Corporate | 6 November 2007 07:25
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG / Quarter Results Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Press release SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Expects Double-Digit Growth for Solar and Blu-ray • Acquisition of fast growing solar company STANGL • Double-digit growth rates for STANGL • SINGULUS will introduce own solar coating machine in 2008 • First four Blu-ray machines generated sales – three new orders • Sales and consolidated earnings below previous year’s level • Gross margin increased from 22.9 % to 27 % • HamaTech still with positive earnings contribution Kahl am Main, November 6, 2007 - In the first nine months of 2007 the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Group (SINGULUS) achieved sales in the amount of € 170.2 million (previous year: € 184.9 million excluding the in the meantime deconsolidated companies Manufacturing Service and ETA-Optik). Despite the decline in sales a positive EBIT of € 0.8 million (previous year: € 7.9 million excluding BESS and ETA) was achieved. Our portfolio optimization coincided with additional efficiency improvements: with the deconsolidation of the abovementioned subsidiaries in the Group, the gross margin rose from 22.9 % to 27 %. The order intake amounted to € 59 million in the 3rd quarter (previous year: € 64.7 million). Compared with the 2nd quarter 2007 the order intake increased slightly in the 3rd quarter 2007 again. STANGL was consolidated for the first time as of September 1, 2007. With the application of our company’s know-how to neighboring technologic areas and the tapping of new sales markets we were already able to partially off-set the decline in our core work area. Examples are the sales in the segment Nano Deposition Technologies and APE as well as initial sales in the division Decorative Coating. Solar SINGULUS was able to gain access to the dynamically growing technology area of solar in the 3rd quarter. With the acquisition of the majority of the STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG (STANGL) on August 1, 2007, the immediate access to a market was achieved, which promises a long-term positive trend with high double-digit growth rates. For 2007 STANGL expects a 50 % growth rate and sales of about € 30 million. The company also projects double-digit growth rates in the next couple of years. With the purchase of STANGL the entry to new technologic areas in the solar industry were realized at the same time. SINGULUS is planning to introduce its own solar coating machine in 2008 already, which will be based on the know-how acquired in the core segment of Optical Disc. In addition, the expertise and market intelligence of STANGL will be drawn upon. Together with STANGL SINGULUS is a strong player in solar technology STANGL and SINGULUS will consistently expand the solar activities. Both companies perfectly complement each other in order to be able to offer a broad product range of machines and equipment for the photovoltaics industry in the next couple of years. While STANGL focuses on wet-chemical processes, SINGULUS’ core competence is physical coating technology and the integration of different processing steps in complete, predominantly automated production lines. In particular the machine integration know-how, which SINGULUS has proven to possess in the automation of CD and DVD production lines, is an optimum starting point for the development of highly-profitable, fully-automated production lines. We expect the work area Solar to become the most important driver of growth in the SINGULUS Group. BLULINE SINGULUS has commissioned the first four Blu-ray machines in the US and recognized them as sales in the 3rd quarter. First orders for Blu-ray disc production equipment from the BLULINE range were also received from customers in Europe and Asia. The increasing demand from Europe and Asia shows that Blu-ray does not only play a more important role in the former main market US, but that Blu-ray is also beginning to become increasingly accepted in other markets. SINGULUS upgraded its Blu-ray disc equipment and is therefore also prepared for the production of the upcoming 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray disc. SINGULUS will still start the first dual layer Blu-ray production modules this year. Outlook The optical disc market is still governed by the slow introduction of the next format generation. This has an impact on the capital spending of customers and on the realization of sales. SINGULUS forecasts a range of sales for the Group from € 215 million to € 235 million for 2007. The acquisition of STANGL Semiconductor Equipment AG, Eichenau, is one of the most important steps in our company’s history. SINGULUS has bought a highly-profitable company with STANGL, which enables the strategically important market access to the solar industry. SINGULUS and STANGL will therefore participate together in the rapidly growing solar market. Along with the promising work area of Solar technology and the expected upturn in the core activities of Optical Disc we are confident for the year 2008. We will resolutely continue our portfolio optimization. Consolidated key figures 3rd quarters 2005-2007 pursuant to IFRS2005 2006 2007 Sales 73.5 96.6 58.0 Order intake 65.1 78.1 59.1 EBIT 4.5 2.6 0.1 EBT 4.7 2.4 -0.1 Net profit 3.2 0.8 0.3 Research and development 3.8 6.7 7.2Consolidated key figures (nine months cumulated) 2005-2007 pursuant to IFRS)2005 2006 2007 Sales 172.6 213.1 170.2 Order intake 178.2 272.4 167.6 Order backlog (Sept. 30) 62,2 120.2 78.9 EBIT 5.7 7.9 0.8 EBT 6.7 8.3 1.2 Net profit 4.4 8.1 1.2 Employees (Sept. 30) 641 1,182 762 Earnings per share 0.13 0.23 0.00SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstraße 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890 For further information please contact: Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 98280 20 or + 49 (0) 170 920 29 24 06.11.2007 Financial News transmitted by DGAP ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Issuer: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG Hanauer Landstrasse 103 63796 Kahl am Main Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)6188 440-105 Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110 E-mail: maren.schuster@singulus.de Internet: www.singulus.de ISIN: DE0007238909 WKN: 723890 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf End of News DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------