Ad-hoc | 17 May 2006 11:00

RATIONAL AG: RATIONAL AG with a strong 1st quarter 2006

Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— RATIONAL AG with a strong 1st quarter 2006 Sales: +18% EBIT: +22% – RATIONAL AG – the ‘European Champion’ Landsberg, May 17, 2006. In the 1st quarter of 2006 RATIONAL AG, world market leader in cooking technology for professional kitchens, generated sales revenues of 62.9 million euros, which is 9.5 million euros or 18 percent above last years figure of 53.4 million euros. Thus the impressive worldwide success of the RATIONAL SelfCooking Center® has continued as well in 2006. The growth has been aided by initial sales of the new VarioCooking Center® in selected pilot markets. RATIONAL market leader in the USA In the US, the strategically most important market for the future, the sustained breakthrough was achieved. This is impressively confirmed by the 61 percent growth of the US-subsidiary posted in the 1st quarter of 2006. With a market share of more than 30 percent RATIONAL technology is now market leader in the US too. EBIT grows disproportionately Further process optimizations in all parts of the company again made it possible to increase EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) at a disproportional rate of 22 percent or 2.6 million euros up to 14.6 million euros. EBIT-margin rose to 23.3 percent compared to 22.5 percent for the same quarter last year. RATIONAL AG is the ‘European Champion’: ‘Excellent’ in all categories In Europe’s most demanding business competition ‘Best Factory Award/Industrial Excellence Award 2006’, run by the famous Insead Management School in Fontainebleau and the Scientific University for Business Management in Vallendar, in conjunction with the business magazines ‘Wirtschaftswoche’ and ‘L’Usine Nouvelle’, RATIONAL AG has left all of Europe’s leading participating companies trailing in its wake and taken first place. The jury war particularly impressed by the management’s clear objectives, the company-wide process organisation and the high level of motivation, initiative and technical expertise exhibited by all employees. RATIONAL was marked ‘excellent’ in all categories of the competition for example operations strategy, product development and supply chain management. Positive outlook for 2006 Based on the successful development in the 1st quarter 2006 and the worldwide acceptance of RATIONAL’s technology the board of directors is confident to achieve a 15 percent growth in sales revenues up to 283 million euros and at the same time a disproportional increase in EBIT of 17 percent up to 78 million euros. ————————————————————————— Information and Explaination of the Issuer to this News: Information for editors: RATIONAL is the world market and technology leader for the thermal preparation of food in professional kitchens. The company, founded in 1973, employs more than 800 people, 500 of whom are in Germany. Since the IPO in 2000 RATIONAL was floated in the Prime Standard on the German stock market and is currently represented in the SDAX. The Price of RATIONAL shares has duplicated several times since the IPO. The company’s principal objective is to offer customers maximum benefit at all times. Internally RATIONAL is committed to the principle of sustainability, expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership and social responsibility. Numerous international awards bear witness year on year to the high level of RATIONAL’s work. In millions of euros Q1 2006 Q1 2005 Change Sales 62.9 53.4 +18% EBIT 14.6 12.0 +22% EBT 14.7 12.0 +22% EPS (undiluted) in euros 0.82 0.65 +26% Contact: RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft Dr. Günter Blaschke Tel. +49(0)8191 327-364 Fax +49(0)8191 327-272 e-Mail: g.blaschke@rational-online.de www.rational-ag.com (c)DGAP 17.05.2006 ————————————————————————— Language: English Issuer: Rational AG Iglinger Straße 62 86899 Landsberg a. Lech Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)8191 327-283 Fax: +49 (0)8191 327-533 email: h.wiedemann@rational-online.de WWW: www.rational-online.de ISIN: DE0007010803 WKN: 701080 indices: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service —————————————————————————