17.10.2017 – 07:13

Zur Rose AG

EQS-News: Zur Rose Group speeds up its expansion programme, taking over Eurapon Pharmahandel GmbH

EQS Group-News: Zur Rose Group AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement
Zur Rose Group speeds up its expansion programme, taking over Eurapon
Pharmahandel GmbH

17.10.2017 / 07:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press release

Zur Rose Group speeds up its expansion programme, taking over Eurapon
Pharmahandel GmbH

- Significant growth in the third quarter of 2017

- Cooperation with Eurapon mail-order pharmacy, Bremen

- Further expansion of European market leadership

In the third quarter of 2017, the Zur Rose Group increased its sales by 15.4
percent compared with the same period of the previous year. The company is
taking over Eurapon Pharmahandel GmbH, a service provider in the distribution of
pharmaceuticals, based in Bremen. With this transaction and the acceleration in
sales, the Group confirms the successful implementation of its growth strategy.

In the third quarter of 2017 the Zur Rose Group achieved a striking increase in
sales of 15.4 percent compared with the same period of the previous year. This
means that growth continued even more strongly in the third quarter, reaching
cumulative total sales of CHF 711.6 million, or 9.9 percent ahead of the
previous year (9.8 percent in local currency). Sales in the operating segment
Germany increased in local currency by 18.4 percent in the third quarter,
compared with the same period of the previous year (9 months, up 16.0 percent to
EUR 318.7 million). DocMorris boosted its growth in local currency by 38.7
percent (9 months, 41.4 percent) in the area of non-prescription drugs (OTC) and
by 14.5 percent (9 months, 9.6 percent) in the area of prescription drugs (Rx).
In Switzerland, sales in the doctors' segment (B2B) rose by 8.1 percent (9
months, 6.0 percent) compared with the same period of the previous year. The
retail business grew again for the first time, with sales up by 5.6 percent in
the third quarter. This concludes the adjustment for low-margin sales in the
Specialty Care business. Overall sales in the operating segment Switzerland
increased by 7.5 percent in the third quarter (9 months, up 3.8 percent to CHF
360.1 million).

Cooperation with Eurapon - DocMorris has entered into a cooperative venture with
Kubilay Talu, operator of the Bremen-based Eurapon mail-order pharmacy. Kubilay
Talu intends to collaborate closely with DocMorris in future, through Eurapon
Pharmahandel GmbH. There are subsequent plans to operate the mail-order business
from the Netherlands. This choice of location is an advantageous one in the
European environment for an internationally active mail-order pharmacy.
DocMorris is expected to take over Eurapon Pharmahandel GmbH from owner
KubilayTalu before the end of 2017 and along with that a significant proportion
of the logistics and drug deliveries for the Eurapon mail-order business. In
2016 Eurapon achieved sales amounting to EUR 52 million from its mail-order
business geared towards non-prescription drugs and has grown by 30 percent per
year for the last three years, which is considerably above the market average.
By taking this step the Zur Rose Group will further extend its European market
leadership.

The transaction is subject to approval by the responsible competition
authorities. It has been agreed not to disclose any financial aspects.

Sales for July to September, in 1000 CHF 1.7.-30.9.2017 1.7.-30.9.2016 Change

Zur Rose Group                           245,850(1)     212,953        15.4%

Operating segment Switzerland            121,794        113,343        7.5%

B2B                                      90,456         83,666         8.1%

B2C                                      31,338         29,677         5.6%

Operating segment Germany                122,406        99,610         22.9%

Rx                                       68,247         57,361         19.0%

OTC                                      36,010         25,026         43.9%

Other                                    18,149         17,223         5.4%

Operating segment Germany, in 1000 EUR   108,314        91,509         18.4%

Rx                                       60,339         52,703         14.5%

OTC                                      31,870         22,984         38.7%

Other                                    16,105         15,822         1.8%
 
1) including BlueCare sales of CHF 1.6 million

Sales for January to September, in 1000 CHF 1.1.-30.9.2017 1.1.-30.9.2016 Change

Zur Rose Group                              711,613(2)     647,263        9.9%

in local currency                                                         9.8%

Operating segment Switzerland               360,061        347,030        3.8%

B2B                                         270,453        255,048        6.0%

B2C                                         89,608         91,982         -2.6%

Operating segment Germany                   348,828        300,233        16.2%

Rx                                          193,864        176,659        9.7%

OTC                                         102,258        72,248         41.5%

Other                                       52,706         51,326         2.7%

Operating segment Germany, in 1000 EUR      318,676        274,608        16.0%

Rx                                          177,107        161,580        9.6%

OTC                                         93,419         66,081         41.4%

Other                                       48,150         46,947         2.6%
 
2) including BlueCare sales of CHF 2.7 million

At 2 p.m. today there will be a telephone conference in English for analysts and
the media.
Dial-in numbers: CH: +41225805970 | DE: +4969222229043 | UK: +442030092452 |
USA: +18554027766
Conference ID: 63253964#
The associated presentation (without audio) is available
at:www.audio-webcast.com| password: zurrose1017
Direct link:http://www.audio-webcast.com/cgi-bin/login.ssp?fn=verify_user&curPas
sword=zurrose1017
Alternatively, the presentation can be followed via live audio webcast using the
following link:
http://www.audio-webcast.com/cgi-bin/visitors.ssp?fn=visitor&id=4993

Investor and analyst contact
Marcel Ziwica, Chief Financial Officer
e-mail:  ir@zurrose.com, telephone: +41 52 724 00 64

Media contact
Lisa Lüthi, Head of Corporate Communications
e-mail:  lisa.luethi@zurrose.com, telephone: +41 52 724 08 14

Eurapon
The mail-order business operated in Bremen by pharmacist Kubilay Talu under the
name of Eurapon is one of the ten online pharmacies with the highest turnover in
Germany. Eurapon Pharmahandel GmbH is a service provider in the distribution of
pharmaceuticals, primarily providing logistics and other services for Eurapon.

Zur Rose Group
Operating under the "Zur Rose" and "DocMorris" brands, the Swiss-based Zur Rose
Group is Europe's largest online pharmacy and one of Switzerland's leading
wholesale suppliers to medical doctors. Through its business model, it helps to
ensure safe, reliable and high-quality pharmaceutical care, while also excelling
in developing innovative medicines management services to increase the
effectiveness of the medication process. This creation of added value, the
strong focus on patients and the commitment to supply medication at low cost for
the benefit of payors and patients make the Group an important strategic partner
for all healthcare stakeholders.

Zur Rose Group is headquartered in Frauenfeld, from where it also serves the
Swiss market. In Germany and Austria, the Group operates through subsidiaries in
Heerlen (Netherlands) and Halle an der Saale (Germany). Furthermore, it holds a
majority interest in BlueCare in Winterthur, the leading provider of networking
systems in the Swiss healthcare market. Employing more than 800 people at its
various locations, Zur Rose Group generated revenue of CHF 880 million in 2016.

Zur Rose Group AG's shares (ticker symbol ROSE, Swiss security no. 4261528, ISIN
CH0042615283) are traded on SIX Swiss Exchange in accordance with the
International Reporting Standard of SIX Swiss Exchange. The corporate bond
issued in November 2012 for the purpose of financing the DocMorris acquisition
is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (Swiss security no. 19972936, ISIN
CH0199729366, ticker symbol ZRO12). zurrosegroup.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of Corporate News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Language: English

Company:  Zur Rose Group AG

          Walzmühlestrasse 60

          8500 Frauenfeld

          Switzerland

Phone:    +41 52 724 08 14

Internet: www.zurrosegroup.com

ISIN:     CH0199729366, CH0042615283

Listed:   SIX Swiss Exchange



 

End of News EQS Group News Service

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

619467  17.10.2017