EANS-News: Beta Systems achieves an increase in profit in the first quarter of 2010 despite a marginal decline in revenues
Berlin (euro adhoc) -
- Cost management takes effect: increase in EBIT to 0.5 million (Q1/2009: -0.1 million) - Following a strong previous year's quarter, revenues decline to 18.5 million in line with expectations Q1/2009: 20.3 million) - Signs of recovery in the ECM solution business: first major order from the banking sector for almost 12 months, with the desired effect of sending a positive signal Stable maintenance business: operating cash flow climbs to 11.7 million (Q1/2009: 10.7 million) - Positive result for the period (after tax) of 0.3 million and earnings per share of 0.02
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Company Information
Subtitle: - Cost management takes effect: increase in EBIT to 0.5 million (Q1/2009: -0.1 million) - Following a strong previous year's quarter, revenues decline to 18.5 million in line with expectations Q1/2009: 20.3 million) - Signs of recovery in the ECM solution business: first major order from the banking sector for almost 12 months, with the desired effect of sending a positive signal - Stable maintenance business: operating cash flow climbs to 11.7 million (Q1/2009: 10.7 million) - Positive result for the period (after tax) of 0.3 million and earnings per share of 0.02
Berlin, April 29, 2010 - Beta Systems Software AG (BSS, ISIN DE0005224406) started the year by delivering a profit in the first quarter of 2010. Whereas, in the year-earlier quarter, which was mostly unaffected by the economic crisis, a series of larger license agreements were signed, customers held back on placing larger orders in the first quarter of 2010, as expected. Nonetheless, individual major orders with license volumes in the million range were generated both in the infrastructure business (DCI/IdM Lines of Business) and in the ECM solutions business in Germany and abroad. As a result, the downturn in revenues of a maximum 10% across all segments and at Group level remained within the expected range of fluctuation in the first quarter of the fiscal year.
The Board of Management and general managers had already taken the precaution of responding to a decline in revenues by stepping up the implementation of short-term cost cutting measures decided at the end of 2009 and by using the tool of short-time work in the relevant locations, with tight control on expenses and investments throughout the whole company. As a result, the quarterly results were raised above the previous year's level, a period during which a profit was recorded for the first time. At the same time, the cash flow from operating activities rose by EUR 0.9 million on the back of the stable maintenance business, enabling short-term finance to be significantly scaled back.
Statement by the Management Board "I take it as a good sign that we started the fiscal year 2010 with a profitable first quarter. Nonetheless, the situation in the IT market remains tense, as reflected in our revenues in the first quarter which is generally weaker in our experience. For this reason, we successfully stepped up our efforts on the cost front. We are nevertheless cautiously optimistic and anticipate a gradual releasing of the backlog in IT investment. We hope that, for instance, the first major order in the ECM solutions business for almost 12 months will have the desired effect by sending a positive signal. The current rounds of negotiation with customers, especially those in the financial sector, are arguments which support this assumption although we can only reckon on a recovery in demand from the third quarter of 2010 onwards at the earliest", explained Gernot Sagl, Board Member of Beta Systems Software AG.
The full Report on the first three months of 2010 will be released on May 4, 2009 and posted on the company's website at http://www.betasystems.com under the heading Investor Relations/Financial Reports.
Disclaimer All amounts cited in this information by the Company and information derived therefrom (e.g. percentage figures) are figures fully rounded up to thousands of euros as presented in the summarized Consolidated Financial Statements as at March 31, 2010.
End of the press release
Beta Systems Software AG - Agility Integrated Beta Systems Software AG Berlin (Prime Standard: BSS, ISIN DE0005224406) develops high-profile software products and solutions for the automated processing of large volumes of data and documents. These products and solutions serve to enhance process optimization, improve security and make IT more agile. They guarantee compliance with business requirements in respect of governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) and raise the performance of a company's IT in respect of availability, scalability and flexibility.
Beta Systems´ IT infrastructure software product segment (Infrastructure & Operations Management) is geared towards optimizing job and output management in data centers across all sectors. In addition, Beta Systems offers products for automating IT user administration to companies with high numbers of users. In its ECM Solutions Division (ECM & Document Solutions) Beta Systems develops customized solutions for large enterprises in the financial services sector, industry and trading in the areas of payments, processing of incoming post and general document management.
Beta Systems was founded in 1983, has been a listed company since 1997, and has a workforce of more than 600 employees. The company´s principal place of business is Berlin. Beta Systems operates through Centers of Competence in Augsburg, Cologne and Calgary, as well as 20 subsidiaries worldwide and cooperations with numerous partner companies. Throughout the world more than 1,400 customers use the products and solutions of Beta Systems in more than 3,300 running installations. At present, Beta Systems generates 40 percent of its sales from international business. Around 200 of its customers are based in the USA and Canada. More information on the company and its products can be found under www.betasystems.com.
end of announcement euro adhoc
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Press contacts
Company contact:
Beta Systems Software AG
Stefanie Frey
Investor Relations
Tel.: +49 (0)30 726 118-171
Fax: +49 (0)30 726 118-800
e-mail: stefanie.frey@betasystems.com
Agency contact:
HBI PR&MarCom GmbH
Alexandra Osmani,
Alexandra Janetzko
Tel.: +49 (0)89 99 38 87-37/-32
Fax: +49 (0)89 930 24 45
e-mail: alexandra_osmani@hbi.de
e-mail: alexandra_janetzko@hbi.de
Branche: Software
ISIN: DE0005224406
WKN: 522440
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technology All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade