Corporate | 29 April 2010 07:00
SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG / Quarter Results 29.04.2010 07:00 Dissemination 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 presents 1st Quarter Figures 2010 - Order intake significantly exceeds previous year - Sales development still weak - EBIT as planned Kahl/Main, April 29, 2010. The order intake in the 1st quarter 2010 of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS) developed favorably compared with the same quarter one year ago (1st quarter 2009: EUR 17.4 million) and came to EUR 39.8 million This level was also significantly higher than the order intake in the 4th quarter 2009 (EUR 25.1 million). As expected the sales trend in the 1st quarter 2010 was still weak. At EUR 21.6 million sales in the 1st quarter 2010 mainly reflect the global economic crisis in the year 2009 and the resulting weak business activities within the optical disc and solar sector. Project activities only started to recover towards the end of 2009 and new orders for the two segments Optical Disc and Solar were received in the 1st quarter 2010. In the period under review the total operating expenses amounted to EUR 12.4 million and were thus significant EUR 4.1 million less than in the prior-year period (EUR 16.5 million). Adjusted for restructuring charges in the period one year ago the decline amounted to EUR 1.2 million. The gross margin in the 1st quarter stood at 32.5 %, slightly below the level of the prior-year period (33.2 %). In the 1st quarter 2010 earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in the amount of EUR -5.5 million were realized. The number of employees in the SINGULUS Group continued to decline from 572 employees as of December 31, 2009 to 483 employees as of March 31, 2010. The decline predominantly results from the disposal of the HamaTech APE GmbH & Co. KG. Outlook The crisis of the global economy had a strong impact on the business activities of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG in 2009. The impact will be visible in the first quarter of the current business year as well. So far, there are no reliable forecasts on how quickly the expected recovery will materialize. However, on a favorable note, the project activities in both segments Optical Disc and Solar once again improved sharply at SINGULUS. The order intake in the 1st quarter reflects this. In the Optical Disc division the sharp increase in Blu-ray sales make us optimistic. In case of such growth rates disc manufacturers will quickly reach their capacity limits and have to invest in new production equipment. First orders in the 1st quarter prove this. In the Solar segment an economic recovery has already become visible since the beginning of 2010. In many regions of the world the generation of electricity with photovoltaics will continue to expand. On that account SINGULUS offers modern plant systems, which provide cost reduction potential for the cell manufacturers in the production process. The strategic transition from a pure single machine provider towards a system supplier will open new opportunities for the company. The company's goal is to build a strong market position for production equipment for solar cells in the next couple of years and to benefit from the upcoming growth in the solar market. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is market leader in the optical disc segment and actively launched new products in the solar segment. For the year 2010 the Executive Board and the entire management targets to break-even on an EBIT basis. SINGULUS Consolidated Key Figures (IFRS unaudited)1st Quarter 2009 2010 Sales EUR 35.4 21.6 Order intake Mio. EUR 17.4 39.8 Order backlog (March 31) Mio. EUR 52.2 45.6 EBIT Mio. EUR -4.9 -5.5 EBITDA Mio. EUR 0.2 -1.0 Net profit Mio. EUR -6.1 -5.7 Earnings per share EUR -0.16 -0.15 Employees (March 31) 684 483SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstraße 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890 For further information please contact: Maren Schuster, Investor Relations, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Tel.: + 49 (0) 160 96 09 02 79, or Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Tel.: + 49 (0) 170 920 29 24 Contact: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstraße 103, D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890 Contact: Maren Schuster, Investor Relations, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 440 612, Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications, Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 98280 20 / +49 (0) 170 9202924 29.04.2010 Ad hoc announcement, Financial News and Media Release distributed by DGAP. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG Hanauer Landstrasse 103 63796 Kahl am Main Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)1709202924 Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110 E-mail: bernhard.krause@go-metacom.de Internet: www.singulus.de ISIN: DE0007238909 WKN: 723890 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, München, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Hamburg End of News DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------