Wolford AG — Earnings Release 2006

Aug 9, 2005

News Details

Ad-hoc | 9 August 2005 08:30

Wolford AG: Sales for the first quarter of the 2005/06 fiscal year

Ad hoc announcement AD HOC NEWS RELEASE – Sales for the first quarter of the 2005/06 fiscal year Wolford AG: Sales for the first quarter of the 2005/06 fiscal year Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— Wolford increases sales in first quarter – Sales growth of 1.8 percent – Sales at Wolford-owned locations up 11.0 percent – Continuing positive trend in Germany and other key markets Bregenz, Austria, August 9, 2005 In the first quarter of the 2005/06 fiscal year, the Wolford Group recorded growth in sales. From May 1 to July 31, 2005, sales grew by 1.8 percent to EUR 24.6 million compared to the first quarter of the previous year. The currency-adjusted growth rate was 2.5 percent. This attractive trend is attributable to the positive course of business with the partner-operated and Wolford’s own boutiques. In the latter distribution channel alone, sales increased by 16.0 percent compared to the previous year’s first quarter. In the Retail segment as a whole (boutiques, shop-in-shops and factory outlets), sales grew by 11.0 percent. Germany, Wolford’s most important market, continued to perform well. Defying the persistent adverse macroeconomic environment, sales in this market maintained the recent positive trend with growth of 8 percent. In addition to a rise of 3 percent in the home market of Austria, particularly significant expansion was achieved in Spain (35 percent), Scandinavia (26 percent) and the Eastern European countries (18 percent). First-quarter sales were down in the United States, UK, France and the Netherlands. The department store and multibrand retailer channels sold less than in the year-earlier quarter; sales through factory outlets were also slightly lower. In the private-label business, meanwhile, sales climbed at a double-digit rate during the first three months of the fiscal year. The number of Wolford boutiques rose from 223 to 226 in the twelve months to July 31. The next additions will be a proprietary boutique in Cologne and a partner-operated one in Zurich in August 2005, both in prime locations. These two outlets will already use the new store design, representing the start of the roll-out of Wolford’s fresh boutique concept. The Executive Board expects the positive trend to continue and remains confident for the business performance going forward. The target for the full fiscal year remains an increase in sales to at least EUR 120 million and an accompanying improvement in profitability at a rate exceeding that of the sales growth. The sales results reported here are preliminary. The final sales data and full financial results for the first quarter of the 2005/06 fiscal year will be published on September 22, 2005. Contacts:Holger Dahmen, Chief Executive Officer Peter Simma, Chief Financial Officer investor@wolford.com, http://www.wolford.com Wolford AG, Wolfordstraße 1, A-6901 Bregenz, Austria; Tel.:+43 (0) 5574/690 0 Wolford AG Wolfordstraße 1 6901 Bregenz Austria ISIN: AT0000834007 WKN: 083400 Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Wien; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Frankfurt, Hamburg, München und Stuttgart End of ad hoc announcement (c)DGAP 09.08.2005 090830 Aug 05