Viscom AG — Earnings Release 2006

Aug 11, 2006

News Details

Corporate | 11 August 2006 07:30

Viscom AG: Positions for technological and regional expansion

Corporate news transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— Viscom AG with promising half year results – the Group positions for technological and regional expansion Hanover, August 11 2006 – The Viscom AG, European market leader in automatic optical inspection systems for the electronics industry, developed according to expectations and seasonal conditions in the first half of 2006: Viscom raised revenues during this first half to 5.0% above last year’s first half, with €24.5 million. Order intake was especially encouraging: the Viscom AG was awarded orders of over €24.9 million in the first half year 2006 – a rise of 19.7% from the very good comparable period last year. Company EBIT amounted to €4.1 million in the first half year 2006. ‘These good results were achieved despite higher trade fair and marketing costs to boost worldwide sales activity’, comments CFO Ulrich Mohr regarding this development. In addition, the Viscom Group has invested in a planned buildup of its employee base for further expansion of the company. With Jeff Griffin and Kenneth Sim Viscom has won two experienced industry managers for sales and marketing leadership in the growth regions America and Asia. With company revenues of 67.6%, Europe continues to be the most important sales market for the Viscom group. The German market, amongst others, developed well during this first half year. In all Viscom achieved revenues of €16.5 million – a slight drop of 4.4% from the first six months of last year. This traces back chiefly to the French market, restrained by conservative investment tendencies on the part of French companies at present. In Asia Viscom increased revenues to €3.3 million – an improvement of 5.2% from the first half year 2005. Construction of two new applications centers will position Viscom to develop the Asian market more quickly and profit from the remarkable expansion rate in the region. The region America developed especially favorably in the first half of 2006: current revenues of €4.6 million mark a spike of more than 60% over last year’s first six months. The Group improved EBIT over-proportionally during the same period by 116.4% to € 0.4 million. ‘These encouraging growth rates confirm our decision to build a further applications center, in San Jose. With this, we can take an even stronger role in shaping development in the American growth region,’ states Volker Pape, board member and founder of the Viscom AG. Today the Viscom Group is already one of the highest-volume suppliers of inspection systems for quality assurance worldwide. As technological leader with short innovation cycles Viscom has been successful – and consistently profitable – for over 20 years. ‘With the proceeds from the IPO last May we will clearly accelerate the dynamic of technological and regional expansion’, as Dr. Martin Heuser, board member and founder of the Viscom AG, explains the medium-term goals of the company. ‘The developments of the first half of 2006 allow us to look toward the further course of the year and future developments with optimism.’ Key Figures of Viscom AG Consolidated Information 1st Half-Year 2006 Key Figures Jan.- June Jan.- June 2006 2005 Revenues 24,474 23,318 EBIT 4,092 4,408 EBIT-margin 16.7% 18.9% Financial result 184 -63 Income tax -1,667 -1,849 Period net income 2,609 2,496 Earnings per share 0.29 37.14 Number of shares 9,020,000 67,200 Number of employees 312 256 Key Figures of Viscom AG Segmental Information 1st. Quarter 2006 Key Figures Jan.- June Jan.- June 2006 2005 Europe Revenues 16,548 17,306 EBIT 3,391 3,928 EBIT-margin 20.5% 22.7% Financial result 198 -63 Income tax 1,448 1,715 Period net income 2,141 2,150 Asia Revenues 3,284 3,122 EBIT 266 279 EBIT-margin 8.1% 8.9% Financial result 0 0 Income tax 54 56 Period net income 212 223 America Revenues 4,642 2,890 EBIT 435 201 EBIT-margin 9.4% 7.0% Financial result -14 0 Income tax 165 78 Period net income 256 123 Contact: Viscom AG Investor Relations Katharina Blanke Carl-Buderus-Str. 9-15 30455 Hannover Tel.: +49-511-94996-861 Fax: +49-511-94996-501 katharina.blanke@viscom.de Contact: Viscom AG Investor Relations Katharina Blanke Carl-Buderus-Str. 9-15 30455 Hannover Tel.: +49-511-94996-861 Fax: +49-511-94996-501 katharina.blanke@viscom.de (c)DGAP 11.08.2006 ————————————————————————— Language: English Issuer: Viscom AG Carl-Buderus-Strasse 9-15 30455 Hannover Deutschland Phone: +49 (0) 511 94 996 861 Fax: +49 (0) 511 94 996 501 E-mail: katharina.blanke@viscom.de WWW: www.viscom.de ISIN: DE0007846867 WKN: 784686 Indices: Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hannover; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service —————————————————————————