Corporate | 5 April 2004 16:16

LUDWIG BECK reverses the trend – Sales in the first quarter up on last year

Corporate-news announcement sent by DGAP. The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Ludwig Beck AG: LUDWIG BECK reverses the trend – Sales in the first quarter of 2004 significantly up on last year. Munich, 5 April 2004 – The first quarter of 2004 saw Ludwig Beck (ISIN DE0005199905) achieving a trend reversal in all areas of its operations, with sales up by 7.1 per cent. Gross sales at group level came to EUR 21.7 million as opposed to last year’s figure of EUR 20.2 million. This meant that LUDWIG BECK has again significantly bucked the market trend. Indeed, calculations on the part of Germany’s TextilWirtschaft trade journal indicate that the textile trade is likely to suffer a sales downturn of 4% during the same period. Consolidated group sales include those of Ludwig Beck Vertriebs GmbH with EUR 2.1 million (last year: EUR 1.4 million). In contrast to last year in which there were just two months with positive sales trends, the first quarter of 2004 already saw two consecutive months (February and March) of rising sales. This fact alone indicates a sustained trend reversal on the part of LUDWIG BECK. In spite of the continuingly difficult situation on the sector and consumption fronts, LUDWIG BECK is placing its trust in the groups own economic capabilities. All three distribution channels produced positive figures during the first thee months of this year. With its product range concepts and traditional strengths, LUDWIG BECK is successfully meeting the core requirements of customers, and it is quite apparent that high product quality, superior service and appealing to the senses are factors that are more convincing arguments than permanent price reductions and promises of discounts. The further course of 2004 will see LUDWIG BECK placing emphasis on cross- company themed campaigns, but also on providing indisputable proof of the value for money being offered to its customers. The most recent example in this context was the extremely successful France campaign which took place in March in cooperation with Munich’s highly respected catering firm, Feinkost Käfer. This activity was marked by a large footfall and a vast degree of positive feedback from customers. With its continued stringent cost management policy, LUDWIG BECK anticipates a substantially improved level of earnings against a background of upward sales curves. Contact: Lothar Fiss (Press Release) Phone +49 89 23691 663, Fax +49 89 23691 600 end of message, (c)DGAP 05.04.2004 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 519990; ISIN: DE0005199905; Index: Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard) und München; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg und Stuttgart 051616 Apr 04