Corporate | 18 January 2006 07:38

ARQUES Industries AG publishes Guidance for 2006

Corporate-news transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— ARQUES Industries AG publishes Guidance for 2006 Further growth expected Starnberg, January 18, 2006 – Based on the business development in the fourth quarter of 2005, whereby the turnover potential was raised by more than EUR 100 million through the five new acquisitions, as well as the operational planning for the current financial year, the Executive Board of the Starnberg based holding company ARQUES Industries AG (ISIN DE0005156004) decided to publish a Guidance for the business development of ARQUES in the 2006 financial year, as was the case last year. The Guidance for the past financial year could be revised positively twice due to the favourable business development. In line with its policy, however, the Executive Board presents a conservative viewpoint. Accordingly ARQUES expects a turnover of EUR 780 million in the financial year 2006, which, once annualised, will exceed EUR 1 billion by the end of the year. As before, it is planned to finance this growth through own capital. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of EUR 80 million, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 63 million, earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 61 million and a group profit of EUR 50 million are expected. The earnings per share (EPS) will therefore be EUR 20.6. The Guidance presupposes that the effects on profits from the dissolution of negative amounts according to IFRS 3 and existing appreciation will largely balance. Thus far, the planning does not allow for exits (sales of companies) which would lead to operational effects of deconsolidation. About ARQUES ARQUES Industries AG, Starnberg, is a turnaround specialist who focuses on the acquisition and the active restructuring of companies in transitional situations, in order to develop these, with its own team and own resources, to competitive enterprises with a positive yield. ARQUES revitalises its subsidiaries’ potential for creating value for the benefit of all its stakeholders, taking on the relevant social responsibility. ARQUES has made a duty of identifying underestimated companies with reduced survivability but with high appreciation potential, at the same time mastering complex company structures and transitional situations. The shares of ARQUES Industries AG are traded in the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol “AQU” (ISIN: DE0005156004) and are listed in the SDAX since September 19, 2005. Contact: ARQUES Industries AG Investor Relations & Corporate Communication Anke Lüdemann, CEFA/CIIA Tel.: +49 (0) 8151/ 651 0 Email: luedemann@arques.de End of announcement (c)DGAP 18.01.2006 —————————————————————————— WKN: 515600 ; ISIN: DE0005156004; Index: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt (Prime Standard) in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, München und Stuttgart