Corporate | 13 August 2013 07:30


SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Significantly Reduces Losses – Positive EBIT Target for 2013


SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG / Key word(s): Half Year Results

13.08.2013 / 07:30


Press release

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Significantly Reduces Losses – Positive EBIT Target for 2013

Important key figures for the 1 st half 2013 above prior-year levels

Demand for Blu-ray significantly above plans

Additional order intake for BLULINE II after completion of quarter

Weak order intake for Solar

Kahl am Main, August 13, 2013 – The key financial figures of the
1 st half 2013 of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG (SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES) have improved compared with the same period one year ago due to the increased order intake for production machines for the BLULINE II type in the Optical Disc segment and the existing order backlog in the Semiconductor and Solar divisions.

Dr. Stefan Rinck, Chief Executive Officer of the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, comments: ‘We are pleased that the volume sales of our Blu-ray machines have picked up considerably again. The markets for Blu-ray Discs continue to perform favorably in 2013. Accordingly, in May 2013 the Digital Entertainment Group announced a growth for Blu-ray Discs sales for the leading US market of approximately 30 % compared with the prior-year period 2012.’

In the first six months of 2013 SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES overall achieved slightly higher sales than in the comparable period for 2012. Sales for the half-year amounted to EUR 49.2 million (previous year: EUR 43.6 million). In the 2 nd quarter EUR 26.4 million were achieved (previous year: EUR 27.6 million). While the order intake in the 1 st half 2012 amounted to EUR 87.0 million due to a major order in the Solar segment, order intake with a total volume of EUR 48.8 million was recorded in the course of the 1 st half of the business year 2013. The order intake in the 2 nd quarter amounted to EUR 33.2 million, which was slightly above the prior-year level of EUR 31.3 million. As of June 30, 2013 the order backlog accordingly stood at EUR 39.7 million, which is below the EUR 70.2 million achieved in the prior-year period.

The earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) has improved compared with the prior year. In the 1 st half of 2013 earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) stood at EUR -6.5 million (previous year: EUR -12.4 million). In the quarter under review the EBIT was slightly negative and came to EUR -1.6 million (previous year: EUR -6.7 million).

Due to the implemented streamlining of the international activities as well as due to the cost reduction measures in the area of wet-chemical machines at our site in Fürstenfeldbruck, the number of employees in the SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Group declined from 444 employees as of June 30, 2012 to 362 employees as of June 30, 2013.

Business trends and market development Optical Disc
The globally rising penetration of the Blu-ray Disc results in significantly improved demand for production machines in the current year compared with the previous year. Until June 30, 2013 more production systems were sold than in the prior-year period. Furthermore, additional BLULINE machines were also sold after the completion of the half-year. The machines will be delivered worldwide, so that our customers will be able to produce correspondingly in particular for the upcoming Christmas activities.

Business trends and market development Solar
The market for photovoltaics continues to remain difficult. Against the backdrop of this difficult market environment, the development of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES’ Solar division falls short of our expectations.

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is in close contact with customers, which plan investments in the set-up of new cell manufacturing lines or so-called upgrades of existing production lines. In particular, project talks with renowned customers in Asia, the Middle East, South- and Central America and especially in South Africa should be highlighted. However, so far no major order intakes were realized in the 1 st half of 2013.

Business trends and market development Semiconductor
In the 1 st half of 2013 SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES intensively progressed the assembly and completion of the machines ordered in the year 2012. In the meantime all machines are in the commissioning stage or will be delivered in the 2 nd half of 2013. Talks with major customers are at a project stage and are expected to result in new order intake in the future.

If the MRAM memory components will establish themselves in the next couple of years due to their specific advantages, the transition towards the industrial mass production is expected. For the expected market of new MRAM wafer SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is currently working on presenting new machine concepts, which satisfy the demand for more efficient ultra-high-vacuum coating machines with an increased wafer capacity.

Outlook for the business year 2013
We are currently anticipating to once again grow sales in the segments Optical Disc, Solar and Semiconductor in 2013 compared with 2012 and expect to complete the business year in the Group with an overall slightly positive operating result (EBIT). However, adjusting for financing expenses a slightly negative net result for the Group pursuant to IFRS would result. To achieve the growth in sales in the Solar division projected in our forecasts it is required to achieve a corresponding, significant order intake in the 3 rd quarter 2013.

To strengthen and further develop the existing business areas the company pursued the targeted development of new products and application areas based on its core competencies in order to open new markets with this. This strategic further development of the existing product portfolio by internal measures is in the focus in the business year 2013. At the same time we are reviewing reasonable acquisition opportunities to strengthen the sustainable development at SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES.

With the consistent and successful implementation of this strategy we expect a return to a long-term growth path once again.

Consolidated key figures SINGULUS pursuant to IFRS (unaudited)

1 st Half 2012 2013
Sales (gross) in million EUR 43.6 49.2
Order intake in million EUR 87.0 48.8
Order backlog (June 30) in million EUR 70.2 39.7
EBIT in million EUR -12.4 -6.5
EBITDA in million EUR -6.4 -3.6
Earnings before taxes in million EUR -13.9 -8.2
Profit/loss for the period in million EUR -12.3 -8.6
Employees (June 30) 444 362
Earnings per share, basic EUR -0.25 -0.17

2 nd Quarter 2012 2013
Sales (gross) in million EUR 27.6 26.4
Order intake in million EUR 31.3 33.2
EBIT in million EUR -6.7 -1.6
EBITDA in million EUR -3.7 -0.1
Earnings before taxes in million EUR -8.1 -2.5
Profit/loss for the period in million EUR -7.6 -2.7
Research & development expenditures in million EUR 2.1 1.7
Earnings per share, basic EUR -0.15 -0.05

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG, Hanauer Landstrasse 103,
D-63796 Kahl/Main, ISIN: DE0007238909, WKN: 723890
For further information please contact:
Maren Schuster, Head of Investor Relations,
Tel.: + 49 (0) 6188 – 440 612, or
Bernhard Krause, Corporate Communications,
Tel.: + 49 (0) 6181 – 982 80 20




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


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Language: English
Company: SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG
Hanauer Landstrasse 103
63796 Kahl am Main
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)1709202924
Fax: +49 (0)6188 440-110
E-mail: bernhard.krause@go-metacom.de
Internet: www.singulus.de
ISIN: DE0007238909, DE000A1MASJ4
WKN: 723890, A1MASJ
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
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