Corporate | 8 November 2005 11:25

ARQUES improves forecast for 2005

Corporate-news processed and transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— Provisional quarterly figures require an adjustment to prognosis – earnings from normal business activity rise by more than 40% Starnberg, 08.11.2005 – Based on the changes which took place within the consolidated group of the ARQUES Group since the publication of the previous financial forecast (July 28, 2005), the currently available figures for the financial year 2005 and the revised forecast for the remainder of the financial year, the current forecast of the ARQUES Group (ISIN DE0005156004) will be increased for the financial year 2005. According to the revised forecast, ARQUES expects revenues of EURO 415,0 million in the financial year 2005. This corresponds to an Increase of 222,7% compared with the previous year. The annuallsed revenue is expected to exceed EURO 500.0 million in the last quarter 2005. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) is forecast at EURO 32.5 million (+212.5% compared with the financial year 2004; previous year: EURO 10.4 million) and the earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is forecast at EURO 23.1 million (+225.4% compared with the financial year 2004; previous year; EURO 7.1 million). Including possible Bargain Purchases which form part of the ARQUES business model, an annual net profit of EURO 44,3 million is expected. The two capital increases executed during the financial year to the value of 200,000 shares respectively flowed into the computation of the shareholders’ equity to the value of EURO 138.8 million forecast for the end of the financial year. Comment: In this prognosis, the Bargain Purchase is included into the consolidated profits only after the earnings from normal business activity. It Is not contained in the EBITDA, EBIT or the earnings from normal business activity. The prognosis takes into consideration the fact that the number of shares rose to 2.426.667 due to the capital contribution in kind of Sommer Fahrzeugbau. The effects from bringing SKW into Xerlus Bioscience AG were however not considered, since it was not foreseeable whether this would be executed in 2005. The forecast for the financial year 2006 is being complied at present and will be published shortly. Key Figures of the ARQUES Group EUR millions FY FY FY FY FY Change 2003 2004 2005 2005 2005 in % Plan Plan Plan (comp. to 20/06/05 27/07/05 08/11/05 BY 2004) Consolidated revenues 28.7 128.6 367.0 415.0 415.0 +222.7 EBITDA 5.6 10.4 20.0 23.0 32.5 +212.l5 EBIT 5.0 7.1 14.0 16.0 23.1 +225.4 Profit from ordinary activities 4.8 6.8 12.0 14.0 20.4 +200.0 Consolidated profit 5.0 38.7 32.0 36.0 44.3 +14.5 Earnings per share (in Euros) 3.16 20.71 16.00 16.93 20.4 -2.0 Shareholders’equity 7.6 53.2 85.0 89.0 138.8 +160.9 End of announcement (c)DGAP 08.11.2005 —————————————————————————— WKN: 515600 ; ISIN: DE0005156004; Index: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt (Prime Standard) in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, München und Stuttgart