DIC Asset AG — Earnings Release 2009

Aug 19, 2009

News Details

Ad-hoc | 19 August 2009 07:27

DIC Asset AG remains profitable during the first half of 2009

DIC Asset AG / Quarter Results

Release of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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DIC Asset AG (German Securities ID 509840 / ISIN DE0005098404) today
presented its interim report for the first half of the 2009 financial year.
The Company posted respectable results of EUR 6.1 million in what continued
to be a difficult market environment. Second-quarter profits of EUR 3.5
million showed an increase over the first-quarter result of EUR 2.6
million. Key drivers were the strong performance in real estate operations,
and stable rental income of EUR 67.3 million (H1 2008: EUR 67.7 million).
The year-on-year decline in net profit was primarily due to lower income
this year from opportunistic co-investments, which dominated the results
for the first half of 2008 (EUR 11.8 million).

At EUR 85.3 million, total revenues for the first half of 2009 showed a six
per cent year-on-year increase (H1 2008: EUR 80.6 million), primarily
driven by sales proceeds, which rose to EUR 6.9 million (H1 2008: EUR 2.0
million). The majority of sales involved small to medium-sized properties,
all of which were sold above book value or appraised market value. Stable
rental income of EUR 67.3 million provided the cornerstone of revenues: in
a market that continued to decline, total new rentals of 128,400 sqm during
the first half of 2009 were up nine per cent year-on-year. Two-thirds of
rental volume concerned follow-up leases. Annualised like-for-like rental
income showed a slight increase (+0.03 per cent).

Total expenses of EUR 44.2 million were higher than in the same period of
the previous year (H1 2008: EUR 36.0 million), primarily due to the
disposal of assets following a sale. In addition, asset and property
management resources were strengthened, to safeguard DIC's rental success -
despite market tensions - through intensive tenant coverage. As a result,
staff and administrative expenses rose to EUR 9.0 million (H1 2008: EUR 7.7
million), in line with the budget.

DIC Asset AG's total assets amounted to EUR 2.2 billion as at 30 June 2009.
Long-term assets remained stable, at EUR 2.1 billion. Long-term fixed
interest rate agreements or hedges are in place for close to 90 per cent of
financial debt of EUR 1.6 billion, with 54 per cent having a maturity of
over five years. Only approx. EUR 44 million (or just three per cent of
overall financial debt) will fall due within the next 12 months. DIC Asset
AG reduced interest expenses by approx. EUR 2.7 million (based on
comparable financing volumes) during the first six months of 2009, thanks
to the optimisation of portfolio finance: Accordingly, the net financial
result showed a marked EUR 1.8 million improvement, to EUR -35.3 million.
The average interest rate decreased to 4.72 per cent for the first half of
2009, down 25 basis points compared to 31 December 2008, and down 53 basis
points from the level as at 30 Jun 2008 (5.25 per cent).

FFO (funds from operations, comprising earnings before interest and taxes,
profits from disposals and development projects) amounted to EUR 21.7
million. In the previous year FFO reached EUR 23.1 million and thus was EUR
1.4 million higher. FFO per share of EUR 0.71 was virtually unchanged
year-on-year (H1 2008: EUR 0.74). Second-quarter FFO of EUR 11.5 million
was 13 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2009, reflecting a 3
per cent increase in rental income and a reduction in interest expenses.
Cash flow from continuing operations (after interest and taxes paid) rose
from EUR 18.6 million to EUR 18.8 million.

Operating profit before depreciation and amortisation (EBDA) declined to
EUR 21.1 million (H1 2008: EUR 25.9 million), equivalent to operating
profit per share of EUR 0.69 (H1 2008: EUR 0.83). Reflecting the
development of consolidated net income, earnings per share declined to EUR
0.20 (H1 2008: EUR 0.37). Second-quarter EBDA and consolidated net income
clearly exceeded the first-quarter results, by 13 per cent and 35 per cent,
respectively.

DIC Group has acquired at par the 50 per cent stake previously held by
Morgan Stanley Real Estate Funds (MSREF) in the 'MainTor' project, a key
real estate development in the centre of Frankfurt/Main. DIC Group now
holds 100 per cent of the project interest, of which 40 per cent (up from
20 per cent) is held by DIC Asset AG as a minority shareholding. This
change of ownership on project level offers DIC the opportunity to realize
the project and related further steps more flexibly. DIC Group is prepared
to continue the project on its own but still remains open to interested
investors looking to participate. At present, the MainTor project has
entered the final stage of realigning the zoning map.

Given that the market environment remains difficult, DIC Asset AG will
continue to focus on its profitable rental business during the second half
of 2009, as well as on the selective marketing of small- to medium-sized
properties. Thanks to the investments made during the first half of the
year, to preserve and enhance portfolio value and to strengthen asset and
property management activities, and against the background of its stable
rental performance, DIC is able to afford to postpone larger-sized
transactions until the market situation has improved. Considering the
successful performance shown so far, the Company continues to anticipate
full-year FFO in the range of EUR 34 million to EUR 36 million.

Investor Relations & Corporate Communications:
Immo von Homeyer
Eschersheimer Landstraße 223
60320 Frankfurt am Main
Fon +49-69-274033-86
Fax +49-69-274033-69
ir@dic-asset.de

19.08.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

Language: English
Issuer: DIC Asset AG
Eschersheimer Landstr. 223
60320 Frankfurt
Deutschland
Phone: +49 69 9454858-0
Fax: +49 69 9454858-99
E-mail: info@dic-asset.de
Internet: www.dic-asset.de
ISIN: DE0005098404
WKN: 509840
Indices: S-DAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, München, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Hamburg

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