euro adhoc: BENE AG
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
Bene posts
sharp rise in revenue and earnings for first three quarters.
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
quaterly report
17.12.2007
Consolidated revenue up 33.7% to EUR 184.3 million Sharp jump in third quarter earnings Positive outlook for fourth quarter of FY 2007/08
Vienna / Waidhofen/Ybbs, 17 December 2007 - Vienna Prime Market listed Bene AG (ISIN AT00000BENE6) kept up its recent run of success over the first nine months of its current, 2007/08 financial year, returning substantial increases in revenue and earnings.
At EUR 184.3 million (m) for the first three quarters of the year, Bene Group's revenue was up by some 33.7% year on year (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR 137.9m).
Bene boosted revenue on its Austrian home market over the first nine months of the year by 6.0% to EUR 54.9m (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR 51.8m). In Germany, where it operates the strongest sales network in the industry, the group won numerous large contracts, registering a 41.1% gain in revenue to EUR 47.3m (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR 33.5m). Bene also kept up the momentum of expansion in the United Kingdom, upping revenue by 45.0% from EUR 19.3m to EUR 27.9m. The Russian business segment also outperformed the industry average by a wide margin, returning a 58.5% rise in revenue for the first three quarters to EUR 20.4m (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR 12.9m).The Rest of the World segment put in the strongest growth performance over the first nine months of the financial year, with a 65.4% surge from EUR 20.4m to EUR 33.8m.
The third quarter of the current financial year was hallmarked by particularly strong earnings. It ranked among the best in the group´s history, with an EBIT margin of 8.2% (Q1-3 2006/07: 5.9%), reflecting a high proportion of internally manufactured products and high-margin contracts. The Bene Group steadily improved its profitability over the period, to post cumulative earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of EUR 10.8m (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR 10.0m). The EBIT margin for the first three quarters of the current financial year was 5.9% compared to 7.3% in the like period of the previous financial year.
The financial result improved to EUR 0.1m (Q1-3 2006/07: EUR -0.6m) due to optimisation of the group´s debt position and income from securities, while earnings before tax (EBT) were up from EUR 9.4m to 10.9m.
As at 31 October 2007, the group´s equity ratio was 42.7% (31 Jan. 2007: 45.6%), while working capital was EUR 36m (31 Oct. 2006: EUR 31.0m).
In the first nine months of 2007/08 capital expenditure totalled EUR 12.9m (2006/07: EUR 3.8m). The acquisition of plots of land adjoining the site laid the foundations for further expansion. Work began on the construction of a showroom, training and office facility in early December.
As at 31 October 2007 Bene employed 1,546 people 279 or 22.0% more than a year earlier.
Bene´s groundbreaking decision to start launching its own office swivel chair in autumn 2008 marks another step towards enhancing its competitiveness and profitability.
Outlook. Management is optimistic that strong sales in the fourth quarter will drive revenue to a new record high for the 2007/08 financial year.
The full report on the first three quarters of 2007/08 can be viewed at http://bene.com.
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Investor Relations
Gerald Strohmaier
Head of Finance & Investor Relations
BENE AG
Schwarzwiesenstrasse 3
A-3340 Waidhofen an der Ybbs
Tel. +43 (0)7442 5003372
Fax +43 (0)7442 500993372
http://bene.com
Branche: Furnishings & Furniture
ISIN: AT00000BENE6
WKN:
Index: ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market