EANS-Adhoc: 2012 a year of renewal at Hoeft & Wessel
- Increasing order receipts in first quarter of 2012
- 2012 subdued business development
- Initial positive effects of reorientation still in 2012
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ad-hoc disclosure pursuant to section 15 of the WpHG transmitted by euro
adhoc with the aim of a Europe-wide distribution. The issuer is solely
responsible for the content of this announcement.
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3-month report
19.07.2012
Hannover/Germany, 19/07/2012. The Hoeft & Wessel Group perceives 2012 as a year
of renewal, in which business development will be shaped by the company's
reorientation. The manufacturer of ticket vending machines, parking machines as
well as mobile terminals therefore expects lower sales revenues for the current
financial year 2012 year-on-year at roughly EUR 78 million. The operating
result (EBIT), at -EUR 4.9 million plus restructuring expenses of -EUR 4.8
million in connection with the reorientation will turn out substantially
negative once again. The company anticipates initial positive effects of the
reorientation as early as this year, within the business results beginning in
2013.
In the first quarter of 2012, business development of Hoeft & Wessel AG turned
out to be in line with expectations for the year as a whole. At EUR 17.9
million, sales revenues were on average for the past five years and down by 14
per cent compared with the relatively good level recorded in the previous year
(2011: EUR 20.8 million). The operating result, at -EUR 2.5 million, turned out
negative (2011: -EUR 0.4 million). Restructuring expenses amounting to -EUR 0.2
were incurred as early as the first quarter.
The order intake was encouraging in the first three months of the year. At EUR
21.4 million, considerably more new orders were taken into the books than in
the first quarter of the previous year (2011: EUR 18.9 million). The order
portfolio also rose to EUR 47.5 million (31 December 2011: EUR 43.9 million).
The operating cash flow likewise developed well in the first quarter of 2012,
reaching EUR 0.6 million (previous year: -EUR 3.8 million).
As already reported on the basis of preliminary figures, the financial year
2011 closed with sales revenues down by 7 per cent compared with the previous
year, amounting to EUR 88.4 million (2010: EUR 95.6 million). Non-scheduled
depreciation and valuation adjustments amounting to -EUR 7.6 million as well as
lower sales revenues and higher project costs led to a negative operating
result (EBIT) in 2011, amounting to -EUR 10.9 million (2010: EUR 2.9 million).
Despite the substantially negative result, the Hoeft & Wessel Group's liquidity
was also adequate in 2011. Operating cash flow was positive at EUR 1.7 million,
even though it did not reach the high value of the previous year (2010: EUR 7.8
million).
In the first quarter of 2012, Hoeft & Wessel continued the delivery and
installation of on-board computers for buses run by the FirstGroup in the
United Kingdom. Soon it will even be possible to use credit cards with EMV
contactless function as a ticket. This will herald a new era in the field of
ticketing. The Danish State Railway took delivery of the first completely newly
developed e-Ticket readers. Mobile terminals for data capture went to various
wholesalers, retailers and logistics companies in Germany as well as to the
Swiss Post. The British subsidiary Metric extended its international business
even further, delivering car park terminals to partners in Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa.
New orders for ticketing terminals were placed by the state-owned Belgian
railway corporation SNCB and by a partner in Poland. Mobile terminals for data
capture in the retail segment were ordered by Fegro-Selgros, Rewe and Rossmann.
The Metric subsidiary received orders for car park terminals from two London
boroughs.
Further inquiry note:
Arnd Fritzemeier
Tel.: +49-511-6102-300
E-Mail: IR@hoeft-wessel.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
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issuer: Höft & Wessel AG
Rotenburger Str. 20
D-30659 Hannover
phone: +49-511-6102-0
FAX: +49-511-6102-411
mail: ir@hoeft-wessel.com
WWW: http://www.hoeft-wessel.com
sector: Technology
ISIN: DE0006011000
indexes: Prime All Share, Technology All Share
stockmarkets: free trade: Hannover, Berlin, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf,
Stuttgart, regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: English