zooplus SE — Earnings Release 2008

Nov 27, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 27 November 2008 08:00

zooplus AG raises full-year forecast / 9-months figures confirm high growth and earnings momentum

zooplus AG / Quarter Results

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

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• 50% increase in total sales to EUR 58.9 m
• EBIT improved to EUR 2.2 m
• EBIT margin tripled to 3.8%
• Full-year forecast raised

Munich, November 27th, 2008 – zooplus AG (WKN 511170, ISIN DE0005111702,
ZO1), Europe’s leading online pet supplies retailer continues its dynamic
growth despite the backdrop of a weakening overall European consumer
sentiment. Today’s 9-months figures show a combination of dynamic sales
growth in tune with noticeably improved profitability levels. The
management raises both its annual growth and profit forecast for 2008
accordingly.

Overall, total sales of the Frankfurt-listed company increased by 50% from
EUR 39.1 m to EUR 58.9 m y-o-y. This reflects organic sales growth both
domestically and internationally (in its pet food and accessories ranges)
as well as a sustained increase in other operating income (marketing and
others) during the period and on the backdrop of the company’s overall
growth.

Total operating income (excluding one-offs) grew from EUR 0.4 m to EUR 2.2
m y-o-y.

Consolidated profits (after tax) improved from EUR 0.3 m during 9M 2007 to
EUR 4.8 m during 9M 2008. This includes one-off effects such as the costs
of the Listing as well as further tax effects with a total positive net
effect to the amount of EUR 2.8 m. On a pro forma comparable basis
(excluding one-off effects), consolidated profits (after tax) improved from
EUR 0.3 m to EUR 2.0 m y-o-y.

Notable efficiency gains and positive synergy effects were achieved in
areas such as sourcing, logistics and personnel.

On the backdrop of a weakening overall business and consumer climate in
large areas of Western Europe zooplus considers itself well-prepared and
positioned as an online-only retailer. As of November 2008, zooplus has not
seen any major noticeable detrimental effects with respect to sales or
profit dynamics. This so far confirms the company’s previous experiences
during economic downturns which were mostly limited in effect to the
traditional offline retail sector within the pet supplies space. In
addition, pet supplies as a product category historically tends to show
relatively low degrees of price and demand sensitivities even within the
context of a weaker overall economic climate.

For 2008 as a whole the company expects to generate an EBIT (excluding
one-off effects with an additional positive overall effect) in a range of
EUR 2.8 – 3.0 m (previously EUR 2.2 – 2.4 m) on sales of at least EUR 80 m
(previously: EUR 78 m). This represents a y-o-y growth rate of around 45%
and an approximate tripling of EBIT.

Dr. Cornelius Patt, CEO and one of the founders of the company confirmed
this outlook: 'Things are going well at zooplus all across Europe on the
back of an overall increasing share of online consumer spending. Our
company will continue to benefit from this in the future – and we continue
to be very bullish for 2008 as a whole.'

The full 9-months report can be found under
http://investors.zooplus.com/en/welcome/
in the company’s online investor relations area.

Company profile:

zooplus is a leading online retailer for pet products in Germany and Europe
and by its own estimate holds - with respect to overall online turnover - a
leading position in all key European markets. zooplus offers products for
all standard breeds and races (including equine supplies) via websites in
Germany/Austria, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Spain and
Poland and also, via zooplus.com, in other international markets.

Through its websites zooplus offers a wide range of pet products, i.e.
particularly pet food (dry and wet pet food, pet food supplements such as
chewing bones, snacks, etc) as well as pet accessories in a wide range of
prices and categories.

zooplus is a predominantly growth-oriented company. zooplus intends to
continue to grow aggressively in all its existing as well as new geographic
markets whilst at the same time continuously improve its earnings and
profitability levels over the coming years.

Online: http://investors.zooplus.com/en/welcome/

Contact Investor Relations:
cometis AG
Henryk Deter
Tel.: +49 (0)611-205855-13
Fax: +49 (0)611-205855-66
E-mail: deter@cometis.de

27.11.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

Language: English
Issuer: zooplus AG
Sonnenstraße 15
80331 München
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)89 95 006 - 100
Fax: +49 (0)89 95 006 - 500
E-mail: contact@zooplus.com
Internet: www.zooplus.de
ISIN: DE0005111702
WKN: 511170
Listed: Freiverkehr in Stuttgart; Open Market (Entry Standard) in
Frankfurt

End of News DGAP News-Service

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