Ad-hoc | 30 March 2001 07:50

Ad hoc-Service: splendid medien AG english

Ad hoc announcement processed and transmitted by DGAP. The issuer has the sole responsibility of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Splendid Medien AG in the 2000 financial year – Group sales up by 40% – DVFA earnings more than tripled – Internationalisation further extended (Cologne, 30 March 2001) – Group sales at Splendid Medien AG of Cologne increased in the 2000 financial year by 40% to DM 52.6 million in comparison with the preceding year. This development in sales performance was borne in the main by the Licence Trading segment with an increase of 70% to DM 38.0 million. Some 85% of licence trading sales (DM 32.2 million) was obtained through the sale of rights in Splendid co-productions including “Dr T and the Women” to European film licence dealers. The second highest sales earner, Video/DVD, recorded sales of DM 10.5 million against DM 13.1 million last year. Sales in the Post-production sector increased by 100% to DM 4.4 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 58% to DM 36.6 million. The earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to DM 1.3 million against DM 5.3 million in 1999. This is attributable to the decline in licensing sales in Germany. Depreciation, i.e. amortization of film rights, which is the salient difference between the EBITDA and EBIT figures, increased by 99% in comparison with the previous year to DM 34.1 million and resulted primarily from high amounts amortized during initial exploitation of the co-productions. The DVDA earnings rose by 252% to DM 7.4 million. The DVDA earnings per share amounted to DM 0.83. The sales margin was 14% against 7% last year. At DM 167.1 million in the year 2000. the screen rights owned by Splendid Medien AG accounted for 84% of the balance sheet total. Compared with the previous year, these screen rights increased by 77% primarily due to high investment in film licences and copyright. For the 2001 financial year, seven cinema debuts are planned including the thriller “Traffic” which has just won four Oscars. In addition, Splendid will continue to trade in licences for the feature film co-productions with European film licence dealers and also to sell the co-produced TV films to television companies. Further information can be obtained: Splendid Medien AG Karin Opgenoorth Alsdorfer Str. 3 50933 Köln Tel.:0049-221-95423299 Fax: 0049-221-9542328 karin.opgenoorth@splendid-medien.de end of ad hoc announcement, (c) DGAP 30.03.2001 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 727950; Index: Listed: Neuer Markt in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 300750 Mär 01