Damien Hirst
Coeli enarrant, 2010 Screen Print, Diamond Dust 29.1 × 28.2 in. Edition of 50, signed
Estimate USD 6,000–8,000 End Time May 13, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 6,900 (Premium)
© Chris Johanson
Chris Johanson Untitled (You've all heard it before), , 2001 Acrylic on Wood 27.5 × 39.5 × 1.5 in. Signed
Estimate USD 12,000 – 14,000 End Time June 16, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 13,800 (Premium)
© Manuel Mendive
Manuel Mendive Hallucinations & La Danza (set of two works), 1993 Collage and Watercolor on Paper 14 × 17.75 in. Signed and dated
Estimate USD 2,500–5,500 End Time July 20, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 5,060 (Premium)
© Stefanie Schneider
Stefanie Schneider Untitled (Lollipop), from the series Beachshoot, 2005 C-Print 40 × 39 in. AP 1/1, aside from an edition of 42, signed
Estimate USD 2,500–3,500 End Time August 12, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 3,450 (Premium)
Josef Albers White Line Squares XII, 1966 Lithograph 21 × 21 in. Trial Proof, signed
Estimate USD 1,500–2,500 End Time September 23, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 1,650 (Premium)
Jim Dine The Yellow Belt, 2005 Lithograph 25.5 × 19 in. Edition of 200, signed
Estimate USD 3,400–3,600 End Time October 6, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 4,600 (Premium)
© Allora & Calzadilla, Courtesy Gladstone Gallery, New York, NY
Allora & Calzadilla Untitled, 2010 C-Print 26.2 × 39.4 in. AP 1/1, aside from an edition of 6 + 3, signed
Estimate USD 8,000–10,000 End Time November 30, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 8,050 (Premium)
Robert Longo
Jonathan (Cropped), 1988 Lithograph 72 × 36 in. Edition of 48, signed
Estimate USD 8,000–9,000 End Time December 9, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 9,200 (Premium)
Company Background
artnet.com AG was incorporated under the laws of Germany in 1998. In 1999 Management took the company public on the Neuer Markt of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In 2002 artnet.com AG changed its name to artnet AG. On October 4, 2002, artnet AG left the Neuer Markt and was then listed in the General Standard at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, a segment of the EU-regulated Geregelter Markt. Effective February 1, 2007, artnet AG is now listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurter Stock Exchange. Its principal holding is its wholly owned subsidiary, Artnet Worldwide Corp., a New York corporation that was founded in 1989. The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with the International Financial Standards (IFRS).
Report of the Supervisory Board
The Supervisory Board, which did not form any committees in the year under review, performed its duties according to the law and the articles of incorporation during the year under review and supervised the management. In the year 2010 the Supervisory Board met on February 19, March 24, March 25, April 29, July 14, and September 9. It received regular, detailed information throughout the entire year in written and verbal reports on the company's situation, the course of its business, and its strategy and important measures. The quarterly and semiannual reports were discussed with the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors discussed issues of fundamental importance for cor porate policy on an ongoing basis with the Supervisory Board.
At the meeting on February 19, 2010, which was held in the offices of Artnet Worldwide Corp., the Supervisory Board was instructed in detail on the status of the segment artnet Auctions. In addition, the Supervisory Board dealt with the current and future business growth of the artnet Group, in particular with cash flow growth; all of the segments were discussed. The method was discussed. In addition, the Supervisory Board dealt with the price strategy and the possible need for more office space in New York as a result of the excellent growth of artnet Auctions.
At the meeting on March 24, 2010, the Supervisory Board dealt with setting the bonus for Mr. Neuendorf for financial year 2009. The resolution was based on a survey prepared by Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft on behalf of artnet AG. During the meeting, representatives of Ernst & Young GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft participated via a telephone conference line. Based on the results of the survey, the Supervisory Board has defined the bonus for Mr. Neuendorf for financial year 2009.
At the meeting on March 25, 2010, the Supervisory Board dealt with the annual financial statements for artnet AG as of December 31, 2009, the consolidated financial statements for financial year 2009 and the approval of the report of the Supervisory Board for financial year 2009. In addition, the Supervisory Board extended Mr. Neuendorf's position as artnet AG's CEO by three years through to the end of March 31, 2013.
At the meeting on April 29, 2010, the Supervisory Board dealt with the consolidated financial statements (changed in the notes) for financial year 2009 ) and passing the amended report of the Supervisory Board for financial year 2009 and the amended declaration of conformity according to Section 161 of the AktG.
In resolutions passed by circulating the voting papers on May 20 and 21, 2010, the Supervisory Board approved the new employment contract for the CEO and agreed to the agenda for the General Meeting on July 14, 2010.
At the meeting on July 14, 2010, the Supervisory Board dealt with the development of the business situation and discussed the new draft version of bylaws for the Board of Directors.
At the meeting on September 9, 2010, the Supervisory Board dealt in detail with the current and future business growth. A particular focus was placed on the artnet Auctions segment, the price strategy, the development of the artnet Magazine, and the interim financial statements of the artnet Group on August 31, 2010 and the development of the cash flow. Finally, the Supervisory Board passed the new version of the bylaws for the Board of Directors. This meeting was held in the offices of Artnet Worldwide Corp. In this
meeting, the Supervisory Board also held in-depth discussions with the employees responsible for the segments artnet Auctions, artnet Galleries, artnet Price Database, artnet Advertising, and IT.
The Supervisory Board has dealt with the content of the German Corporate Governance Code. Together with the Board of Directors, in a resolution passed by circulating the voting papers on December 21 and 22, 2010, the Supervisory Board resolved to issue the declaration of conformity within the meaning of Section 161 of the AktG made permanently accessible to shareholders on artnet AG's website on December 30, 2010.
The annual financial statements (HGB) and consolidated financial statements (IFRS) prepared by the Board of Directors were audited together with the management report and the group management report by the auditing firm Ebner Stolz Mönning Bachem GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Steuerberatungsgesellschaft, Hamburg. The auditors came to the conclusion that both the annual financial statements (HGB) and also the consolidated financial statements in accordance with the provisions of IFRS present a true and fair view of the financial position and results of operations for the financial year, and issued an unqualified auditors' opinion in each case for the audited financial statements.
The annual financial statements prepared by the Board of Directors for artnet AG as of December 31, 2010 and the consolidated financial statements for financial year 2010 were presented for review to the Supervisory Board, together with the management reports. After completing their audit, the auditors participated in the Supervisory Board's meeting to discuss the financial statements and reported on the results of their audit. The Supervisory Board concurred with the results of the audit.
The Supervisory Board reviewed the annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements of artnet AG and the associated management reports. Having completed the examination, no objections were raised by the Supervisory Board.
The Supervisory Board approved the annual financial statements for artnet AG prepared by the Board of Directors in the version audited by Ebner Stolz Mönning Bachem GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Steuerberatungsgesellschaft, Hamburg, with a resolution on March 23, 2011. The annual financial statements as of December 31, 2010 are thus adopted. The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2010 were also approved by the Supervisory Board by way of a resolution on March 23, 2011.
The Supervisory Board would like to thank the Board of Directors and all of the company's employees for their work in the past year.
Naples, FL, March 23, 2011
John Hushon Chairman of the Supervisory Board
Corporate Governance Report
artnet attaches great importance to corporate governance. artnet AG complies with the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code in the current version dated May 26, 2010 with the exception of the recommendations in No. 3.8 para. 3, No. 4.2.1 sent. 1, No. 5.1.2 para. 2 sent. 3, No. 5.1.3, No. 5.3.1, No. 5.3.2, No. 5.3.3, No. 5.4.1 para. 2 (age limit for members of the Supervisory Board) and No. 5.4.6 para. 2 sentence 1.
The Board of Directors and Supervisory Boards of artnet AG have adopted the declaration of conformity with the code detailed at the end of this report. It is published online at www.artnet.de.
1 Supervisory Board
According to the German Aktiengesetz, artnet AG has a dual-pronged management and control structure, comprising a sole member of the Board of Directors and the three-person Supervisory Board. Management and control functions are strictly split in the dual management system. It is not legally permissible to simultaneously work for the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board. The tasks and responsibilities of these two bodies are clearly legally defined in each case.
The Supervisory Board monitors and advises the Board of Directors in conducting the business. The Supervisory Board discusses the business growth and forecasts as well as the strategy and its implementation at regular intervals. In addition, the Supervisory Board adopts the annual financial statements and appoints the members of the Board of Directors. The Supervisory Board has defined approval requirements by the Supervisory Board for transactions of fundamental importance. These include decisions or activities that have a fundamental impact on the company's financial position or results of operations. The Board of Directors provides the Supervisory Board with regular, up-to-the-minute, comprehensive information on all of the issues of relevance to the company with regard to forecasting, business growth, risks, and risk management.
The members of the Supervisory Board are independent in their decisionmaking and are not subject to instructions or specifications by third parties. In addition, consulting, service and certain other agreements between artnet and the members of its Supervisory Board have to be approved by the Supervisory Board.
According to Item 5.4.1 of the Code, the Supervisory Board shall specify concrete objectives regarding its composition which, whilst considering the specifics of the enterprise, take into account the international activities of the enterprise, potential conflicts of interest, an age limit to be specified for the members of the Supervisory Board and diversity. These concrete objectives shall, in particular, stipulate an appropriate degree of female representation. The concrete objectives of the Supervisory Board and the status of the implementation shall be published in the Corporate Governance Report.
At the meeting on February 7, 2011 and in view of Item 5.4.1 of the Code, the Supervisory Board resolved the following objectives for its composition:
• Consideration of the international activities of the enterprise: The Supervisory Board will pay attention to ensure that the Supervisory Board has a sufficient number of members with many years of international experience or many years' experience in the USA, the country in which the artnet Group performs most of its business activities.
• Avoidance of potential conflicts of interest: Potential conflicts of interest are avoided in the Supervisory Board's election proposals to the General Meeting. The Supervisory Board does not include any former members of the Board of Directors or managing directors. In addition, when proposing candidates to the General Meeting, attention is paid to ensure that the respective candidate does not hold a management position or a position in the supervisory bodies of competitors, suppliers, lenders or customers, in order to avoid conflicts of interest from the very outset. If any conflicts of interest result during the period of office of a member of the Supervisory Board, the affected member of the Supervisory Board must disclose this to the Supervisory Board, addressed to the Chairman, and if there are material, non-temporary conflicts of interest they must resign from their office.
• Definition of an age limit: The Supervisory Board considers a provision of this nature to be inappropriate because general age limits would unduly limit the shareholders' discretionary powers when selecting members of the Supervisory Board.
• Consideration of diversity: The Supervisory Board's diversity is reflected in the various professional careers and activities of the members of the Supervisory Board. Female candidates must be given suitable consideration if they hold the same qualifications and are equally suitable. The Super visory Board aims to have at least one female candidate proposed for election at the next Supervisory Board election in 2014.
The implementation status for the objectives detailed above regarding the composition of the Supervisory Board is as follows: The objectives with regard to "Consideration of the international activities of the enterprise" and "avoidance of potential conflicts of interest" have been put in place. The Supervisory Board is not pursuing the objective of "Defining an age limit"; as a result, together with the Board of Directors, it has declared that it will not follow this recommendation. The Supervisory Board believes that it has implemented the objective of "Consideration of diversity" to a great extent. However, there are not any female members of the Supervisory Board at present; as a result this objective has not yet been implemented.
2 Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is in responsible for the company's management. It must follow the company's interests and undertakes to increase the sustained enterprise value. It is responsible for the company's strategic orientation in agreement with the Supervisory Board. The Board of Directors cooperates closely with the Supervisory Board.
The Board of Directors ensures that statutory provisions are upheld and that there is suitable risk management and risk control at the company.
3 Directors' dealings transactions and shareholdings of Managing and Supervisory Board members
During the past financial year, members of the company's Board of Directors and Supervisory Board or other executives who regularly have access to the company's insider information and who are authorized to make material entrepreneurial decisions, and certain persons closely related to these persons, made the following purchases or sales of more than EUR 5,000 during the calendar year:
| Trade date | April 1, 2010 |
|---|---|
| Name | Hannes von Goesseln |
| Function | Member of the Supervisory Board |
| Name of financial instrument | Shares |
| ISIN | DE 006909500 |
| Type of transaction | Purchase |
| Number | 1,070 |
| Price | EUR 4.8130 |
| Trade date | April 6, 2010 |
| Name | Hannes von Goesseln |
| Function | Member of the Supervisory Board |
| Name of financial instrument | Shares |
| ISIN | DE 006909500 |
| Type of transaction | Purchase |
| Number | 1,050 |
| Price | EUR 4.8325 |
| Trade date | May 3, 2010 |
| Name | Hannes von Goesseln |
| Function | Member of the Supervisory Board |
| Name of financial instrument | Shares |
| ISIN | DE 006909500 |
| Type of transaction | Purchase |
| Number | 1,000 |
| Price | EUR 4.9526 |
| Trade date | July 15, 2010 |
| Name | Hannes von Goesseln |
| Function | Member of the Supervisory Board |
| Name of financial instrument | Shares |
| ISIN | DE 006909500 |
| Type of transaction | Purchase |
| Number | 1,000 |
| Price | EUR 5.0726 |
On February 7, 2011, the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board held 1,516,909 or 26.94% of the shares or financial instruments based thereupon.
| Members of the | ||
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | Galerie Neuendorf AG | 1,461,635 Shares |
| Supervisory Board | John Hushon | 49,054 Shares |
| Hannes von Goesseln | 6,220 Shares |
4 Stock option plan
The company's 2009 stock option plan comprises 560,000 ordinary shares with a theoretical value of EUR 1.00 per share. Subscription rights for up to 30,000 shares can be issued to the members of the company's Board of Directors, subscription rights for up to 240,000 shares to members of the management of affiliated companies, subscription rights for up to 10,000 shares to employees of the company, and subscription rights for up to 280,000 shares to employees of affiliated companies.
The price to be paid for one share of artnet when exercising the subscription rights corresponds to the average closing price of shares of the company in XETRA trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of Deutsche Börse AG, or, if this price has not been determined, in on-floor trading during the ten stock market days prior to the respective allocation date for the subscription rights. The exercise price corresponds to at least the proportionate amount of the subscribed shares to the share capital. The options may not be exercised for a period of two years. In order for the subscription rights to be exercised, the closing price of shares of artnet AG in XETRA trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of Deutsche Börse AG in the period between the subscription rights being issued and exercised is at least 10% higher than the exercise price on at least one stock market day during the term of the subscription rights. Options may only be exercised in groups of at least 1,000 options.
5 Relationships with shareholders
artnet AG reports to its shareholders four times each financial year on business growth and on the group companies' financial position and results of operations. The Annual General Meeting is held during the first eight months of each financial year. The General Meeting resolves on issues including the appropriation of profits, the ratification of the Management and Supervisory Boards and the election of the auditor. Changes to the articles of incorporation and capitalization activities are resolved exclusively by the General Meeting.
6 Declaration of conformity with the German Corporate Governance Code
The Board of Directors and Supervisory Board resolved the following declaration within the meaning of Section 161 of the AktG by circulating the voting papers on November 20 and 21, 2009:
artnet AG's Management and Supervisory Boards make the following declaration within the meaning of Section 161 of the AktG:
——that the recommendations of the Government Commission of the "German Corporate Governance Code" as amended on May 26, 2010—published in the electronic Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) on July 2, 2010—are generally complied with. The following recommendations are not applied:
- No. 3.8 para. 3 "A similar deductible must be agreed upon in any D&O policy for the Supervisory Board."
artnet AG does not believe that the due care and diligence that the members of its Supervisory Board exercise in discharging their duties could be increased further by agreeing a deductible. For this reason, artnet AG does not intend to change existing D&O insurance policies that do not provide for such a deductible.
- No. 4.2.1 sent. 1 "The Board of Directors shall comprise several persons and have a Chairman or Spokesman."
Since its constitution, the Board of Directors of artnet AG has comprised one person. By contrast, the Board of the subsidiary Artnet Worldwide Corp. in New York, which is responsible for operations within the Group, comprises several persons. Given the relatively low management effort and expense at artnet AG and to avoid unnecessary expenditure, the Company currently does not see any need to increase the size of its Management Board.
- No. 5.4.7 para. 2 sent. 3 "An age limit for members of the Board of Directors shall be specified."
artnet AG considers a provision of this nature to be inappropriate because general age limits would unduly limit the Supervisory Board's discretionary powers when selecting members of the Board of Directors.
-
No. 5.1.3 "The Supervisory Board shall issue Terms of Reference." The Supervisory Board of artnet AG comprises only three members. Previous experience of the cooperation of these members shows that Terms of Reference are not necessary.
-
No. 5.3.1, No. 5.3.2, and No. 5.3.3: In these sections, the Code recommends that the Supervisory Board form committees, an Audit Committee and a Nomination Committee.
As the Supervisory Board of artnet AG comprises only three members, it does not make sense to form committees. The tasks envisaged for the Audit Committee and the Nomination Committee are undertaken jointly by the Supervisory Board as a whole.
- No. 5.4.1 para. 2: "The Supervisory Board shall specify concrete object ives regarding its composition which, while considering the specifics of the enterprise, take into account ... an age limit to be specified for the members of the Supervisory Board..."
artnet AG considers a provision of this nature to be inappropriate because general age limits would unduly limit the shareholders' discretionary powers when selecting members of the Supervisory Board.
- No. 5.4.6 para. 2 sent. 1: "Members of the Supervisory Board shall receive fixed as well as performance-related compensation."
The articles of incorporation of artnet AG do not provide for performancerelated compensation for the members of the Supervisory Board. Following a lengthy debate, the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Board reached the conclusion that performance-related compensation of Supervisory Board members is not consistent with the duties of the Supervisory Board, whose primary objective is to oversee the Board of Directors.
——that the recommendations of the Government Commission of the "German Corporate Governance Code" as amended on June 8, 2009—published in the electronic Federal Gazette (Bundesanzeiger) on August 5, 2009 have generally been complied with since the last Declaration of Conformity dated April 30, 2010. The recommendations from No. 3.8 para. 2 sent. 2, No. 4.2.1, No. 5.1.2 para. 2 sent. 3, No. 5.1.3, No. 5.3.1, No. 5.3.2, No. 5.3.3, No. 5.4.6 para. 2 sent. 1 and No. 7.1.2 sent. 4 were not applied.
Berlin, December 30, 2010
The Board of Directors The Supervisory Board
7 Remuneration Report
This remuneration report is geared to the Code's recommendations. It summarizes the principles that are applied when defining remuneration for artnet AG's Board of Directors and discusses the amount and structure of the income of the Board of Directors. In addition, it also describes the principles behind and amount of remuneration for the Supervisory Board. In addition, the remuneration report also includes information, which is also a component of the notes to the consolidated financial statements within the meaning of Section 314 of the HGB and the group management report within the meaning of Section 315 of the HGB and thus the audit by the auditors of the consolidated financial statements.
a) Remuneration Received by the Board of Directors
The Supervisory Board is responsible for defining the remuneration of the Board of Directors. Remuneration for the Board of Directors of artnet AG is defined based on the company's size and activities, its economic and financial position, and the amount and structure of management board remuneration at comparable companies in Germany and abroad. The remuneration is measured such that it is competitive on the international market for highly qualified managers and that it provides an incentive for successful work. In financial year 2011, the remuneration of the Board of Directors comprises fixed basic remuneration, a short-term incentive, and a long-term variable incentive.
The individual key items of the Board of Directors remuneration are as follows:
Fixed basic remuneration: The fixed basic remuneration is paid monthly as a salary.
Short-term variable incentive: In addition to the fixed basic remuneration, the Board of Directors receives a short-term variable remuneration com ponent. The amount of the variable bonus is at the company's discretion, which is represented by the Supervisory Board. The following rules apply when determining the short-term incentive: In the event that the company's financial result in the previous financial year roughly corresponds to the budget, the short-term incentive corresponds to half of the fixed basic remuneration. In the event that the target is less than 100% met, but more than 80% met, the company should reduce the short-term incentive. If the target is 80% met or less, the short-term incentive is not paid. If the target is exceeded, the short-term incentive is to be increased. The short-term incentive is capped at 150% of the fixed basic remuneration.
Long-term variable incentive: The long-term incentive is based on the growth in the cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated cash flow statement in U.S. dollars in the period from January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012. When determining the change in cash and cash equivalents, the dif ference between the amount of the cash and cash equivalents in the con solidated cash flow statement as of December 31, 2012 and those in the consolidated cash flow statement as of January 1, 2010 applies. If the target is 100% met, the long-term incentive totals 30% of the fixed basic remuneration. In the event that the target is less than 100% met, but more than 50% met, the company should reduce the long-term incentive proportionately. If the target is 50% met or less, the long-term incentive is not paid. If the target is exceeded, the long-term incentive is to be increased proportionately. The long-term incentive is capped at 90% of the fixed basic remuneration. Advance payments are made for the long-term incentive in 2011 and 2012 depending on the changes in cash and cash equivalents. Increasing or decreasing the amount of the advance payments by up to 20% is at the company's discretion. In the event of overpayment, the Board of Directors must replay the excess amount.
The company provides the Board of Directors with a company car (upper range), which can also be used privately. Income tax payable on the noncash benefits from this use of the car is borne by the Board of Directors.
The General Meeting on July 14, 2010 approved the remuneration system described above for remuneration for the member of the Board of Directors. In financial year 2010 the fixed cash remuneration for the sole member of the Board of Directors Hans Neuendorf totaled EUR 366,864 including the non-cash benefits from the private use of his company car and the shortterm incentive of EUR 130,000. The company made an advance payment of EUR 25,000 for the long-term incentive.
In the event of premature termination of the employment relationship, the contract for the member of the Board of Directors do not contain any express promise of a severance payment. A severance payment may, however, ensue from a severance agreement concluded on an individual basis.
b) Remuneration of the Supervisory Board
The General Meeting defines the Supervisory Board's remuneration based on a proposal by the Board of Directors and Supervisory Board. This is regulated by the articles of incorporation and, for fiscal year 2010, also by the resolution by the General Meeting on July 14, 2010.
Remuneration for members of the Supervisory Board is based on the company's size, the Supervisory Board members' tasks and responsibilities and on the company's economic situation and performance.
Members of the Supervisory Board receive fixed remuneration each year. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board receives EUR 40,000, the Deputy Chairman receives EUR 30,000, and the third member of the Supervisory Board receives EUR 20,000.
New York, February 7, 2011
artnet AG
The Board of Directors The Supervisory Board
Responsibility Statement
To the best of knowledge, and in accordance with the applicable reporting principles, the following consolidated financial statements give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position, and profit or loss of the artnet Group. The Group Management Report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business, as well as, the position of the Group, along with a description of the principal opportunities and risks attributed to the expected Group development. "
Berlin, March , 2011
The CEO Hans Neuendorf
artnet AG, Berlin Group Management Report 2010
1 Economic Environment
Global Economic Situation
Late in 2010, the economy saw an upswing fueled by revived consumer demand and a gradually improving job market. The housing market remained weak in the United States.
According to CitiGroup Global Markets, global growth is expected to be approximately 3.7% in 2011. Growth is anticipated to remain uneven with the widening gap between emerging market growth and industrial countries. The United States is expecting a growth rate of 3.4%, which is anticipated to outpace the eurozone growth by 1.4% in 2011. The eurozone is anticipating a large divergence between the fiscally weak countries and Germany. The ECB is likely to keep interest rates intact with anticipated modest rate hikes in the latter half of 2011 or early 2012.
Art Market Development—A "Feast or Famine" Scenario
The secondary market (resale) at auction saw marked improvement in 2010. In fact, Christie's announced their highest annual sales total (GBP 3.3 billion vs. GBP 2.1 billion 2009) in their 245-year history. Sotheby's first nine months results (year-end results unavailable as of this writing) support a 63% increase in revenues, albeit over 2009, which year saw precipitous declines for both houses (65% for Sotheby's).
Bidders from the resurgent financial sector fueled sales for trophy lots, the most celebrated of which was Amedeo Modigliani's Nu assis sur un divan, a record at USD 69 million in Sotheby's New York Impressionist and Modern Evening Sale.
Offsetting, 2010 gallery sales of fine and decorative arts languished as housing projects and re-sales hit historical lows.
2 Business Organization, Strategy and Development
The artnet Group-Organization
artnet AG is a holding company listed on the "Regulierter Markt" in the Prime Standard segment at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. artnet AG's principal holding is its wholly-owned subsidiary, Artnet Worldwide Corp., a New York corporation founded in 1989. artnet AG ("artnet" or "the Company") and Artnet Worldwide Corp. ("Artnet Corp.," collectively, "the artnet Group" or "the Group") operate under the trade name "artnet."
Artnet Corp. has two wholly-owned subsidiaries: artnet UK Ltd. and artnet France sarl. artnet UK Ltd. provides sales and client support in the United Kingdom. artnet France sarl maintains the content of the French artnet domain under www.artnet.fr, where it publishes an online magazine in French, conducts sales and provides customer service.
With a 2010 average of 1.8 million unique monthly visitors on its three domains www.artnet.com, www.artnet.de, and www.artnet.fr, artnet offers the world's most comprehensive art market overview, enabling collectors and art professionals to better navigate the art market by providing timely information about the value of artworks, artists, their galleries, price developments, exhibitions, news, and reviews.
As of December 31, 2010, artnet Galleries represents 2,100 of the world's most prestigious art galleries and auction houses on five continents. Members of artnet Galleries are indexed by specialty and location, and represent an aggregate 173,000 works in inventory from 37,000 artists. Besides all forms of contemporary and classic fine art, artnet Galleries also offers decorative art and design objects from the 1st century BC to present.
The artnet Price Database, including the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design and the artnet Price Database Decorative Art, is an updated archive of over 5.5 million illustrated auction records from over 550 of the world's top auction houses, giving price transparency to an otherwise secretive market. artnet Price Database subscribers receive access to current results as well as auction results dating back to 1985, and with that the most up to date and impartial appraisal value for artworks they would like to buy or sell. The artnet Price Database is widely subscribed by appraisers, dealers, auctioneers, financiers, as well as private and government institutions, including the IRS and FBI. Most importantly, it provides an illustrated "blue book" for private collectors to use to appraise the works they own, and measure opportunities at auction or in the dealer market. Dealers and auctioneers also use comparable sales from the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design, to support the sale of important works of art. In an exclusive partnership with Sotheby's, artnet comparables are posted on sothebys.com for sales throughout the United States and Europe.
A derivative of the artnet Price Database is the artnet Market Alert, which informs subscribers by email when artworks by their favorite artists come up at auction, or when they are offered by any of the artnet Galleries members.
With the artnet Auctions, artnet has developed from an information provider to a transaction platform with an integrated information supply, and with that artnet is underlining its central position in the art market. The main advantage for buyers and sellers on artnet Auctions is the fast turnaround, which can be a few weeks, compared to the six months or a year required by the brick-and-mortar art auction houses. artnet Auctions routinely sees works by blue chip modern and contemporary artists sell in the five- and six-figure range.
artnet Monographs represent an online art library developed in close collaboration with artists, estates, foundations, and galleries. This growing resource of modern and contemporary artists' monographs features comprehensive artwork selections and biographies and can be viewed free of charge on the artnet website.
Corporate Goals, Strategies, and Management Opportunities
The artnet management team takes a goal-oriented approach to managing and monitoring the strategic objectives for the Group. Once a year the Super visory Board and the Directors set specific goals for revenue, operating results, product development, and product launches. In 2010 the Group achieved its goal of growing the artnet Auctions revenue by over 100% to EUR 1,951,000 a 139% increase as compared to EUR 815,000 in 2009. Additionally, in December 2010, the Group launched a price increase to the artnet Price Database product, which was also a strategic goal set for 2010. In 2011, artnet will continue to focus on the growth of the artnet Auctions with an emphasis on selling higher-value lots and reaching a larger audience. Additionally, artnet plans to launch the artnet Market Analyst product in 2011. The public is familiar with price trends represented by graphs and charts and we believe art advisory services, banks, insurance companies, family offices, and all other market participants will want to purchase a new and highly sophisticated suite of indices utilizing a new "strings comparables" methodology.
The Group also believes that the overall globalization of the art market and increased use of the Internet for art information and purchases presents a unique opportunity. As global trade expands and the number of multi national companies grows, artnet is positioned to leverage this trend through its online platform, which is available in three languages and accessible online in all countries worldwide
Business Development
During the year ended December 31, 2010 the Company's revenue increased 12% in Euro terms to EUR 13,673,000 (USD 18,109,000) from EUR 12,219,000 (USD 16,989,000) in 2009.
artnet Galleries, artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design, artnet Price Database Decorative Art, and artnet Auctions generate approximately eighty-six percent of the artnet revenue. Widely subscribed, and information-based, the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design and the artnet Price Database Decorative Art provide reliable, up-to-the-minute price information, while the artnet Galleries signals the availability of inventory worldwide, market conditions notwithstanding. artnet Auctions effects transactions in real time with inventory sourced primarily from artnet Galleries members. While it is a relatively new product, producing only 14% of our gross revenues, it is the fastest growing segment with revenue increasing EUR 139% (USD 128%) to EUR 1,951,000 (USD 2,584,000) for the year ended December 31, 2010 from EUR 815,000 (USD 1,133,000) in the same period 2009.
As of March 1st, 2010 the artnet Auctions' buyers' premium increased from 10% to 15%. The majority of the revenue growth however relates to increased sales as well as an increase in the average lot price as compared to the same period last year. Significantly, it is the last 19 months transition to a "buyer's market" that has enabled our specialists to garner consignments at realistic reserves. We believe artnet Auctions offer irresistible benefits to consignors and buyers alike, and that artnet will soon build significant share-of-market over our brick-and-mortar competitors.
artnet Galleries revenues were higher by EUR 23,000, (lower in USD (309,000) or EUR 0% (USD (4%)). There were fewer gallery memberships in 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009. The Group plans to offer a new plan to the artnet Galleries members in 2011, which is anticipated to increase revenue for this product in the coming year.
artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design and artnet Price Database Decorative Art revenue increased by EUR 225,000, (USD 6,000) or EUR 5% (USD 0%). In December 2010, the Group implemented a price increase to this product along with new product offerings. The changes to the pricing and new product offering are anticipated to increase revenue in 2011.
artnet Advertising increased in EUR 3%, decreased in USD (2%). However, as compared to December 2009, the Group has attracted an increased amount of national advertisers such as Bottega Veneta, Bvlgari, and Starwood luxury residences.
3 Results of Operations, Financial Position, and Net Assets
Earnings
Loss from operations decreased by EUR 303,000, (USD 423,000) to EUR (27,000) (USD (36,000)) from EUR (330,000), (USD (459,000)) in the same period, 2009. The revenue for the period increased by EUR 1,454,000 (USD 1,120,000) primarily due to the increase in the artnet Auctions revenue. The increase in revenue was partially offset by additional costs incurred by the Group for product development related to enhancements of existing products as well as the development and launch of the new artnet iPhone App, which allows on the go access to artnet Auctions, artnet Artists A–Z, and the three artnet Magazines. The application is anticipated to increase user activity. Additionally, the Group engaged Simon Kucher & Partners to perform a global review of pricing of its products and services. The Group has also continued its brand strategy implementation which has resulted in higher consulting costs than in the prior year. Depreciation also increased EUR 140,000 (USD 141,000), which is attributable to the launch of the artnet Price Database Decorative Art product, as well as equipment that was purchased during 2009 and 2010 to support network infrastructure.
Net profit increased by EUR 620,000 (USD 853,000) to EUR 153,000 (USD 203,000) in 2010 from EUR (467,000) (USD (650,000)) in 2009. The increase is due to the release of a tax liability in artnet AG in the amount of EUR 275,000 as well as interest related to the tax liability in the amount of EUR 60,000 for the years 2001 to 2004. artnet AG was informed that the German government would not be pursuing the assessment. Other income/(expense) in the amount of EUR (193,000) (USD (256,000)) primarily resulting from currency exchange rate differences as well as nonrefundable VAT payments, which were accrued during 2010.
Diluted earnings per share were EUR 0.03, (USD 0.04) compared to EUR (0.08) (USD (0.12)) in the same period in 2009.
Currency Conversion
Currency conversion in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income is based on the average exchange rate for the period ending December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. For the year ended 2010, the average rate was 0.755 euros/U.S. dollar compared to 0.719 euros/U.S. dollar for the year ended 2009. This represents a 5% increase in the average currency rate. Currency conversion for the balance sheet is based on the exchange rate at the end of the period. As of December 31, 2010, the rate was 0.755 euros / U.S. dollar compared to 0.698 on December 31, 2009, thus representing an 8% increase.
artnet is subject to exchange rate fluctuations because it invoices in euros, U.S. dollars and British pounds sterling, but conducts most of its business in the United States. The Group works to reduce its exposure to exchange rate differences by billing European customers in euros and British customers in British pounds sterling and paying vendors in the same currency with these cash funds.
Financial Position
Group operating cash flow was EUR 651,000 as of December 31, 2010 as compared to EUR (180,000) as of December 31, 2009. Operating cash flow was positively impacted due to a higher net profit as compared to the prior year. In addition, accounts payable increased as compared to the prior year 2009.
Group investing cash flow was EUR (172,000) as of December 31, 2010 as compared to EUR (470,000) as of December 31, 2009. The prior year's investing cash flow was to a greater extent affected by investments in new products. In 2010, additional hardware and software were purchased to enhance the network infrastructure. In some cases, equipment was purchased through finance leases.
The cash flow for financing activities was EUR (132,000) as of December 31, 2010 and EUR (68,000) as of December 31, 2009. The amounts represent payments towards finance leases.
In total, the cash balance increased from EUR 2,191,000 (USD 3,140,000) on December 31, 2009 to EUR 2,698,000 (USD 3,575,000) on December 31, 2010. The cash investment policy for the Group is conservative and based on short term investments. This policy allows all cash to be liquid and available. Based on the average outstanding shares of 5,552,986, liquidity per share was EUR 0.49 (USD 0.64) on December 31, 2010 compared to EUR 0.39 (USD 0.57) on December 31, 2009.
Asset Position
The balance sheet total was EUR 7,111,000, (USD 9,424,000) on December 31, 2010 compared to EUR 6,574,000 (USD 9,422,000) on December 31, 2009,
representing an increase of 8%, (USD 0%).
Trade accounts receivable increased EUR 190,000, (USD 150,000) to EUR 1,131,000, (USD 1,499,000). The increase is primarily due to increased credit card transactions that had not settled at the end of 2010.
Fixed assets decreased by EUR (365,000) (USD (684,000)) to EUR 1,480,000 (USD 1,961,000). The Group's fixed assets are primarily in USD. The decrease is the result of continuing depreciation and amortization from prior periods offset by hardware and software purchases for the network infrastructure.
Total current liabilities decreased by EUR (87,000) (USD (416,000)) from EUR 2,787,000, (USD 3,994,000) at December 31, 2009 to EUR 2,700,000, (USD 3,578,000). During the third quarter of 2010 the company was notified by the German government that they would not pursue a tax assessment from 2001 to 2004. The Group subsequently released the liability related to the assessment which decreased the current liabilities. The decrease was partially offset by an increase in current finance lease obligations from EUR 96,000 in 2009 to EUR 152,000 in 2010. The company entered into a new finance lease in 2010 in order to purchase hardware and software related to the network infrastructure.
artnet Group's consolidated equity was EUR 4,315,000, (USD 5,718,000) on December 31, 2010 compared to EUR 3,665,000, (USD 5,253,000) on December 31, 2009.
artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design is an intangible asset that has been developed by gathering auction information over the last twenty years. This valuable asset to the Group has not been attributed full earnings recognition on the balance sheet due to accounting rules. Balance sheet assets would be substantially increased if this recognition were allowed by law.
Employees
At December 31, 2010 there were 105 full time employees as compared with 99 in the previous year. Additionally, the Group employed 13 part-time employees in 2010 as compared to 11 in the previous year and 13 sales and other consultants as compared to 12 in 2009.
Personnel costs were EUR 6,835,000 (USD 9,052,000) compared to EUR 6,431,000 (USD 8,945,000) in 2009. The increase is primarily the result of an increase in auctions and product development staff as compared to 2009.
Research and Development
The artnet website is the foundation for all of our products. It is crucial to stay updated with current technology and to develop new products that enhance the users' experiences. Our developers use code based on Microsoft technology enabling them to adapt current applications to changing customer requirements. In 2009, the Product Development team launched the artnet Price Database Decorative Art which is comprised of furniture, porcelain, silver, glass, and all other artistic objects hat have a practical application. This includes objects from many different historical periods. Additionally, the team launched the redesign of the artnet Auctions pages, which allows users to better view the images of the artworks available in the online auctions. In 2010, the team launched the artnet iPhone App, which allows on the go access to artnet Auctions, artnet Artists A–Z, and the three artnet Magazines. The application is anticipated to increase user activity.
4 Disclosure of Takeover Provisions (Reporting in Accordance with § 315, Par. 4 of the German Commercial Code)
Composition of capital stock
The fully-paid capital stock of artnet AG remains unchanged at EUR 5,631,067 on December 31, 2010 and is divided into 5,631,067 no-par value, individual bearer shares with a calculated value of EUR 1.00 each.
Voting limits or assignment limits
Voting limits or limits regarding the assignment of these shares do not exist. Direct or indirect share holdings exceeding 10% of the voting rights
Holdings which exceed 10 % of the voting rights in artnet AG are held by
-
Galerie Neuendorf AG, Berlin with 25.96 %
-
Artis Capital Management LLC, San Francisco, CA, USA with 10.39 %. Shareholders with privileges
There are no shareholders with privileges.
Voting rights monitoring in the event of employee holdings
Any employees with holdings in artnet AG are obliged to exercise their control rights in a direct manner.
Appointment and dismissal of members of the Executive Board,
amendments to the Articles of Association
Members of the Executive Board are appointed and dismissed in accordance with §§ 84, 85 of the German Stock Corporation Act. Amendments to the Articles of Association shall be made in accordance with §§ 133, 179 of the Stock Corporation Act.
Authorization of the Executive Board to issue and repurchase shares
The Shareholders' Meeting of artnet AG on July 15, 2009 authorized the Board of Directors, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to increase the capital stock by up to EUR 2,800,000 before July 14, 2014 through the issue of 2,800,000 new no-par value bearer shares in exchange for cash contributions or contributions in kind (Authorized Capital 2009/I). In 2010 and 2009 no common shares were issued under this Authorized Capital.
The Shareholders' Meeting on July 15, 2009 conditionally increased the capital stock by EUR 560,000 through the issue of up to 560,000 new no-par value bearer shares to members of the Company's Board of Directors and members of the management of affiliated entities as well as to employees of artnet AG or its subsidiaries (Conditional Capital 2009/I). The conditional capital increase serves to grant options to members of the Board of Directors of artnet AG, members of management of affiliated companies (§ 15 of the German Stock Corporation Act), employees of artnet AG, and employees of affiliated companies, which the Shareholders' Meeting on July 15, 2009 authorized the Board of Directors to issue.
The new shares shall carry dividend rights from the beginning of the fiscal year in which they are created through the exercise of subscription rights. The conditional capital increase will only be implemented to the extent that the subscription rights are exercised.
The entry of the amendments of the articles of incorporation in the Company's commercial register, as required for the effectiveness of these resolutions by the Shareholders' Meeting, took place on February 2, 2010.
The Shareholders' Meeting of artnet AG on July 14, 2010 authorized the Board of Directors, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to acquire its own shares until the end of July 13, 2015 up to a 10% stake in current share capital. At no point may the acquired shares, together with other own shares owned by the company or attributable to the company under Articles 71 a et seq. AktG (German Stock Corporation Act), constitute more than 10% of the share capital. The time limit applies only to acquiring—and not holding the shares
5 Remuneration Report
This remuneration report is geared to the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code. It summarizes the principles that are applied when defining remuneration for artnet AG's Board of Directors and discusses the amount and structure of the income of the Board of Directors. In addition, it also describes the principles behind and the amount of remuneration for the Supervisory Board. In addition, the remuneration report also includes information, which is also a component of the notes to the consolidated financial statements within the meaning of Section 314 of the HGB and the group management report within the meaning of Section 315 of the HGB.
a) Remuneration of the Board of Directors
The Supervisory Board is responsible for defining the remuneration of the Board of Directors. Remuneration for the Board of Directors of artnet AG is defined based on the company's size and activities, its economic and financial position and the amount and structure of management board remuneration at comparable companies in Germany and abroad. The remuneration is measured such that it is competitive on the international market for highly qualified managers and that it provides an incentive for successful work. In fiscal year 2010, the remuneration of the Board of Directors comprises fixed basic remuneration, a short-term incentive and a long-term variable incentive.
The individual key items of the Board of Directors remuneration are as follows:
Fixed basic remuneration: The fixed basic remuneration is paid monthly as a salary.
Short-term variable incentive: In addition to the fixed basic remuneration, the Board of Directors receives a short-term variable remuneration component. The amount of the variable bonus is at the company's discretion, which is represented by the Supervisory Board. The following rules apply when determining the short-term incentive: In the event that the company's financial result in the previous fiscal year roughly corresponds to the budget, the short-term incentive corresponds to half of the fixed basic remuneration. In the event that the target is less than 100% met, but more than 80% met, the company should reduce the short-term incentive. If the target is 80% met or less, the short-term incentive is not paid. If the target is exceeded, the short-term incentive is to be increased. The short-term incentive is capped at 150% of the fixed basic remuneration.
Long-term variable incentive: The long-term variable incentive is based on the growth in the cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated cash flow statement in U.S. dollars in the period from January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012. When determining the change in cash and cash equivalents, the difference between the amount of the cash and cash equivalents in the consolidated cash flow statement as of December 31, 2012 and those in the consolidated cash flow statement as of January 1, 2010 applies. If the target is 100% met, the long-term variable incentive totals 30% of the fixed basic remuneration. In the event that the target is less than 100% met, but more than 50% met, the company should reduce the long-term variable incentive proportionately. If the target is 50% met or less, the long-term incentive is not paid. If the target is exceeded, the long-term variable incentive is to be increased proportionately. The long-term incentive is capped at 90% of the fixed basic remuneration. Advance payments are made for the long-term variable incentive in 2011 and 2012 depending on the changes in cash and cash equivalents. Increasing or decreasing the amount of the advance payments by up to 20% is at the company's discretion. In the event of overpayment, the Board of Directors must replay the excess amount.
The company provides the Board of Directors with a company car (upper range), which can also be used privately. Income tax payable on the noncash benefits from this use of the car is borne by the Board of Directors.
The General Meeting on July 14, 2010 approved the remuneration system described above for remuneration for the member of the Board of Directors. In fiscal year 2010, the fixed cash remuneration for the sole member of the Board of Directors Hans Neuendorf totaled EUR 364,554 including the noncash benefits from the private use of his company car and the short-term incentive of EUR 155,000.
In the event of premature termination of the employment relationship, the contract for the member of the Board of Directors does not contain any express promise of a severance payment. A severance payment may, however, ensue from a severance agreement concluded on an individual basis.
The General Meeting defines the Supervisory Board's remuneration based on a proposal by the Management and Supervisory Boards. This is regulated by the articles of incorporation and, for fiscal year 2010, also by the resolution by the General Meeting on July 14, 2010.
Remuneration for members of the Supervisory Board is based on the company's size, the Supervisory Board members' tasks and responsibilities and on the company's economic situation and performance.
Members of the Supervisory Board receive fixed remuneration each year. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board receives EUR 40,000, the Deputy Chairman receives EUR 30,000 and the third member of the Supervisory Board receives EUR 20,000.
7 Risk Report
Reporting in Accordance with § 315, Par. 2 No. 5 of the German Commercial Code
Accounting related Internal Control System
The Board of Directors has set up an internal control system for the organizational, technical, and commercial workflows in the Group. A key component is the segregation of duties, which aims to ensure that executory (e.g., sales), booking (e.g., financial accounting) and administrative (e.g., IT administration) activities do not stem from a single source. The four eyes principle ensures that no major process goes uncontrolled
Risk Management
The artnet Group has implemented a risk management system in order to identify and monitor the Group's operating and financial risks and decrease the impact of unexpected events. The risk management systems major elements are
1) the financial systems in which both the progress and the actual results of the operations are monitored and reported on a monthly basis;
2) the IT infrastructure systems that support the website;
3) the project management system, which tracks the progress of tech nology projects; and
4) the website traffic tracking system which tracks key areas of website traffic.
The risk management system ensures that critical information is reported directly to the Group's management.
Early Warning System Ensures that Potential Risks are Identified
The artnet Group uses a principally spreadsheet-based management and control system to measure, monitor and control business growth, and risks. This system is mostly based on data from financial accounting. The existing risks are documented and assigned to responsibility levels within the artnet
Group as part of a risk inventory and the resulting risk management system. This shows that the existing risk potential is observed in good time and, if possible, suitable activities to limit risks are put in place. The risk management system includes regular internal reporting on the course of business and current market developments and customer relationships as well as a uniform group forecasting and budgeting process, which deals with factors including operational risks and changes in the business environment. This process is supported by regular analyses of the market and competition.
Dealing With Major Potential Risks
Operating management is directly responsible for the early recognition, control and communication of risks. As a result the artnet Group can react as quickly and extensively as possible to risks that may potentially occur. In so doing, risk policy is geared towards pursuing sustainable growth and creating economic value while avoiding managing inappropriate risks.
The Group has identified the following key risks:
External Risks
Art Market Economic Trends
artnet is affected by fluctuations in the art market. The art market is influenced by conditions in the domestic and global economies. In 2010, certain data showed signs of improvement in both the global economy and the art market as compare to 2009, which saw a strong decline in consumer confidence and therefore a steady decline in the art market. In light of the latest economic developments, there can be no assurance that these improvements will be broad based and sustainable and it is unclear how they will affect the art market in the near future.
Operating Risks
IT System Infrastructure
Any interruption in the function of the website could reduce current revenues and profits of artnet, and possibly reduce those in the future. Frequent or persistent interruptions in service could cause current or potential users to believe that the Group's systems are unreliable. This could adversely affect the corporate image and reputation of artnet. These interruptions increase the burden on the IT Department, which, in turn, delays the introduction of new features and services. Although the Group's systems have been designed to reduce downtime in the event of outages or catastrophic occurrences, they remain vulnerable to damage or interruption from floods, fires, power loss, telecommunication failures, terrorist attacks, computer viruses, and other disasters. The artnet website servers are located in a secured facility.
Product Development
The future success of artnet will depend on the Group's ability to adapt to
rapidly changing technologies and evolving industry standards. The Group plans to continue to improve the performance, features, and reliability of the website, as well as launch new products benefitting current and potential customers of artnet. The Group observes market trends and focuses on product development. To this end, artnet has expanded its development team in the past years. These increases in staffing will allow artnet to meet the growing demands of our customers, as well as, increase growth potential with new product launches.
Traffic to the Website
Traffic is important to the artnet website. A decrease in traffic would significantly impact sales for all product lines. artnet monitors traffic on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in order to ensure traffic is within expectations. Additionally, in order to increase traffic, the Group requires a greater financial commitment to advertising and marketing. To the extent possible, artnet monitors the increased traffic and website product sales against costs in order to minimize spending risk.
Legal Risks
Trademark and Legal Rights
artnet protects itself through the trademark of the artnet name in the Groups key market areas in particular, the United States, Germany, France, and the European Union. Trademark infringements are costly and are subject to reviews from national authorities which could result in a negative outcome for the Group. Additionally, the Group must defend itself against copyright and other legal claims, which could also result in a negative outcome for the Group.
Protection of Customer Data
artnet stores customer data in compliance with all current laws and regulations. However, if a third party were to succeed in bypassing the artnet security measures and obtain customer information, artnet could be liable for any damages incurred.
Financial Risks
Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Credit Risk, and Liquidity Risk
artnet conducts a portion of its business outside the United States, thereby facing exposure to adverse movements in currency exchange rates. As exchange rates vary, net sales and other operating costs, when calculated, may differ substantially from expectations. artnet does not currently hedge against such currency risks, however, the group companies accept payments from clients and pay vendors using euros and British pounds sterling. This aids in reducing the foreign currency exchange risk.
With the exception of adverse currency fluctuations, the artnet Group currently faces no other significant financial risks.
artnet has no significant concentration of credit risk because the exposure
is averaged over a large number of customers including individuals and entities dealing in the fine art market. Nevertheless, the economic downturn worldwide could negatively influence the solvency of the Group's customers, leading to an increase in the average credit period or at worst, leading to an increase in customers' default. This would negatively affect the Group's earnings, as well as its financial position. artnet tries to counter such risks by agreeing upfront payments with customers whenever this is possible.
artnet has no significant interest bearing debt and has a sufficient amount of cash at its disposition so that the Group faces no material liquidity or interest risk.
Due to the relatively small financial risks in the business, artnet has not used any derivative financial instruments to further hedge or control these risks.
Other Risks
Key Employees
The market for skilled and motivated managers is highly competitive.
The relatively small size of artnet makes it vulnerable to the negative impact of the loss of a key employee. The Group's performance can be affected by such a loss. artnet counters such personnel risks by offering a stock option incentive plan to its key employees, as well as, a shared knowledge system within departments.
There is the possibility that the above list does not outline all risks to which artnet is exposed. Unrecognized and unreported risks could arise causing negative effects on business performance. The Group continues to monitor its environment and review the effectiveness of the risk management systems. Despite continuous adjustments to the risk management system, it is not possible to entirely quantify the probability of risks occurring or their financial impact.
7 Subsequent Events
No reportable events of significant importance have occurred after the balance sheet date.
8 Outlook
The U.S. market, which drives nearly 60% of artnet revenues, is anticipated to grow slightly in the coming year with a decrease in the jobless rate to 9%. Certainly, this year has seen a significant improvement in the financial sector, which, in turn, spurred sales at the top of the market. Also, early indications are that sales at auction houses and art fairs are significantly ahead of same period a year ago. Offsetting, lackluster housing starts and re-sales continue to dampen the market for design and decorative objects via galleries, architects, and decorators. Overall, galleries business is decidedly soft.
We would stress, however, that our artnet Auctions product offers the most significant short- and long-term growth opportunity as we continue to push for higher value lots, both from dealers and private collectors. At the same time we are reaching an expanding pool of buyers with targeted marketing initiatives. The goal for 2011 is to achieve a growth in auction sales and commissions, with an eye towards improving margins.
Additionally, the Group implemented a price increase for the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design product after completing a global review of pricing with the help of Simon Kucher & Partners, a leading firm specialized in product pricing. It is our expectation that the price increase will lead to increased revenue in 2011 for this product and margins will increase.
In summation, we feel confident that 2011 will see a profit with improved revenue growth in each product line and that 2012 will see a continuation of this trend.
Berlin, March 18, 2011
The CEO Hans Neuendorf
artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
As of December 31, 2010, and December 31, 2009
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated | Consolidated | Consolidated | Consolidated | ||
| Notes | USD | USD | EUR | EUR | |
| Current assets | |||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 3 | 3,575,208 | 3,140,219 | 2,697,852 | 2,190,931 |
| Accounts receivable-net | 4 | 1,498,519 | 1,348,631 | 1,130,782 | 940,940 |
| Prepaids and other current assets | 5 | 601,324 | 601,536 | 453,759 | 419,692 |
| Total current assets | 5,675,051 | 5,090,386 | 4,282,393 | 3,551,563 | |
| Noncurrent assets | |||||
| Property and equipment | 6 | 941,838 | 1,208,490 | 710,711 | 843,163 |
| Intangible assets | 7 | 1,019,034 | 1,436,413 | 768,963 | 1,002,185 |
| Security deposit | 298,468 | 298,400 | 225,224 | 208,194 | |
| Deferred tax asset | 8 | 1,489,129 | 1,388,665 | 1,123,697 | 968,872 |
| Total noncurrent assets | 3,748,469 | 4,331,968 | 2,828,595 | 3,022,414 | |
| Total assets | 9,423,520 | 9,422,354 | 7,110,988 | 6,573,977 | |
| Liabilities and shareholders' equity | |||||
| Current liabilities | |||||
| Accounts payable | 9 | 425,236 | 295,060 | 320,883 | 205,863 |
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 10 | 1,301,710 | 1,474,062 | 982,270 | 1,028,451 |
| Current income tax liabilities | 8 | 0 | 409,380 | 0 | 285,626 |
| Finance lease obligation | 11 | 201,197 | 137,411 | 151,823 | 95,872 |
| Deferred revenue | 12 | 1,649,360 | 1,678,269 | 1,244,607 | 1,170,929 |
| Total current liabilities | 3,577,503 | 3,994,182 | 2,699,583 | 2,786,741 | |
| Long term liabilities | |||||
| Long term portion of finance lease | 11 | 128,384 | 175,432 | 96,879 | 122,399 |
| Total liabilities | 3,705,887 | 4,169,614 | 2,796,462 | 2,909,140 | |
| Shareholders' equity | |||||
| Common stock | 13 | 5,941,512 | 5,941,512 | 5,631,067 | 5,631,067 |
| Treasury stock | 13 | (269,241) | (269,241) | (264,425) | (264,425) |
| Additional paid-in capital | 51,833,659 | 51,695,464 | 50,559,842 | 50,455,505 | |
| Accumulated deficit | (52,030,497) | (51,380,953) | (51,667,124) | (51,199,973) | |
| Current net profit/(loss) | 202,521 | (649,544) | 152,905 | (467,151) | |
| Foreign currency translation | 39,679 | (84,498) | (97,739) | (490,186) | |
| Total shareholders' equity | 5,717,633 | 5,252,740 | 4,314,526 | 3,664,837 | |
| Total liabilities and shareholders' equity | 9,423,520 | 9,422,354 | 7,110,988 | 6,573,977 |
artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income
For the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
| 01/01– 12/31/2010 |
01/01– 12/31/2009 |
01/01– 12/31/2010 |
01/01– 12/31/2009 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | Consolidated USD |
Consolidated USD |
Consolidated EUR |
Consolidated EUR |
|
| Revenue | |||||
| artnet Galleries | 6,856,163 | 7,165,076 | 5,176,403 | 5,153,123 | |
| artnet Price Database | 6,145,267 | 6,139,034 | 4,639,677 | 4,415,194 | |
| artnet Auctions | 2,584,373 | 1,133,229 | 1,951,202 | 815,018 | |
| artnet Advertising | 2,063,259 | 2,109,333 | 1,557,761 | 1,517,032 | |
| Other artnet products | 460,315 | 442,345 | 347,538 | 318,135 | |
| Total revenue | 22 | 18,109,377 | 16,989,017 | 13,672,581 | 12,218,502 |
| Cost of sales | 6,553,211 | 6,420,690 | 4,947,674 | 4,617,760 | |
| Gross profit | 11,556,166 | 10,568,327 | 8,724,907 | 7,600,742 | |
| Other operating expenses | |||||
| Selling and marketing | 4,063,803 | 4,133,394 | 3,068,171 | 2,972,737 | |
| General and administrative | 4,570,013 | 4,578,869 | 3,450,360 | 3,293,123 | |
| Product development | 2,820,202 | 2,295,455 | 2,129,253 | 1,650,891 | |
| Non-cash compensation | 16 | 138,195 | 19,668 | 104,337 | 14,145 |
| Total other operating expenses | 11,592,213 | 11,027,386 | 8,752,121 | 7,930,896 | |
| Profit/(loss) from operations | 20 | (36,047) | (459,059) | (27,214) | (330,154) |
| Interest expense | 20 | (13,414) | (34,113) | (10,128) | (24,534) |
| Interest income | 20 | 92,664 | 16,020 | 69,962,00 | 11,522 |
| Other income/(expense) | 20 | (256,176) | (226,995) | (193,413) | (163,255) |
| Profit/(loss) prior to tax provision | (212,973) | (704,147) | (160,793) | (506,421) | |
| Income taxes | 8 | 415,494 | 54,603 | 313,698 | 39,270 |
| Net profit/(loss) | 19 | 202,521 | (649,544) | 152,905 | (467,151) |
| Other comprehensive income/(loss) | |||||
| Exchange differences on translating foreign operations |
124,177 | (36,519) | 392,447 | (81,784) | |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) | 326,698 | (686,063) | 545,352 | (548,935) | |
| Earnings per share | |||||
| Net profit/(loss) per basic share | 19 | 0.04 | (0.12) | 0.03 | (0.08) |
| Net profit/(loss) per diluted share | 19 | 0.04 | (0.12) | 0.03 | (0.08) |
| Weighted average shares | |||||
| Basic shares | 19 | 5,552,986 | 5,552,986 | 5,552,986 | 5,552,986 |
| Diluted shares | 19 | 5,556,986 | 5,552,986 | 5,556,986 | 5,552,986 |
artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholder's Equity (USD)
For the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
| Common stock | Foreign | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares issued |
Amount | Additional paid-in capital |
Treasury stock |
Acumulated deficit |
currency translation |
Total | |
| Balance—December 31, 2008 | 5,631,067 | 5,941,512 | 51,675,796 | (269,241) | (51,380,953) | (47,979) | 5,919,135 |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) | (649,544) | (36,519) | (686,063) | ||||
| Non-cash compensation | 19,688 | 19,688 | |||||
| Balance—December 31, 2009 | 5,631,067 | 5,941,512 | 51,695,464 | (269,241) | (52,030,497) | (84,498) | 5,252,740 |
| Balance—December 31, 2009 | 5,631,067 | 5,941,512 | 51,695,464 | (269,241) | (52,030,497) | (84,498) | 5,252,740 |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) | 202,521 | 124,177 | 326,698 | ||||
| Non-cash compensation | 138,195 | 138,195 | |||||
| Balance—December 31, 2010 | 5,631,067 | 5,941,512 | 51,833,659 | (269,241) | (51,827,976) | 39,679 | 5,717,633 |
artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Changes in Shareholder's Equity (EUR)
For the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
| Common stock | Foreign | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shares issued |
Amount | Additional paid-in capital |
Treasury stock |
Acumulated deficit |
currency translation |
Total | |
| Balance—December 31, 2008 | 5,631,067 | 5,631,067 | 50,441,360 | (264,425) | (51,199,973) | (408,402) | 4,199,627 |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) | (467,151) | (81,784) | (548,935) | ||||
| Non-cash compensation | 14,145 | 14,145 | |||||
| Balance—December 31, 2009 | 5,631,067 | 5,631,067 | 50,455,505 | (264,425) | (51,667,124) | (490,186) | 3,664,837 |
| Balance—December 31, 2009 | 5,631,067 | 5,631,067 | 50,455,505 | (264,425) | (51,667,124) | (490,186) | 3,664,837 |
| Total comprehensive income/(loss) | 152,905 | 392,447 | 545,352 | ||||
| Non-cash compensation | 104,337 | 104,337 | |||||
| Balance—December 31, 2009 | 5,631,067 | 5,631,067 | 50,559,842 | (264,425) | (51,514,219) | (97,739) | 4,314,526 |
artnet AG Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
For the Year Ended December 31, 2010 and 2009
| 01/01– 12/31/2010 |
01/01– 12/31/2009 |
01/01– 12/31/2010 |
01/01– 12/31/2009 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | Consolidated USD |
Consolidated USD |
Consolidated EUR |
Consolidated EUR |
|
| Cash flows from operating activities | |||||
| Net profit/(loss) | 19 | 202,521 | (649,544) | 152,905 | (467,151) |
| Adjustments to reconcile net profit to net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities: |
|||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 20 | 1,103,661 | 963,299 | 833,264 | 692,805 |
| Provision for doubtful accounts | 4 | 156,267 | 534,699 | 117,982 | 378,155 |
| Deferred income taxes | 8 | (100,464) | 13,940 | (75,810) | 10,025 |
| Non-cash compensation | 16 | 138,195 | 19,668 | 104,337 | 14,145 |
| Other non-cash transactions | 186,518 | (65,745) | 88,829 | (34,801) | |
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | |||||
| Accounts receivable | (306,155) | (192,712) | (231,147) | (138,598) | |
| Prepaid and other current assets | 212 | (100,650) | 160 | (72,387) | |
| Security deposits | (68) | (9,425) | (51) | (6,778) | |
| Accounts payable | 130,176 | (403,081) | 98,283 | (289,896) | |
| Accrued expenses and tax liabilities | (581,732) | (2,295) | (415,752) | (6,546) | |
| Deferred revenue | (28,909) | (371,861) | (21,826) | (259,447) | |
| Total adjustments | 697,701 | 385,837 | 498,269 | 286,677 | |
| Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities | 900,222 | (263,707) | 651,174 | (180,474) | |
| Cash flows from investing activities | |||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | 6, 11 | (92,393) | (197,970) | (69,833) | (142,380) |
| Purchase and development of intangible assets | 7 | (135,851) | (456,173) | (102,568) | (328,080) |
| Net cash used in investing activities | (228,244) | (654,143) | (172,401) | (470,460) | |
| Cash flows from financing activities | |||||
| Repayment of financial lease | 6, 11 | (174,648) | (94,117) | (131,783) | (67,689) |
| Net cash used in financing activities | (174,648) | (94,117) | (131,783) | (67,689) | |
| Effects of exchange rate changes on cash | (62,341) | 29,226 | 159,931 | (15,686) | |
| Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 434,989 | (982,741) | 506,921 | (734,309) | |
| Cash–beginning | 3,140,219 | 4,122,960 | 2,190,931 | 2,925,240 | |
| Cash–ending | 3,575,208 | 3,140,219 | 2,697,852 | 2,190,931 | |
| Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information | |||||
| Income taxes paid | (48,230) | 68,541 | (36,414) | 49,295 | |
| Interest paid | (13,414) | (10,287) | (10,128) | (7,398) | |
| Interest received | 647 | 16,015 | 488 | 11,518 |
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements 2010
1 Corporate Information and Statement of Compliance
artnet AG (hereinafter referred to as "artnet AG" or "the Company") is a publicly traded corporation with headquarters in Berlin, Germany. The address of its registered office is Oranienstraße 164, 10969 Berlin, Germany. artnet AG was incorporated under the laws of Germany in 1998.
artnet AG holds 100 % of the shares in Artnet Worldwide Corp. ("Artnet Corp."), which is located in New York, NY, USA. Artnet Corp. holds 100 % of the shares in artnet UK Ltd. and artnet France sarl. artnet AG and Artnet Corp. together with the latter's wholly owned subsidiaries are referred to as "the artnet Group" or "the Group."
The Group's business is to provide art collectors, galleries, publishers, auction houses, and art enthusiasts with a website where individuals can research artists and art prices, find artworks that are currently available at art galleries around the world, view art related news, and buy and sell art on artnet Auctions, a special platform for transactions.
Applying § 315a of the German Commercial Code (HGB), accompanying consolidated financial statements as at December 31, 2011, financial statements for the parent and subsidiary companies were prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and its interpretations of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) effective within the EU.
The consolidated financial statements were authorized for issuance by the CEO on March 18, 2011.
2 Summary of Significant Accouting Policies
Basis of Accounting and Reporting Currency
Amounts included in the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements are stated as required by German law in euros (EUR), unless otherwise noted. The reporting currency is euro.
Due to rounding, amounts presented may not add up precisely.
The currency of the primary economic environment in which the group operates is U.S. dollars. For convenience purposes, especially of our U.S. investors, the consolidated statement of financial position, statement of comprehensive income, cash flow statement, and statement of changes in equity are also presented in U.S. dollar. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis. The balance sheet date is December 31, 2010. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
Basis of Consolidation and Consolidated Companies
The consolidated financial statements include the legal parent company, artnet AG, its wholly owned subsidiary Artnet Corp. as well as the subsidiaries of this company. Control is achieved where the company has the power to govern the financial and operating policies of an entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.
On February 23, 1999 artnet AG entered into a transaction with Artnet Corp., which was treated as a recapitalization of Artnet Corp., with Artnet Corp. as the acquirer of artnet AG (reverse acquisition). The Company accounted for the business combination of artnet AG and Artnet Corp. as a reverse acquisition in accordance with IFRS 3. On November 1, 2007, Artnet Corp. established artnet UK Ltd., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Artnet Corp. artnet UK Ltd. conducts sales and provides customer support for Artnet Corp. in the United Kingdom.
On July 3, 2008, Artnet Corp. established artnet France sarl, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Artnet Corp. artnet France sarl maintains the content on the French artnet domain under www.artnet.fr, publishes an online magazine in French, conducts sales, and provides customer service for Artnet Corp. in France.
All significant inter-company transactions, balances, income, and expenses are eliminated in full-on consolidation.
Reporting Period
The consolidated financial statements were prepared for the reporting period January 1 through December 31, 2010. The financial year for all Group companies coincides with the calendar year.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue for services is recognized when services are rendered, the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, and collection of the related receivable is reasonably successful. Revenue for contracts where service has not yet been provided are deferred and recorded as revenue when the service is performed.
Revenue is measured at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable and represents amounts for services provided in the normal course of business, net of discounts, and other sales-related taxes.
Financial assets
The Group classifies its financial assets in the following categories: at fair value through profit or loss, held-to-maturity investments, loans and receivables, and available for sale. The classification depends on the purpose for which the financial assets were acquired. Management determines the classification of its financial assets at initial recognition. The artnet Group's financial assets are cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and rent security deposits. These financial assets are classified to the category 'loans and receivables.'
Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with less than three months maturity from the date of acquisition to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are measured at cost.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market. They are included in current assets, except for maturities greater than 12 months after the end of the reporting period. These are classified as non-current assets. Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. Accounts receivable include credit card transactions which have settled but cash has not yet been received. The accounts receivable balance is shown net of allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance for doubtful accounts involves significant management judgment and review of individual receivables based on individual customer creditworthiness, current economic trends and analysis of historical bad debts on a portfolio basis. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are valued at historical cost minus accumulated depreciation. The artnet Group computes depreciation and amortization using the straightline method. Computer equipment, furniture and fixtures, and office equipment are depreciated over an estimated useful life of three to seven years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the term of the related lease or its estimated useful life, which is up to 10 years. Maintenance expenses that neither enhance the value of an asset nor prolong the useful life are expensed as incurred.
Intangible Assets Including Website Development Costs
Intangible assets are comprised of purchased software and website development costs. Intangible assets are recorded at historical cost and amortized on a straightline basis over their estimated useful life of three years. All intangible assets have a finite useful life. Costs related to the research, planning, and post-implementation phases of the Group's websites, such as minor enhancements and maintenance, development efforts are expensed as incurred. Direct costs incurred in the development phase are capitalized, if the product or process is technically and commercially feasible, there is a market for the result of the website development, the attributable expenditure can be measured reliably, and the Group has sufficient resources to complete development. The market condition is substantiated as only expenditures related to those development projects are capitalized if they are are expected to generate future revenues.
Impairment
The Group reviews property plant and equipment and other intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In addition, tangible and intangible assets as well as intangible assets not yet available for use are subject to an annual impairment test. Recoverability of assets is measured by the comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to the recoverable amount, which is the higher of the asset's value in use and its fair value less costs to sell. Where the asset does not generate cash flows that are independent from other assets, the impairment test is not performed at an individual asset level; instead, it is performed at the level of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs. If the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognized as an expense immediately. The asset's value in use, either at an independent level or a cash-generating unit level, is measured by discounting the asset's estimated future cash flows. If there is an indication that the reasons which caused the impairment loss no longer exist, then the Group will assess the need to reverse all or a portion of the impairment not to exceed the original carrying amount.
Income Taxes and Deferred Taxes
The current tax expense is based on the results for the year of the individual consolidated company as adjusted for items which are non-taxable or non-deductible. It is calculated using rates that have been enacted as at the balance sheet date.
Deferred taxes are recognized under the asset and liability method in respect of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. In principle, deferred tax liabilities are recognized for all taxable temporary differences and deferred tax assets are recognized to the extent that it is probable that taxable profits will be available against which deductible temporary differences and tax loss or tax credit carryforwards can be utilized.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted or substantially enacted statutory tax rates for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered.
The recognition of deferred tax assets on tax loss carryforwards is based on a threeyear budget.
Foreign Currency Conversion and Transactions
The currency of the primary economic environment in which the artnet Group operates is U.S. dollar, which is the functional currency of the operating subsidiary Artnet Corp. Transactions in currencies other than U.S. dollar are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing on the dates of the transactions. At each balance sheet date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are reconverted at the rates prevailing on the balance sheet date. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recognized as other income/expense.
For consolidation, the assets and liabilities of the Group's operations are translated at exchange rates prevailing on the balance sheet date. Income and expense items are converted at the average exchange rates for the period. The accumulated gains and losses resulting from conversion are recorded as a separate component of the group equity.
Currency exchange rates significant to the artnet Group are the translation of U.S. dollar to euro (EUR) and of U.S. dollar to British pound sterling (GBP). The following exchanges rates have been used for the currency translation in the years presented:
| USD to EUR | USD to GBP | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | ||
| Current rate year end | 0.755 | 0.698 | 0.647 | 0.628 | |
| Average rate for the year | 0.755 | 0.719 | 0.648 | 0.641 |
Financial Liabilities
The artnet Group measures financial liabilities at amortized cost using the effective interest method.
The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortized cost of a financial liability and of allocating interest expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments through the expected life of the financial liability, or, when appropriate, a shorter period, to the net carrying amount on initial recognition.
Provisions
Provisions are recognized when the Group has a present obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that the Group will be required to settle the obligation, and a reliable estimate can be made of the amount of the obligation. If the effect is material, provisions are recognized at present value by discounting the expected future cash flow at a pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money. Within the 2010 consolidated financial statements 2010 no provisions are disclosed.
Leasing
Group as Lessee
Assets held under finance leases are initially recognized as assets of the Group at their fair value at the inception of the lease or, if lower, at the present value of the minimum lease payments. The corresponding liability to the lessor is included in the consolidated statement of financial position as a finance lease obligation.
Minimum lease payments are apportioned between the finance charge and the reduction of the outstanding liability so as to achieve a constant rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability. Contingent rents are charged as expenses in the periods in which they occur.
Operating lease payments are recognized as an expense in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. Benefits received
and receivable as an incentive to enter into an operating lease are spread on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Group as Lessor
Rental income from operating leases is recognized in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
Retirement Benefit Costs
Artnet Corp. offers a defined contribution benefit plan, which qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Payments made by Artnet Corp. are charged as an expense.
Share Based Payments
artnet AG provided equity settled share based payments to executive management and to certain employees of Artnet Corp. The equity settled share based payments are measured at fair value at the date of grant. The fair value determined at the grant date less the fair value of any consideration received at grant date is expensed over the vesting period based on the estimated amount of shares that will eventually vest. The fair value of the equity settled share based payments is measured using the Binomial-model.
Treasury Stock
Company-held shares are reported at cost in a separate equity line-item.
New or Revised Standards and Interpretations effective in the Current Period
The Group has not applied any Standard or Interpretation for the first time in fiscal year 2010 leading to any changes.
The following new or revised standards and interpretations, which became mandatory in fiscal year 2010, did not have any or any significant impact on the consolidated financial statements of the company:
| Standards (IFRS) or interpretations (IFRIC) | Compulsory application in the EU |
Adoption by EU Commission |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| IFRS 1* | First-time adoption of IFRS | 1/1/2010 | 6/23/2010 |
| IFRS 2* | Share-based payments | 1/1/2010 | 3/23/2010 |
| IFRS 3, IAS 27 |
Business combinations and consolidated and separate financial statements |
7/1/2009 | 6/3/2009 |
| IAS 39* | Financial instruments: recognition and measurement—Eligible hedged items |
7/1/2009 | 6/3/2009 |
| Various improvements to IFRS | 1/1/2010 | 3/23/2010 | |
| IFRIC 12 | Service concession arrangements | 1/1/2010 | 3/25/2009 |
| IFRIC 15 | Agreements for the construction of real estate | 1/1/2010 | 7/22/2009 |
| IFRIC 16 | Hedges of a net investment in a foreign operation |
7/1/2009 | 6/4/2009 |
| IFRIC 17 | Distribution of non-cash assets to owners | 11/1/2009 | 11/26/2009 |
| IFRIC 18 | Transfers of assets from customers | 11/1/2009 | 11/27/2009 |
*Amendments
New or Revised Standards and Interpretations not yet applied
The following standards, interpretations, and amendments, which are not yet mandatory as of December 31, 2010 or have even not been endorsed by the EU, have not been applied. Unless otherwise stated, the Group does not assume that the application of these standards will have a significant impact on the presentation of the consolidated financial statements.
| Standards (IFRS) or interpretations (IFRIC) | Compulsory application in the EU |
Adoption by EU Commission |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| IAS 12* | Recovery of underlying assets | 1 /1/2012 | — |
| IAS 24* | Related party disclosures | 1/1/2011 | 7/19/2010 |
| IAS 32* | Classification of rights issues | 1/2/2010 | 12/23/2009 |
| IFRS 1* | Hyperinflation | — | |
| IFRS 7* | Improved disclosures on financial instruments | 1/1/2011 | — |
| IFRS 9 | Financial instruments | 1/1/2013 | - |
| IFRS 1*/ | Limited exemption from comparative IFRS 7 | ||
| IFRS 7 | Disclosure for first-time-adopters | 1/7/2010 | 6/24/2010 |
| IFRS 8*/ | |||
| IAS 24 | Operating segments | 1/1/2011 | 7/19/2010 |
| IFRIC 14 | Prepayments of a minimum funding requirement | 1/1/2011 | 7 /20/2010 |
| IFRIC 19 | Extinguishing financial liabilities with equity | 1/7/2010 | 7/23/2010 |
| Various improvements to IFRS | 1/1/2011 | — | |
*Amendments
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRS necessitates estimates and assumptions that influence assets and liabilities, income and expenses as well as information in the notes to the financial statements. Actual results and developments may differ from those estimates and assumptions.
Estimates made by management that have a significant effect on the consolidated financial statements include the recognition of deferred tax assets and of development costs, the measurement of provisions and accruals, the useful lives of noncurrent assets, and the assessment of bad debt provisions on accounts receivables.
3 Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents are comprised of cash and bank balances. Cash and bank balances are stated at fair value.
Restricted cash amounts to EUR 12,247 and EUR 13,883 as of December 31, 2010 and 2009.
4 Accounts Receivable
Net accounts receivable consist of the following:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Gross accounts receivable | 1,390,148 | 1,147,145 |
| Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts | (259,366) | (206,205) |
| Net accounts receivable | 1,130,782 | 940,940 |
The average credit period for the accounts receivable are 28 days compared to 29 days in 2009. All accounts receivable are due within one year.
There is no concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable, as the Group has a large number of relatively small customers. Trade receivables are rated at fair value.
Aging of past due but not impaired:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Overdue but not impaired receivables | ||
| Between 0 and 60 days | 907,854 | 728,635 |
| Carrying amounts of impaired receivables | ||
| Overdue between 61 and 90 days | 86,401 | 89,915 |
| Overdue more than 90 days | 136,527 | 122,390 |
| 222,928 | 212,305 | |
| Net accounts receivable | 1,130,782 | 940,940 |
The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Group's best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in the Group companies' existing accounts receivable. Accounts receivable past due less than 60 days are not provided for. Accounts receivable past due more than 60 days are provided for on a grading scale based on the age of the individual receivable with allowances between 10% and 90% of nominal value. The Group does not hold any collateral for accounts receivable balances.
The movements in the allowance for doubtful accounts were as follows:
| Year ended | Year ended | |
|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
| EUR | EUR | |
| Balance at the beginning of the year | 206,205 | 183,977 |
| Bad debt expense of the year | 117,982 | 170,468 |
| Amounts written off as uncollectible | (79,662) | (149,274) |
| Exchange differences | 14,841 | 1,034 |
| Balance at the end of the year | 259,366 | 206,205 |
Receivables are denominated in the following currencies:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| USD | 997,528 | 793,183 |
| EUR | 278,604 | 248,284 |
| GBP | 114,016 | 105,678 |
| Gross accounts receivable | 1,390,148 | 1,147,145 |
5 Prepaids and other Current Assets
Other current assets consist primarily of VAT tax refund claims amounting to EUR 354,314 (2009: EUR 347,659) and of prepaid amounts for software contracts, amounting to EUR 32,410 in 2010 and EUR 33,884 in 2009.
6 Property and Equipment
Changes in property and equipment in the 2010 and 2009 financial years were as follows:
| Computer and equipment |
Furnitures and fixtures |
Leasehold improvement |
Total costs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | EUR | EUR | |
| Cost | ||||
| On December 31, 2008 | 913,893 | 319,132 | 116,372 | 1,349,397 |
| Exchange differences | (38,386) | (34,232) | (3,279) | (75,897) |
| Additions | 253,589 | 35,480 | 0 | 289,069 |
| On December 31, 2009 | 1,129,096 | 320,380 | 113,093 | 1,562,569 |
| Exchange differences | 86,439 | 18,357 | 8,289 | 113,085 |
| Additions | 210,405 | 3,848 | 0 | 214,253 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 1,425,940 | 342,585 | 121,382 | 1,889,907 |
| Depreciation | ||||
| On December 31, 2008 | 325,608 | 67,671 | 46,839 | 440,118 |
| Exchange differences | (36,509) | (19,335) | (6,501) | (62,345) |
| Charge for the year | 270,520 | 41,916 | 29,197 | 341,633 |
| On December 31, 2009 | 559,619 | 90,252 | 69,535 | 719,406 |
| Exchange differences | 32,754 | 5,988 | 5,473 | 44,215 |
| Charge for the year | 346,557 | 45,392 | 23,626 | 415,575 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 938,930 | 141,632 | 98,634 | 1,179,196 |
| Net book value | ||||
| On December 31, 2009 | 569,477 | 230,128 | 43,558 | 843,163 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 487,010 | 200,953 | 22,748 | 710,711 |
Computer and equipment include servers used under the terms of a finance lease with a carrying amount of EUR 248,702 (12/31/2009: EUR 218,271).
Depreciation expense of property plant and equipment is included in Cost of sales. As of December 31, 2010, the Group had no significant contractual commitments for purchases of property and equipment.
7 Intangible Assets
Movements in intangible assets in the 2010 and 2009 financial years were as follows:
| Website | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| development | Software | Total | |
| costs | costs | costs | |
| EUR | EUR | EUR | |
| Cost | |||
| On December 31, 2008 | 2,010,799 | 355,988 | 2,366,787 |
| Exchange rate differences | (56,549) | 7,815 | (48,734) |
| Additions | 265,236 | 62,844 | 328,080 |
| On December 31, 2009 | 2,219,486 | 426,647 | 2,646,133 |
| Exchange rate differences | 181,801 | 34,777 | 216,578 |
| Additions | 11,672 | 90,896 | 102,568 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 2,412,959 | 552,320 | 2,965,279 |
| Amortization | |||
| On December 31, 2008 | 1,012,111 | 312,760 | 1,324,871 |
| Exchange rate differences | (29,699) | (2,396) | (32,095) |
| Charge for the year | 311,909 | 39,263 | 351,172 |
| On December 31, 2009 | 1,294,321 | 349,627 | 1,643,948 |
| Exchange rate differences | 105,383 | 29,296 | 134,679 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charge for the year | 302,331 | 115,358 | 417,689 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 1,702,035 | 494,281 | 2,196,316 |
| Net book value | |||
| On December 31, 2009 | 925,165 | 77,020 | 1,002,185 |
| On December 31, 2010 | 710,924 | 58,039 | 768,963 |
As of December 31, 2010, website development costs include artnet Market Analyst, which is still in progress and scheduled to launch in 2011. The artnet Market Analyst is a suite of indices, which utilizes a new "strings" comparable methodology. The capitalized costs for artnet Market Analyst are EUR 519,542 in 2010 as compared to EUR 469,580 in 2009. Internal costs (salaries) have been capitalized in the amount of EUR 11,672 in 2010 and EUR 93,696 in 2009 towards this project. Amortization will begin once the project is launched in 2011.
Amortization expense on intangible assets is included in Cost of Sales. As of December 31, 2010, the Group had no significant contractual commitments for purchases of intangible assets.
8 Taxes and Deferred Taxes
Income tax expense/(benefit)
Income tax expense/(benefit) consists of the following:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Current income taxes | ||
| U.S. federal and state corporation tax and subsidiary tax | 37,278 | 74,140 |
| Tax refund belonging to prior years | (275,126) | (123,435) |
| U.S. dividend withholding tax | 0 | |
| Total current income taxes | (237,848) | (49,295) |
| Deferred taxes | ||
| Tax loss carryforwards | (350,889) | 139,034 |
| Temporary differences | 275,039 | (129,009) |
| (75,850) | 10,025 | |
| Total income taxes | (313,698) | (39,270) |
Due to its tax loss carryforwards, Artnet Corp. only has to pay the alternative minimum corporation tax.
The tax refund in 2009 resulted from a reimbursement of U.S. dividend withholding tax for the years 2007 and 2008. In 2010, artnet AG reversed a prior year income tax expense and corresponding interest expense on an outstanding tax liability as a result of the German government's decisions to not pursue a tax audit for the years 2001 to 2004.
Deferred tax asset
At the balance sheet 12/31/2010, date Artnet Corp. has total tax loss carryforwards of EUR 21.9 million (USD 29.0 million) available for offset against future profits. As of 12/31/2009 these tax loss carryforwards amounted to EUR 21.5 million (USD 30.9 million). A deferred tax asset of EUR 1,087,741 (12/31/2009: EUR 681,462) is recognized in the financial statements for the existing tax loss carryforwards of Artnet Corp. The tax rate used is 43% (2009: 43%) and represents the average income tax rate of Artnet Corp. The subsidiary has generated positive, taxable earnings in the preceding fiscal years and has already utilized part of its tax loss carryforwards. The recognition of deferred tax assets on tax loss carryforwards is based on a three-year budget. Tax loss carryforwards can be used over a period of 20 years, therefore tax loss carryforwards of Artnet Corp. will begin to expire in 2018 in the amount EUR 2.1 million (USD 2.8 million). The remaining unused tax loss carryforwards of Artnet Corp. will expire in subsequent years.
artnet AG has, in addition, tax loss carryforwards in the total amount of 28.7 million for corporate income tax as well as for trade tax (12/31/2009: EUR 28.7 million). Based on the German tax law these tax loss carryforwards cannot be utilized due to the organizational structure of the artnet Group.
In total, deferred taxes recognized relate to the following balance sheet items:
| Deferred tax assets |
Deferred tax assets |
|
|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
| EUR | EUR | |
| Tax loss carryforwards | 1,087,741 | 681,462 |
| Fixed assets | (173,574) | 148,805 |
| Accounts receivables | 122,261 | 89,428 |
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 87,269 | 49,177 |
| 1,123,697 | 968,872 |
Tax Rate Reconciliation
The following table reconciles the expected income tax expense/(income) to the income tax expense presented in the financial statements. The tax rate used of 43% (2009: 43%) is the average income tax rate of the operating Group company Artnet Corp., because Artnet Corp. generates the taxable income of the Group companies.
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| TEUR | TEUR | |
| Loss or profit before income taxes | (161) | (506) |
| Expected income tax expense—Tax rate 43% | (69) | (218) |
| Non-deductible expenses and other effects | (76) | 11 |
| Income tax expense/(income)—Prior years | (275) | (123) |
| Reduction of current tax expenses due to benefit arising from U.S.-tax loss carryforwards |
(445) | (318) |
| Unused German tax loss carry-forwards and tax rate differences | 551 | 609 |
| Income tax expense / (tax income) as presented on the consolidated statement of comprehensive income |
(314) | (39) |
9 Accounts Payable
Accounts payable is principally comprised of amounts outstanding for ongoing costs. The average credit period taken for accounts payable is 30 days. The carrying amount of accounts payable approximates their fair value.
The carrying amount of the Group's payables is denominated in the following currencies:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| USD | 238,934 | 121,621 |
| EUR | 72,746 | 79,383 |
| GBP | 9,203 | 4.859 |
| Total accounts payable | 320,883 | 205,863 |
10 Accruals and Other Liabilities
Accruals and other liabilities consist of the following for the years presented:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Bonus and termination payments | 435,290 | 422,185 |
| Outstanding invoices | 167,532 | 273,319 |
| Accrued vacation | 120,124 | 96,833 |
| 401(k) payable | 68,088 | 58,689 |
| Commission to sales consultants | 80,663 | 56,859 |
| Other | 110,573 | 120,566 |
| Total | 982,270 | 1,028,451 |
11 Liabilities from Finance Lease
In December 2008, August 2009, September 2009, and July 2010, Artnet Corp. entered into three-year finance lease arrangements. At the end of each lease term, the Artnet Corp. has a purchase option. Liabilities from finance leasing are recognized at the present value of future lease payments by applying the implicit interest rate of the finance lease arrangement. The leased assets are servers and other computer equipment. The minimum lease payments are reconciled to the present value as follows:
| 12/31/2010 | Total | < 1 Year | > 1–3 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liability (in EUR) | 248,702 | 151,823 | 96,879 |
| Interest (in EUR) | 22,148 | 14,378 | 7,770 |
| Total (in EUR) | 270,850 | 166,201 | 104,649 |
| 12/31/2009 | Total | < 1 Year | > 1–3 Years |
| Liability (in EUR) | 218,271 | 95,872 | 122,399 |
| Interest (in EUR) | 20,876 | 9,624 | 11,252 |
| Total (in EUR) | 239,147 | 105,496 | 133,651 |
Liabilities from finance lease are shown at fair value.
12 Deferred Revenue
Customers pay before year's end for certain contracts in advance of the service provided. The prepaid amounts are recognized as revenue when artnet provides the service. The amount of deferred revenue is EUR 1,244,607 in 2010 and EUR 1,170,929 in 2009.
13 Share Capital
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized ordinary shares at no-par value (calculated value EUR 1.00 per share) |
5,631,067 | 5,631,067 |
| Issued and fully paid ordinary shares at no-par value (calculated value EUR 1.00 per share) |
5,552,986 | 5,552,986 |
| Treasury shares at no-par value | 78,081 | 78,081 |
artnet AG has one class of ordinary bearer shares, which carry no right to fixed income.
Authorized Capital
The Shareholders' Meeting of artnet AG on July 15, 2009 authorized the Board of Directors, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to increase the capital stock by up to EUR 2,800,000 before July 14, 2014 through the issue of 2,800,000 new nopar value bearer shares in exchange for cash contributions or contributions in kind (Authorized Capital 2009/I).
In 2010 and 2009 no common shares were issued under the Authorized Capital 2004/I and under the Authorized Capital 2009/I.
The entry of the amendments of the articles of incorporation in the company's commercial register, as required for the effectiveness of these resolutions by the Shareholders' Meeting, took place on February 2, 2010.
Conditional Capital
The Shareholders' Meeting on July 15, 2009 conditionally increased the capital stock by EUR 560,000 through the issue of up to 560,000 new no-par value bearer shares to members of the Company's Board of Directors and members of the management of affiliated entities as well as to employees of artnet AG or its affiliated entities (Conditional Capital 2009/I).
The entry of the amendments of the articles of incorporation in the Company's commercial register, as required for the effectiveness of these resolutions by the Shareholders' Meeting, took place on February 2, 2010.
Treasury Shares
As of December 31, 2010 and 2009 artnet AG held 78,081 of its own shares, representing 1.4% of common stock.
The Shareholders' Meeting of artnet AG on July 14, 2010 authorized the Board of Directors, with the approval of the Supervisory Board, to acquire its own shares until the end of July 13, 2015 up to a 10% stake in current share capital. At no point may the acquired shares, together with other own shares owned by the company or attributable to the company under Articles 71 et seq. AktG (German Stock Corporation Act), constitute more than 10% of the share capital. The time limit applies only to acquiring—and not holding—the shares.
14 Capital Risk Management
The capital structure of the artnet Group consists of current liabilities and equity attributable to shareholders of the parent, mainly comprising issued capital, additional paid-in capital and accumulated deficit. Additionally, in December of 2010 and 2009, Artnet Corp. entered into various finance lease arrangements, which will require payments over the next three years. All other business activities are currently financed by the cash balance and the operating cash flows.
Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Credit Risk and Liquidity Risk
artnet conducts a portion of its business outside of the United States, thereby facing exposure to adverse movements in currency exchange rates. As exchange rates vary, net sales and other operating costs, when calculated, may differ substantially from expectations. artnet does not currently hedge against such currency risks; however, the group companies accept payments from clients and pay vendors using euros and British pounds sterling. This aids in reducing the foreign currency exchange risk.
With the exception of adverse currency fluctuations, the artnet Group currently faces no other significant financial risks.
artnet has no significant concentration of credit risk because the exposure is averaged over a large number of customers including individuals and entities dealing in
the fine art market. Nevertheless, the economic downturn worldwide could negatively influence the solvency of the Group's customers, leading to an increase in the average credit period or at worst, leading to an increase in customers' default. This would negatively affect the Group's earnings, as well as its financial position. artnet tries to counter such risks by agreeing upfront payments with customers whenever this is possible.
artnet has no significant interest bearing debt and has a sufficient amount of cash at its disposition so that the Group faces no material liquidity or interest risk.
Due to the relatively small financial risks in the business, artnet has not used any derivative financial instruments to further hedge or control these risks.
15 Financial Instruments and Risks Arising from Financial Instruments
Categories of Financial Instruments
The artnet Group's financial assets are cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and rent security deposits. These financial assets are classified to the category "loans and receivables."
The Group's financial liabilities are accounts payable, other liabilities and liabilities arising from finance leases. Accounts payable and other liabilities are measured at amortized cost. Liabilities arising from finance leases are measured with their present value in accordance with IAS 17.
No financial assets or financial liabilities were designated at fair value through profit or loss.
In the business years 2010 and 2009 the artnet Group has not used any derivative financial instruments.
| Book value | Fair value | Book value | Fair value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 12/31/2009 | |
| EUR | EUR | EUR | EUR | |
| Financial assets | ||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | 2,697,852 | 2,697,852 | 2,190,931 | 2,190,931 |
| Loans and receivables | ||||
| Accounts receivable | 1,130,782 | 1,130,782 | 940,940 | 940,940 |
| Receivables due from | ||||
| related parties | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rent security deposits | 225,224 | 225,224 | 208,194 | 208,194 |
| 1,356,006 | 1,356,006 | 1,149,134 | 1,149,134 | |
| 4,053,858 | 4,053,858 | 3,340,065 | 3,340,065 | |
| Financial liabilities | ||||
| Liabilities at amortized costs | ||||
| Accounts payable | 320,883 | 320,883 | 205,863 | 205,863 |
| Other liabilities | 794,059 | 794,059 | 689,883 | 689,883 |
| 1,114,942 | 1,114,942 | 895,746 | 895,746 | |
| Finance lease obligation | 248,702 | 248,702 | 218,271 | 218,271 |
| 1,363,644 | 1,363,644 | 1,114,017 | 1,114,017 |
The following table summarizes the categorization of financial instruments with their carrying amounts and fair values:
The carrying amounts of the financial assets and liabilities approximate their fair values.
The following table shows the net result arising from financial assets and liabilities:
| Net result | Net result | |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2009 | |
| EUR | EUR | |
| Financial assets | (214,943) | (335,945) |
| Financial liabilities | (10,128) | (7,398) |
| Totals | (225,071) | (343,343) |
The components of the net result are interest income and expenses, gains or losses from exchange rate differences, as well as, bad debt expense for doubtful accounts and write-offs.
Credit Risk
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to the Group. The financial assets represent the artnet Group's maximum exposure to credit risk.
The Group's credit risk is primarily attributable to its accounts receivable. The amount presented in the balance sheet is net of allowances for doubtful accounts, estimated by management based on the aging of the receivable portfolio as well as customer payment trends.
The artnet Group has no significant concentration of credit risk, with exposure spread over its large number of customers.
Liquidity Risk and Interest Rate Risk
The Group faces no material liquidity risk and interest rate risk. The Group companies face several interest-bearing finance leases in the amount of EUR 248,702 (2009: EUR 218,271). The remaining current liabilities and accrued expenses have a remaining term of less than one year.
The gross cash flows arising from financial liabilities are shown in the following table:
| EUR | Carrying Amount |
Gross Cash Flow |
Gross Cash Flow |
Gross Cash Flow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | Total | < 1 Year | > 1 Year | |
| Liabilities at amortized costs | 1,114,942 | 1,114,942 | 1,114,942 | 0 |
| Finance lease obligation | 248,702 | 270,850 | 166,201 | 104,649 |
| Carrying | Gross | Gross | Gross | |
| EUR | Amount | Cash Flow | Cash Flow | Cash Flow |
| 12/31/2009 | Total | < 1 Year | > 1 Year | |
| Liabilities at amortized costs | 895,746 | 895,746 | 895,746 | 0 |
| Finance lease obligation | 218,271 | 239,147 | 105,496 | 133,651 |
Market Risks—Foreign Currency Risk
Market risks are mainly relevant in the form of foreign currency exchange risks for the Group companies as most of the revenues are generated in U.S. dollars but a certain amount of the costs of the Group companies have to be paid in euros. The artnet Group controls these currency exchange risks by invoicing its European customers in euros and using these cash payments to fulfill its obligations in the foreign currency. Besides the U.S. dollar—euro exchange rate risk the artnet Group is also exposed to the U.S. dollar—British pound sterling exchange rate risk but on a smaller scale.
The carrying amounts of the Group's monetary assets and monetary liabilities denominated in other currencies as the U.S. dollar at the reporting date are as follows:
| Monetary assets | Monetary liabilities | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
| Foreign currency | TEUR | TEUR | TEUR | TEUR |
| EUR | 885 | 757 | 73 | 79 |
| GBP | 281 | 266 | 9 | 5 |
The following table details the Group's sensitivity to a 10% increase and decrease of the U.S. dollar against the euro and the British pound sterling. The sensitivity analysis includes only outstanding foreign currency denominated monetary items and adjusts their translation at the period end for a 10% change in foreign currency rates. A positive number below indicates an increase in profit and other equity where the U.S. dollar strengthens or weakens 10% against the other currency.
| USD to | EUR | EUR | GBP | GBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
| TEUR | TEUR | TEUR | TEUR | |
| + 10% | ||||
| Profit/(loss) | (40) | (27) | (22) | (22) |
| Equity | (34) | (35) | 0 | 0 |
| - 10% | ||||
| Profit/(loss) | 49 | 33 | 27 | 27 |
| Equity | 42 | 43 | 0 | 0 |
16 Share-Based Payments
Stock Option Plan
Conditional Capital 2009/I serves as the basis for the stock option plan also resolved by the Shareholders' Meeting on July 15, 2009 (2009 stock option plan), comprising 560,000 shares of common stock with a nominal value of EUR 1.00 each. Of this amount, up to 290,000 shares are available for the granting of options to employees of the Company and affiliated entities; up to 240,000 shares are available for the granting of rights to the members of management of entities affiliated with artnet AG and up to 30,000 shares are available for issue to the Board of Directors.
In the year 2009, corporate management and employees of the subsidiary Artnet Corp. were granted options from the 2009 stock option plan, in return for which they forfeited all previously granted rights that had not expired by the grant date. All options that management and employees forfeited were already vested at the grant date of the new options.
The number of outstanding options changed in the year under report as follows:
| 2010 | 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of options |
Weighted average exercise price |
No. of options |
Weighted average exercise price |
| 193,907 | 4.66 | 280,750 | 3.79 |
| 130,000 | 5.13 | 193,907 | 4.66 |
| (80,750) | 7.17 | ||
| (200,000) | 2.41 | ||
| 323,907 | 4.85 | 193,907 | 4.66 |
| 0 | — | 0 | — |
The options outstanding on December 31, 2010 had a weighted average remaining contract term of 9.14 years (December 31, 2009: 9.9 years). The exercise price granted was 5.13 and 4.66 in 2010 and 2009 respectively. Of the 323,907 options outstanding, 129,160 were granted to the management of Artnet Corp.
The fair value of the stock options was calculated for the grant date on the basis of the binomial model and the following assumptions:
| Options | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| granted 2010 |
granted 2009 |
forfeited 2009 |
|
| Number of options granted | 130,000 | 193,907 | 200,000 |
| Share price on grant date (EUR) | 5.03 | 5.02 | 5.02 |
| Weighted average exercise price (EUR) | 5.13 | 4.66 | 2.41 |
| Weighted average performance target (share price in EUR) |
5.64 | 5.13 | 2.65 |
| Expected weighted average term of the options (years) |
10.00 | 10.00 | 3.64 |
| Risk free interest rate (%) | 1.27 | 3.40 | 2.50 |
| Expected average volatility (%) | 55.00 | 70.00 | 70.00 |
| Expected dividend yield (%) | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Fair value of one option at grant or waiver date (EUR) |
3.18 | 3.89 | 3.73 |
| Total fair value of options (EUR) | 413,400 | 754,298 | 745,500 |
Expected volatility was determined based on the weekly changes in XETRA share prices. The expected term of the options issued in 2010 and 2009 corresponds to the contractual term of the options. The contractual remaining term was reported for the options forfeited in 2009.
The exercise price corresponds to the average stock exchange quotation of the artnet shares over the last ten bank working days preceding the grant date.
The options can be exercised for the first time at the end of two years beginning at midnight on the option allotment date and then up until the end of their term; they expire ten years after the grant date. Rights may not be exercised in the period from two weeks before the end of the quarter until the end of the first trading day after publication of the quarterly results and also not in the period from two weeks before the end of the fiscal year until the end of the first trading day after publication of the results for the past fiscal year.
The plan also sets out that rights may only be exercised if the closing market price determined before the date of the planned exercise of the option exceeds the exercise price by at least ten percent. If this performance target has been reached on one occasion, the options can be exercised during the exercise periods independently of the further performance of the artnet share price over their term.
EUR 104,337 was spent on share-based payment in the fiscal year 2010 and EUR 14,145 in 2009. In 2009 the Company accounted for the granting of options with simultaneous forfeiture by employees of their previous options as a "replacement." Over the two-year waiting period, the amount by which the fair value of the options granted exceeds the fair value of the options forfeited by employees is allocated as an expense.
17 Personnel Expenses
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income includes the following personnel expenses for the financial years presented per expense category:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Personnel expenses per cost category | EUR | EUR |
| Cost of sales | 3,088,707 | 2,680,713 |
| Selling and marketing | 1,438,232 | 1,512,204 |
| General administrative | 1,272,249 | 1,268,130 |
| Product development | 1,035,373 | 969,446 |
| Total personnel costs | 6,834,561 | 6,430,493 |
The total personnel costs include social security expenses of EUR 739,017 and EUR 711,220 and 401(k) expenses of EUR 68,466 and EUR 62,010 as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 respectively.
As of December 31, 2010 there were 105 full time employees as compared with 99 in the previous year. Additionally, the Group employed 13 part-time employees in 2010 as compared to 11 in the previous year and 13 sales and other consultants as compared to 12 in 2009.
The average number of employees in fiscal years 2010 and 2009 was 105 in both years. The employees were engaged in the following activities:
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of sales | 65 | 66 |
| Selling and marketing | 16 | 16 |
| General and administrative | 11 | 11 |
| Product development | 13 | 12 |
| Total | 105 | 105 |
18 Defined Contribution Plans
The subsidiary Artnet Corp. has a savings plan, which qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of the USA for all qualifying employees. The assets of the plan are held separately from those of Artnet Corp. in funds under control of trustees. Participating employees may contribute up to 100% of their annual salary but not more than statutory limits. Artnet Corp. has a discretionary matching contribution each year. In the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2009, the matching contributions were EUR 68,466 and EUR 62,010, respectively.
19 Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share are calculated by dividing net income by the weightedaverage number of common shares outstanding during the year.
Diluted earnings per share are calculated in the same manner as basic earnings per share with the exception that the average number of shares outstanding increases by adding the potential number of shares from stock option conversions.
The calculation of earnings per share is based on the following data:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Numerator (earnings): | ||
| Net result for the year retained for equity shareholders | 152,905 | (467,151) |
| Denominator (number of shares): | ||
| Weighted average number of ordinary shares used to calculate basic earnings per share (issued and fully paid ordinary shares) |
5,552,986 | 5,552,986 |
| Effect of potential shares: Stock options | 4,000 | 0 |
| Weighted average number of ordinary shares used to calculate dilutive earnings per share |
5,556,986 | 5,686,986 |
The weighted average exercise price (EUR 4.85) is less than the average share price in 2010 (EUR 4.91). In consequence, there are 4,000 diluted shares.
20 Additional Disclosures to the Statement of Comprehensive Income
Profit/(Loss) from Operations
Profit/(loss) from operations has been arrived at after charging:
| 2010 EUR |
2009 EUR |
|
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation and amortization | 833,264 | 692,805 |
| Personnel expenses | 6,834,561 | 6,430,493 |
Amortization of intangible assets was booked in the amount of EUR 417,689 in 2010 and EUR 351,172 in 2009.
Depreciation and Amortization are presented in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income as part of cost of sales.
Other Income and Expense
In 2010 the Group recognized expense from exchange rate differences in the amount of EUR 97,449 and VAT payments in the amount of EUR 129,483. The Group also obtained wage continuation by the German government in the amount of EUR 33,519. In 2009, the Group recognized income from exchange rate differences in the amount of EUR 30,692 offset by other non-operating expense amounting to EUR 207,686 resulting from the write-off of the receivable due from related parties.
Interest Income and Interest Expense
Interest income is interest earned on short term cash investments. In 2010, interest income also included EUR 60,210 related to the reversal of a prior year accrual for interest expense. During 2010 the Group was notified by the German government that it would not pursue a tax assessment from 2001–2004. The Group subsequently wrote down the interest expense it had accrued related to the tax liability. Interest expense is interest paid for finance lease obligations.
21 Segment Reporting
With the implementation of IFRS 8 "Operating Segments" the artnet Group reviewed its business units. The Group reports on the operating segments in the same way it reports operating segment information to the management and Supervisory Board. The Group has identified four different segments, which differ in regards in their products and are managed separately. The four reportable segments are as follows:
- The artnet Galleries segment provides services to galleries by posting the galleries' available works of art online.
- The artnet Price Database segment includes the artnet Price Database Fine Art and Design and the artnet Price Database Decorative Art sales as well as sales generated from the products artnet Market Alert, artnet Market Reports, and artnet Monographs.
- The artnet Auctions segment provides an online platform to buy and sell artworks.
- The artnet Advertising segment produces banner and national advertising on the website.
Interest income/(expense)
The French, German, and American artnet Magazines are primarily a marketing tool supporting the Groups business activities. Therefore, revenues and expenses related to the magazines are allocated to the Groups reportable segments. Expenses are presented in the "Selling and Marketing" line.
Segment performance is evaluated based on profit or loss before taxes. Not directly attributable expenses are allocated to the reportable segments. During the second quarter of 2010, the Group undertook a review of the allocation method used for each product. The Group decided to use a blended allocation that is weighted based on headcount and revenue as opposed to the previous allocation method, which used headcount only. This allocation method has been used for both 2009 and 2010 for comparative purposes.
A measure of total assets or liabilities for each reportable segment is not provided to the management. Therefore, total assets or liabilities are not disclosed for each reportable segment.
| EUR | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| artnet | artnet | artnet | artnet | ||
| Year ending December 31, 2010 | Galleries | Price Database | Auctions | Advertising | Total |
| Revenue | 5,176,402 | 4,987,215 | 1,951,202 | 1,557,762 | 13,672,581 |
| Cost of sales | 1,745,808 | 1,654,838 | 1,259,167 | 287,861 | 4,947,674 |
| Gross profit/(loss) | 3,430,594 | 3,332,377 | 692,035 | 1,269,901 | 8,724,907 |
| Other operating expenses | |||||
| Selling and marketing | 1,396,176 | 687,163 | 414,424 | 570,408 | 3,068,171 |
| General and administrative | 1,334,316 | 1,169,945 | 547,537 | 398,562 | 3,450,360 |
| Product development | 713,019 | 653,860 | 549,394 | 212,980 | 2,129,253 |
| Non cash compensation | 39,448 | 36,176 | 16,930 | 11,783 | 104,337 |
| Total other operating expense | 3,482,959 | 2,547,144 | 1,528,285 | 1,193,733 | 8,752,121 |
| Profit/(loss) from operations | (52,365) | 785,233 | (836,250) | 76,168 | (27,214) |
| Interest income/(expense) | |||||
| and other income/(expense) | (50,504) | (46,314) | (21,675) | (15,086) | (133,579) |
| Profit/(loss) prior to tax provision | (102,869) | 738,919 | (857,925) | 61,082 | (160,793) |
| EUR | |||||
| artnet | artnet | artnet | artnet | ||
| Year ending December 31, 2009 | Galleries | Price Database | Auctions | Advertising | Total |
| Revenue | 5,153,123 | 4,733,329 | 815,018 | 1,517,032 | 12,218,502 |
| Cost of sales | 1,731,779 | 1,714,809 | 891,081 | 280,091 | 4,617,760 |
| Gross profit/(loss) | 3,421,344 | 3,018,520 | (76,063) | 1,236,941 | 7,600,742 |
| Other operating expenses | |||||
| Selling and marketing | 1,348,724 | 756,056 | 484,732 | 383,225 | 2,972,737 |
| General and administrative | 1,362,931 | 1,167,825 | 355,258 | 407,109 | 3,293,123 |
| Product development | 528,932 | 470,031 | 493,935 | 157,993 | 1,650,891 |
| Non cash compensation | 5,756 | 5,114 | 1,556 | 1,719 | 14,145 |
| Total other operating expense | 3,246,343 | 2,399,026 | 1,335,481 | 950,046 | 7,930,896 |
| Profit/(loss) from operations | 175,001 | 619,494 | (1,411,544) | 286,895 | (330,154) |
The reportable segments contain primarily the following non-cash transactions: artnet also expensed EUR 104,337 in 2010 and EUR 14,145 in 2009 for non-cash compensation based on the stock option plan.
and other income/(expense) (71,721) (63,735) (19,388) (21,423) (176,267) Profit/(loss) prior to tax provision 103,280 555,759 (1,430,932) 265,472 (506,421)
| EUR | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year ending December 31, 2010 | artnet Galleries |
artnet Price Database |
artnet Auctions |
artnet Advertising |
Total |
| Depriciation and amortization | 315,045 | 288,906 | 135,208 | 94,105 | 833,264 |
| Provision for and write-offs of doubtful debts |
44,607 | 40,906 | 19,144 | 13,325 | 117,982 |
| EUR | |||||
| artnet | artnet | artnet | artnet | ||
| Year ending December 31, 2009 | Galleries | Price Database | Auctions | Advertising | Total |
| Depriciation and amortization | 272,549 | 232,644 | 81,405 | 106,207 | 692,805 |
| Provision for and write-offs of doubtful debts |
148,766 | 126,984 | 44,433 | 57,972 | 378,155 |
22 Information about Geographical Area
The Group's operations are primarily located in the USA represented by the subsidiary Artnet Corp. The following table provides an analysis of the Group's revenue by geographical market:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | EUR | EUR |
| United States | 8,062,606 | 7,016,713 |
| Europe | 4,566,475 | 4,308,548 |
| Asia, South America, Australia, Canada | 1,043,500 | 893,241 |
| Total | 13,672,581 | 12,218,502 |
Assets by Geographical Area
The following is an analysis of the carrying amount of the assets of the Group, and additions to property and equipment and intangible assets, analyzed by the geographical area in which the assets are located.
| Carrying amount of segment assets | Additions to fixed assets | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12/31/2010 | 12/31/2009 | 2010 | 2009 | ||
| Consolidated | Consolidated | Consolidated | Consolidated | ||
| EUR | EUR | EUR | EUR | ||
| USA | 6,461,173 | 5,915,649 | 294,563 | 549,555 | |
| Germany | 478,237 | 496,014 | 16,156 | 66,930 | |
| UK | 31,047 | 18,819 | 0 | 0 | |
| France | 140,531 | 143,495 | 6,102 | 664 | |
| Total | 7,110,988 | 6,573,977 | 316,821 | 617,149 |
The segment results and liabilities of the Group are not allocated by geographical area, as this is not possible in a meaningful way.
The depreciation and amortization expenses of the Group companies apply to fixed assets in the USA in the amount of EUR 778,353 (2009: EUR 633,074), France in the amount of EUR 5,523 (2009: EUR 5,682) and to fixed assets in Germany in the amount of EUR 49,388 (2009: EUR 54,049).
23 Operating Lease Arrangements and Other Commitments
Artnet Corp. leases its New York office facilities under non-cancelable operating lease terms that continue up to March 31, 2012. Beginning January 1, 2009 Artnet Corp. subleased parts of its office facilities to a subtenant through March 31, 2012. artnet AG leases its Berlin office under a non-cancelable operating lease continuing through November 30, 2013. Starting on June 15, 2008 artnet France sarl leases its Paris office under an operating lease with a minimum term of three years. For the offices in Berlin and Paris the Group has the option to prolong the lease term by up to 6 years. artnet UK Ltd. leases its London office under an operate lease, which is cancelable at short notice. Future minimum rental payments required as of December 31, 2010 and 2009 are as follows:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Lease Payments | ||
| Less than one year | 579,633 | 431,387 |
| Between two and five years | 237,187 | 551,296 |
| 816,820 | 982,683 | |
| Proceeds from sublease | ||
| Less than one year | 65,536 | 60,740 |
| Between two and five years | 16,841 | 78,470 |
| 82,377 | 139,210 | |
| Total | 734,443 | 843,473 |
Rent expenses for the Group offset by proceeds from the sublease amounted to EUR 570,894 and EUR 535,066 for the years ending December 31, 2010 and 2009, respectively. Proceeds from the sublease amounted to EUR 59,249 and EUR 51,497 in 2010 and 2009, respectively.
24 Fees of Statutary Auditor
Auditor's fees for the audit of the statutory financial statements of the Company and the consolidated financial statements amounted to EUR 55,000 (including out of pocket expenses) and EUR 48,200 in 2010 and 2009, respectively. In addition, the Company recorded EUR 5,275 and EUR 12,600 for tax advisory services by the auditor and EUR 16,150 and EUR 22,200 for other services. All fees are recognized as expenses in 2010 and 2009, respectively.
25 Related Party Transactions
Transactions between the Company and its subsidiaries, which are related parties, have been eliminated on consolidation and are not disclosed in this note. All transactions with related parties are made on terms equivalent to those that prevail at arm's length.
Executive Board
Hans Neuendorf is CEO of artnet AG and a director of Artnet Corp.
In the fiscal years 2010 and 2009, Mr. Neuendorf received the following remuneration from artnet AG:
| 2010 | 2009 | |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | |
| Fixed salary | 356,250 | 330,000 |
| Value of additional benefits (car usage) | 8,302 | 8,248 |
| Fixed remuneration components | 364,552 | 338,248 |
| Bonus (variable compensation) | 155,000 | 190,000 |
| Total | 519,552 | 528,248 |
Mr. Neuendorf or companies controlled by him own 1,461,635 shares of artnet AG. Galerie Neuendorf AG sold artworks though the artnet Auctions platform and paid sellers premium fees to Artnet Corp. in the amount of EUR 1,397 in 2010 and EUR 990 in 2009.
Supervisory Board
John D. Hushon, Naples, Florida, Chairman
Dr. Christian Dohm, Munich, Vice Chairman
Hannes von Goesseln, Berlin (new member as of April 21, 2009)
Klaus-Jochen, Schaeffer, Hamburg (retired member as of April 8, 2009)
The supervisory board members' remuneration in the fiscal years 2010 and 2009 amounted as follows:
| 2010 | 2009 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | EUR | ||
| John D. Hushon | 40,000 | 33,750 | |
| Dr. Christian Dohm | 30,000 | 25,313 | |
| Hannes von Goesseln | 20,000 | 12,656 | |
| Klaus-Jochen Schaeffer | 0 | 4,219 | |
| 90,000 | 75,938 |
Mr. Hushon holds 49,054 shares of artnet AG and Mr. von Goesseln holds 6,220 shares of artnet AG.
Mr. Von Goesseln purchased works through the artnet Auction platform and paid buyers' premium fees in the amount of EUR 490 in 2010 to Artnet Corp.
The Remuneration Report outlines the principles used for determining the compensation of the Supervisory Board of artnet AG. In addition, the report describes the policies and levels of compensation paid to Supervisory Board members. The Remuneration Report is presented within the Corporate Governance Report, included in this Annual Report for fiscal year 2010.
Other Related Party Transactions
Jacob Pabst, a related person to Mr. Neuendorf, is working as Chief Information Officer for Artnet Corp. The salary is EUR 219,868 and EUR 169,182 as of December 31, 2010 and 2009. Additionally, he was given 40,000 stock options on June 10, 2010. The fair value of the stock based compensation amounted to EUR 127,200. In 2010, the expense related to the stock options amounted to EUR 29,371 and is included in the line item non cash compensation.
In 2010 and 2009, Caroline Neuendorf was paid commissions for the sale of artnet Monographs in the amount of EUR 3,200 and EUR 800, respectively.
Loans due to Artnet Corp. from artnet AG, artnet France sarl, and artnet UK Ltd. amounted to EUR 1,283,650, EUR 48,884, and EUR 1,732, respectively. These intercompany loans are eliminated in consolidation.
26 Accounting Estimates and Judgments
The preparation of the Group's consolidated financial statements requires management estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts and related dis closures. All estimates and assumptions are made to the best of management's knowledge and belief in order to fairly present the Group's financial position and results of operations. Especially the following accounting policies are significantly impacted by management's estimates and judgments.
Deferred Income Taxes
At each balance sheet date, the Group assesses whether the realization of future tax benefits is sufficiently probable to recognize deferred tax assets. This assessment requires the exercise of judgment on the part of the management with respect to, among other things, benefits that could be realized from available tax strategies and future taxable income, as well as other positive and negative factors. The amount of deferred tax assets could be reduced if projected future taxable profits are lowered.
Capitalized Costs of Website Development
Capitalized website development costs relate to new products, which the Company anticipates will produce revenue in the future. These costs include consulting fees and salaries. The revenue projections for these new products are based on management's best estimates but actual results could vary from projections.
27 Notifications in Accordance with § 21 of the Securities Trading Act
Mr. Oliver Schmidt, Düsseldorf, has informed us within the meaning of Section 26(1) of the WpHG on March 8, 2010, that his voting rights in our company has exceeded the notification threshold of 3% on March 8, 2010, and that on this date he held 3.02% (170,000 voting rights) of the total voting rights.
Pursuant to §15a of the German Securities Trading Act, artnet was notified on April 7, 2010 that Hannes von Goesseln, a Supervisory Board member, purchased 1,150 shares at an average price of EUR 4.8325 on April 6, 2010.
Pursuant to §15a of the German Securities Trading Act, artnet was notified on April 7, 2010 that Hannes von Goesseln, a Supervisory Board member, purchased 1,070 shares at an average price of EUR 4.813 on April 1, 2010.
Pursuant to §15a of the German Securities Trading Act, artnet was notified on May 6, 2010 that Hannes von Goesseln, a Supervisory Board member, purchased 1,000 shares at an average price of EUR 4.9526 on May 3, 2010.
Schaeffer Immobilien GmbH, Hamburg, Germany, informed us within the meaning of Section 21 (1) WpHG on June 01, 2010 that its share of the voting rights in our company fell short of the threshold of 10% of the voting rights on May 27, 2010 and on this date such amounts to 8.52% (480,000 voting rights) of the total voting rights (5,631,067). Pursuant to §15a of the German Securities Trading Act, artnet was notified on July 19, 2010 that Hannes von Goesseln, a Supervisory Board member, purchased 1,000 shares
28 Report on Post-Balance Sheet Events
No reportable events of significant importance have occurred after the balance sheet date.
29 Declaration of Conformity with the German Corporate Governance Code in Accordance with Art. 161 of the German Stock Corporation Act
at an average price of EUR 5.0726 on July 15, 2010.
On December 30, 2010, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of artnet AG issued the declaration of conformity with the recommendations of the German Corporate Governance Code as amended on June 18, 2009, in accordance with Art. 161 of the Stock Corporation Act (AktG). The declaration is posted on the website of the Company.
Berlin, March 18, 2011
Chief Executive Officer Hans Neuendorf
Translation of the Independent Auditor's Report
We have audited the consolidated financial statements prepared by artnet AG, Berlin comprising the balance sheet, the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity, cash flow statement and the notes to the consolidated financial statements, together with the group management report for the business year from January 1, to December 31, 2010. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements and the group management report in accordance with IFRS as adopted by the EU, and the additional requirements of German commercial law pursuant to § 315a paragraph 1 HGB are the responsibility of the parent company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the consolidated financial statements and on the group management report based on our audit.
We conducted our audit of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with § 317 HGB and generally accepted German standards for the audit of financial statements promulgated by the Institute of Public Auditors in Germany (Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer—IDW). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit such that misstatements materially affecting the presentation of the net assets, financial position and results of operations in the consolidated financial statements in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework and in the group management report are detected with reasonable assurance. Knowledge of the business activities and the economic and legal environment of the Group and expectations as to possible misstatements are taken into account in the determination of audit procedures. The effectiveness of the accounting-related internal control system and the evidence supporting the disclosures in the consolidated financial statements and the group management report are examined primarily on a test basis within the framework of the audit. The audit includes assessing the annual financial statements of those entities included in consolidation, the determinations of entities to be included in consolidation, the accounting and consolidation principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements and the group management report.
We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion. Our audit has not led to any reservations.
In our opinion, based on the findings of our audit, the consolidated financial statements comply with IFRS as adopted by the EU and the additional requirement of German commercial law pursuant to § 315a paragraph 1 HGB and give a true and fair view of the net assets, financial position and results of operations of the Group in accordance with these requirements. The group management report is consistent with the consolidated financial statements and as a whole provides a suitable view of the Group's position and suitably presents the opportunities and risks of future development.
Hamburg, March 21, 2011
Ebner Stolz Mönning Bachem GmbH & Co. KG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Steuerberatungsgesellschaft
Thomas Götze Elmar Meier Wirtschaftsprüfer Wirtschaftsprüfer
(German Certified Public Auditor) (German Certified Public Auditor)
artnet AG
Supervisory Board John Hushon, Chairman Dr. Christian Dohm, Deputy Chairman Hannes von Goesseln Board of Management Hans Neuendorf, CEO
Artnet Worldwide Corp.
Hans Neuendorf, CEO B. William Fine, President
artnet France sarl
Hans Neuendorf, Gérant Gina Kehayoff, Directrice Générale
Addresses
artnet AG Oranienstrasse 164 10969 Berlin Germany info@ artnet.de Tel. + 49 (0)30 20 91 78 0 Fax + 49 (0)30 20 91 78 29
Artnet Worldwide Corp. 61 Broadway, 23rd Floor New York, NY 10006 USA info@ artnet.com Tel. + 1-212-497-9700 Fax + 1-212-497-9707
artnet France sarl 5, rue du Chevalier de Saint George 75008 Paris France info@ artnet.fr Tel. + 33 (0)1 42 86 67 10 Fax + 33 (0)1 42 86 10 16
artnet UK Ltd. Morrell House 98 Curtain Road London EC2A 3AF United Kingdom info@ artnet.co.uk Tel. + 44 (0)20 7729 0824 Fax + 44 (0)20 7033 9077
Investor Relations
You can find information for investors and the annual financial statements at www.artnet.de/ir. If you have further queries, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or send your inquiry by mail to one of our offices.
Information on artnet stock
The common stock of artnet AG is traded on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol AYD. You can find ad-hoc disclosures on relevant company developments at http://www.artnet.com/about/pressreleases.asp?A=14.
German Securities Code Number
(WKN) 690950 ISIN DE0006909500
Published by
artnet AG Oranienstraße 164 10969 Berlin
Concept, Design and Prepress Büro Fleischmann Prof. Gerd Fleischmann
Editorial Office Christian Woelki Renate Bothe
Picture Research Silvia Koch
Translations Foris AG
© 2011 artnet AG, Berlin
Julian Schnabel Roy, 1998 Screen Print 45 × 36 in. Edition of 90, signed
Estimate USD 4,000–5,000 End Time October 19, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 5,750 (Premium)
© Kwai Po Collection, Hong Kong, Courtesy ArtChina Gallery, Hamburg
Zhang Xiaogang Fantasy, 2002 Lithograph 30 × 25 in. Edition of 199, signed
Estimate USD 3,500–4,500 End Time November 23, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 4,255 (Premium)
Mel Ramos
Coca-Cola, 1972 Lithograph 30.9 × 25 in. Edition of 2,500, signed
Estimate USD 1,500–2,500 End Time March 16, 2010 Sold on artnet Auctions For USD 1,898 (Premium) artnet® auctions 24/7 For Galleries and Collectors