Meyer Burger Technology AG — Earnings Release 2010

Aug 13, 2010

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Corporate | 13 August 2010 08:00

Roth & Rau AG reports successful first half of 2010

Roth & Rau AG / Half Year Results

13.08.2010 08:00

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Roth & Rau AG reports successful first half of 2010
- Second-quarter sales up 64% to EUR 83,498k
- EBIT of EUR 6,844k in second quarter
- New orders quadruple from EUR 65,162k to EUR 265,161k in first half

Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 13 August 2010 - Roth & Rau AG can look back on a
successful first half of 2010. As forecast, key sales and earnings figures
have developed positively as the year has progressed. Consolidated sales
grew by 64.0 % from EUR 50,912k to EUR 83,498k in the second quarter. Sales
totalled EUR 118,824k in the first half as a whole and were thus slightly
ahead of the previous year's figure of EUR 117,045k. The international
share of sales increased from 84.8 % to 91.4 %, with Asia accounting for
78.9 % and thus the largest share of sales.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), still negative in the first
quarter of the year, amounted to EUR 6,844k in the second quarter. This
corresponds to an EBIT margin of 8.2 %. For the first half of the year,
EBIT therefore totalled EUR 6,060k (2009: EUR 12,040k) and the EBIT margin
amounted to 5.1 % (2009: 10.3 %). Consolidated net income amounted to EUR
4,960k (2009: EUR 9,573k), resulting in earnings per share of EUR 0.33
(2009: EUR 0.69). The cash flow from operations improved substantially from
EUR -3,794k in the previous year to EUR 13,587k.

The marked revival in business in the solar industry led to a sharp
increase in orders in the first half of the year. New orders quadrupled
from EUR 65,162k in the previous year's period to EUR 265,161k, thus more
or less matching the record order volume posted for the entire 2008
financial year. At EUR 228,835k, the overwhelming share of orders was
placed in the photovoltaics segment (2009: EUR 48,066k). 'In the second
quarter we acquired a major order for a wafer production line from a
well-known Indian solar company. This order will enable us to make progress
with diversifying our product portfolio along the value chain, and thus
boost our competitive position. There is increasing interest, especially in
the high-growth Asian market, in turnkey solutions covering several
production stages from a single source', commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO of
Roth & Rau AG. Of total new orders, the OTB subsidiary consolidated for the
first time in the half-year financial statements accounted for EUR 84,565k.
Orders on hand totalled EUR 351,106k as of 30 June 2010, thus also setting
a new record (2009: EUR 161,486k).

The positive outlook for the second half of the year has been confirmed by
the significant revival in orders in the second quarter. Roth & Rau expects
the market recovery to continue and the order situation to show dynamic
developments in the coming months. New orders worth EUR 49,901k were
received in July alone. Moreover, the company had received letters of
intent totalling EUR 536,315k as of 31 July 2010. 'Our key operating
figures developed on schedule in the first half of the year. This shows
that we are on the right track with our strategy of profitable growth. For
the year as a whole, we continue to expect consolidated sales of EUR 285
million and an EBIT margin of a maximum of 9.0 %', added company CFO
Carsten Bovenschen.

The extensive half-year report is available for downloading from the
Investor Relations section of the company's website at www.roth-rau.de.

About Roth & Rau AG:
Roth & Rau AG, based in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, has been one of the world's
leading suppliers of production equipment and innovative production
technologies for the photovoltaics industry for more than 10 years now. In
its photovoltaics segment, Roth & Rau focuses on providing antireflective
coating systems and turnkey production lines for use in the manufacture of
crystalline silicon solar cells. Further products include thermal
processing systems also used in the manufacture of crystalline silicon
solar cells, as well as coating systems and turnkey production lines for
the manufacture of thin film solar modules. Roth & Rau MicroSystems, a
subsidiary located in the Wüstenbrand district, develops and produces
process systems for plasma and ion beam enhanced thin film and surface
processing methods tailored to customers' specific needs. The customers
served by this division particularly include companies in the semiconductor
industry, R&D departments in various other industrial sectors, research
institutes and universities. The portfolio of the Roth & Rau Group is
supplemented by software products in the field of systems management,
production monitoring and maintenance and service offerings.

Contact:
Roth & Rau AG
Prof. Dr. Silvia Roth
Tel.: +49 (0) 3723/6685-333
E-Mail: investor@roth-rau.de

Haubrok Investor Relations GmbH
Simone Gorny
Tel.: +49 (0) 211/17183537
E-Mail: s.gorny@haubrok.de

13.08.2010 Ad hoc announcement, Financial News and Press Release distributed by DGAP.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

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Language: English
Company: Roth & Rau AG
An der Baumschule 6-8
09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Deutschland
Phone: 03723 6685-0
Fax: 03723 6685-100
E-mail: info@roth-rau.de
Internet: www.roth-rau.de
ISIN: DE000A0JCZ51
WKN: A0JCZ5
Indices: TecDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in München, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Stuttgart

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