Ad-hoc | 17 August 2001 08:31

ATOSS Software AG english

Ad hoc announcement processed and transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Sales at record level of the previous year despite negative market environment- but modified sales mix leads to lower result. Outlook remains favorable. Munich, August 17, 2001 ATOSS Software AG, Munich, was able to pick up on the good first-half of the year 2000 despite the negative market environment and the clear reticence on the part of companies with regard to current IT investments. Even without larger special orders, which contributed substantially to growth in the same period of the previous year, ATOSS achieved corporate sales of Euro 10.5 million (after a total of Euro10.6 million) with a loss on ordinary activities in the amount of Euro -0.6 million (after a profit of Euro 0.2 million in the previous year) in the first six months of the current financial year. Total earnings per share of Euro -0.13 were behind the previous year’s figure of Euro0.02. Here the reticent development in orders for software (-25% down to Euro 3.44m) were contrasted with remarkable successes in Services (+43% up to Euro 2.58 million) and Maintenance (+ 51% up to Euro2.76 million). Other revenues increased by 32% to a total of Euro 0.57 million, while hardware sales declined once again and ended up 39% below the level of the previous year with Euro1.18 million. Group performance as of June 30, 2001, however, was affected by the change in allocation of the various types of sales since, in particular, the sales segments software licenses, IT services and consulting are characterized by different margins. The capital ratio at ATOSS was 91%, while cash at banks and other securities as of June 30, 2001 amounted to Euro 29.4 million. Cash flow from current business operations in the reporting period amounted to Euro -0.1 million (after Euro -3.7 million). ATOSS expects a positive cash flow for the year 2001 as a whole. ATOSS expects that there will be a revival of the business environment in its industry for the rest of the year only as of the fourth quarter and thus anticipates increasing IT expenditures, in particular with major customers. Thus the management board sees no reason at the present to deviate from the plans adopted for the current financial year. A 21% increase in sales to Euro 26 million and an EBIT of approximately Euro 2 million continue to be expected. Independent of the economic development, the positive effects from the cost reduction measures which have been introduced suggest a positive EBIT for the year 2001. Compared with the second quarter of the year 2001, ATOSS assumes that there will be slight increases in both overall and software sales for the current third quarter. And, compared with the second quarter of the year 2001, there will be improvement in the EBIT, although positive figures are only expected as of the fourth quarter of the year 2001. end of ad hoc announcement (c) DGAP 17.08.2001 Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad hoc announcement: Shareholding Structure Unchanged, Repurchasing Program Resolved With a view to the negative trend in prices – particularly in recent weeks – the management board had no information with regard to changes in the shareholding structure. The management team continues to hold the majority of the company’s shares and is committed to current holding agreements for up to four years. The management board at ATOSS has decided to make partial use of its authorization to repurchase shares, which was given on May 22, 2001 and limited to a period of up to August 31, 2002. The share buy-back scheme will be completed via the stock exchange and the equivalent value per share will be restricted to not more than ten percent of the average stock market price of the respective last five trading days. The acquired shares are to be used for acquisition purposes and within the scope of the existing employee shareholding program. The ATOSS management board sees a safe basis for limited financial commitment in light of the clearly lower listing of the share below the company’s available liquid assets. ——————————————————————————– WKN: 510 440; Index: Listed: Neuer Markt in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart 170831 Aug 01