Meyer Burger Technology AG — Earnings Release 2006

Apr 3, 2007

News Details

Corporate | 3 April 2007 11:34

Roth & Rau reports successful 2006 financial year

Roth & Rau AG / Final Results

Release of a Corporate-announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a company of
EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Roth & Rau reports successful 2006 financial year
- Sales growth of 28.3 %
- Sales expected to rise to Euro 100 million in 2007
- Expansion in capacity safeguards further growth

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 3 April 2007 – Roth & Rau AG has presented its
definitive business results, thus documenting its successful sales and
earnings performance in 2006, the first half of which was dominated by the
success of the company’s IPO. 'The IPO in May 2006 was an important and
appropriate step for us. The resultant increase in awareness of our company
had a markedly positive impact on our operating business in the remainder
of the year', commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of Roth & Rau AG, at the
Annual Results Press and Analysts’ Conference held in Munich today. This
was particularly reflected in the sharp rise in incoming orders to Euro
129.1 million (previous year: Euro 37.1 million) and the record level of
orders on hand.

Alongside its main product, the SiNA antireflective coating facility
series, where Roth & Rau AG is the market leader, the company’s substantial
growth was also largely driven by the marketing of newly developed
products. The concept of a turnkey production line facilitating the
cost-efficient mass production of silicon solar cells was marketed for the
first time. Within the framework of the conversion of the Frankfurt chip
factory in Frankfurt/Oder, Roth & Rau will be installing several turnkey
production lines for Conergy AG by early 2008. The company achieved a
further breakthrough in the form of IonScan 800, a facility for surface
precision processing in the semiconductor industry. The order for one such
facility placed by the American company TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. means
that Roth & Rau has successfully entered the important American
semiconductor market.

The key figures for the financial year also clearly reflect the growth
generated in the past year. Sales rose by 28.3 % to Euro 42,853k. Costs of
material increased in line with sales from Euro 24,887k to Euro 31,781k. In
the course of expanding the company’s capacities, a total of 44 new
employees were hired in the past year, resulting in a considerable increase
in personnel expenses, which rose by 51.4 % to Euro 4,510k. Earnings before
interest and taxes (EBIT) improved by 4.7 % to Euro 4,510k. The annual net
surplus amounted to Euro 2,904k and was thus 14.8 % higher than the
previous year’s figure of Euro 2,530k. The two segments – photovoltaic and
plasma and ion beam technology – contributed 84.6 % and 15.4 % of sales
respectively. The traditionally high-volume photovoltaic division generated
an EBIT contribution of Euro 4,293k, while the plasma and ion beam
technology division, which is largely characterised by research and
development projects, contributed an amount of Euro 169k to operating
earnings. The increased business volume was also reflected in the change in
working capital. Having accounted for the rise in inventories and
business-related liabilities, the operating cash flow amounted to Euro
-321k (previous year: Euro 2,766k).

The shareholders also benefited from the company’s successful business
performance. The share price amounted to Euro 40.40 at the end of the
financial year, equivalent to an increase of 12.2 % on the issue price of
Euro 36.00. 'We are very pleased with this development and are also
witnessing an increase in the interest shown in our share on the part of
many institutional investors', remarked Dr. Roth. To enable the company to
invest in its further growth, the proposed appropriation of profit involves
carrying forward the earnings for the past financial year.

The company has already witnessed a very pleasing start to the current
financial year. The volume of incoming orders has developed positively in
an ongoing favourable sector climate. 'We will maintain our growth course
in the 2007 financial year as well, with a clear focus on organic growth.
However, the improvement in our capital and liquidity structure as a result
of the IPO also enables us to examine any acquisition opportunities arising
in the market', added Dr. Roth. The company had budgeted for sales of
around Euro 100 million with a further increase in its EBIT. By expanding
its production capacities and taking on new employees, Roth & Rau is well
placed to handle the high level of business volumes expected. The new
photovoltaic location currently being built in Hohenstein-Ernstthal is
expected to be fully available for the production of new facilities in
September 2007.

About Roth & Rau AG:
Roth & Rau AG (ISIN DE000A0JCZ51) develops and manufactures equipment and
process systems on the basis of plasma and ion beam technology and supplies
these to a global customer base in a wide variety of sectors. Roth & Rau’s
photovoltaic business field focuses on providing antireflective coating
facilities for crystalline silicon solar cells. With a global market share
(excluding Japan) of around 60 %, Roth & Rau is the global market leader in
this area. The company’s second business field of plasma and ion beam
technology, which accounted for around 15 % of total sales in the past
financial year, develops equipment for the semiconductor and automotive
industries, as well as for research and development in various sectors.

Contact:
Haubrok Investor Relations GmbH
Simone Gorny
Kaistraße 16
40221 Düsseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/30126-130
Fax: +49 (0)211/30126-172
E-Mail: s.gorny@haubrok.de

DGAP 03.04.2007

Language: English
Issuer: Roth & Rau AG
Gewerbering 3 OT Wüstenbrand
09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal Deutschland
Phone: 0372349880
Fax: 03723 498825
E-mail: silvia.roth@roth-rau.de
www: www.roth-rau.de
ISIN: DE000A0JCZ51
WKN: A0JCZ5
Indices:
Listed: Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart;
Entry Standard in Frankfurt

End of News DGAP News-Service

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