euro adhoc: Softing AG
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
Softing
AG: Divisional success varies greatly - earnings below expectation
despite sales growth
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
13.11.2006
Based on the figures for the first nine months of the year, the Executive Board of Softing AG believes that the company will not be able to attain a full-year EBIT of approximately E 1.5 million, which was the target it announced at the beginning of the year. Continuing a trend that was announced back at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting in July 2006, the 2006 financial year will be dominated by a highly profitable Industrial Automation division and an Automotive Electronics division that will place a heavy burden on earnings this year. Based on today's knowledge, large orders which the Executive Board until recently expected for 2006 will not affect sales and earnings before 2007. As a result of the burden placed on earnings by the Automotive Electronics division, we expect the operating result for the full year to be only slightly positive.
After the change on the Executive Board at the beginning of the year, the Automotive Electronics division was realigned by Dr. Michael Siedentop, who revised the division's strategy, reorganized the division, hired new personnel in key positions, and initiated steps aimed at achieving sustainable cost reductions. These measures had a significant impact on this year's earnings. At the end of the year, the Executive Board will examine if this will result in balance sheet corrections as well. However, the Executive Board is confident that the impact of the measures listed above will be fully limited to the 2006 financial year. The management of Softing AG believes that it has created a solid foundation for the division's sustainable return to profitability.
The Industrial Automation division continued to experience a significant increase in sales and earnings. The division achieved sales growth of nearly ten percent with an EBIT margin of around 11 percent. Most notable, however, is the excellent positioning of the division's products in the market. The product portfolio will be complemented by additional new products this year. As a result, we expect sales in the next year to increase considerably while margins should at least remain stable.
Despite the expected failure to reach our earnings target, the Executive Board believes that Softing AG is very well positioned for the future. The preliminary business planning expects both sales and earnings to increase significantly in 2007.
The Quarterly Report 3/2006 can be downloaded in pdf format from the Investor Relations section at www.softing.com from November 14, 2006.
end of announcement euro adhoc 13.11.2006 20:37:14
Further inquiry note:
Content:
Dr. Wolfgang Trier
Tel.: +49(0)89 45656 0
E-Mail: InvestorRelations@softing.com
Technical realisation:
Emilio Kokot
Tel.: +49(0)89 45656 311
Email: koe@softing.com
Branche: Technology
ISIN: DE0005178008
WKN: 517800
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing/prime
standard
Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade