euro adhoc: feratel media technologies AG
quarterly or semiannual financial
statement
Improved results from unchanged sales in the 1st quarter of 2006/2007
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
28.09.2006
"After an extremely successful year in 2005/2006, financial 2006/2007 also got off to a very positive start. At EUR 2.8 million, consolidated sales from the beginning of May to the end of July 2006 were stable in the period-to-period comparison (2005/2006: EUR 2.8 million). The result from ordinary activities improved from minus TEUR 595.0 in the previous year to minus TEUR 503.8 in the first quarter of 2006/2007," says feratels CEO Markus Schröcksnadel. The operating result (EBIT) also improved - from minus TEUR 638.9 (2005/2006) to minus TEUR 563.9 (2006/2007). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) came to minus TEUR 184.0 after minus TEUR 209.3 in the previous year.
"The results for the first and second quarters are negative as budgeted. That is due to the fact that the sales focus in the Telecommunications Division is on the second half of the financial year, while overheads are distributed equally over the full twelve-month period. As in previous years, a positive result is accordingly anticipated for the third and fourth quarters of 2006/2007. In the 2005/2006 business year, the result from ordinary activities of TEUR 686.4 was achieved from sales totaling EUR 16.7 million," Schröcksnadel continues.
New customers and content partners In Switzerland, the Basle Tourist Office was recruited as a new customer for feratels webcams. The camera provides panoramic views of the River Rhine at Basle for transmission on SFDRS. The number of partner platforms that integrate feratels webcams continued to grow in the first quarter of 2006/2007. An agreement was signed with www.wetteronline.de, Europes biggest Internet weather services provider. feratel webcams are now also to be found at www.readyfornature.at, the website of an online community for nature lovers. feratels efforts to make its webcams available to as many content partners as possible are now paying off. Although the summer is normally the weaker season, a total of 7.5 million page impressions was recorded in May, June and July, an increase of 2.5 million over the same period of the previous year. In addition to the medium of television, that gives feratels customers an additional significant presentation and marketing platform.
Winterberg, the best known winter sport and walking resort in the German Sauerland region, has chosen the Deskline? destination management system. In Switzerland, Lenzerheide and the Chur municipal and regional authority have also joined the feratel customer base. Following the signing of an agreement with Immobilienscout24, Germanys biggest online holiday home directory, about 10,000 holiday homes from feratels Eurosoft? database have been added to the listings at www.immobilienscout.de.
In the field of information kiosks, too, feratel was very busy in the first quarter of 2006/2007, with six kiosks delivered to destinations in Italy alone. In addition, one information kiosk went to Slovakia, one to Bulgaria, and three to tourism associations in Austria.
Outlook Following a record tourism year in 2005, initial figures for 2006 are indicative of another year of respectable growth. For the European destinations the figures show an increase of 2.5 %, with Switzerland (9 %) and Germany (6 %) turning in the best performance in western Europe.
According to all the predictions, the positive mood in the economy in general and the tourism industry in particular can be expected to continue, with a consequent rise in the levels of capital spending on the tourism infrastructure. feratels year-end goal for financial 2006/2007 is further growth in terms of sales and results.
Q1 2006/2007 in figures (pursuant to IFRS)
Q1 2006/2007 Q1 2005/2006 TEUR TEUR Sales 2,796.3 2,812.1 Income from operations 2,970.9 2,971.8 EBITDA -184.0 -209.3 EBIT -563.9 -638.9 EBT -503.8 -595.0
end of announcement euro adhoc 29.09.2006 08:00:00
Further inquiry note:
Herr Fritsch Martin
Branche: Technology
ISIN: AT0000737804
WKN: 615165
Index: Standard Market Auction
Börsen: Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Wiener Börse AG / official dealing