Ad-hoc | 21 April 2009 11:27
STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG / Quarter Results/Preliminary Results Release of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- STRATEC with substantial sales and earnings growth in first quarter of 2009 Birkenfeld, April 21, 2009 STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG (Frankfurt: SBS; Prime Standard) announces the preliminary unaudited consolidated figures of the STRATEC Group for the first quarter of the 2009 financial year as of March 31, 2009 pursuant to IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) and in accordance with Section 15 of the German Securities Trading Act (WpHG).Key Figures (Euro 000s) 01.01.- 03.31.2009 01.01.- 03.31.2008 Change Sales 16,727 13,208 + 26.6% Gross performance 19,052 14,767 + 29.0% EBITDA 3,311 2,691 + 23.0% EBIT 2,724 2,110 + 29.1% EBT 2,917 2,167 + 34.6% Consolidated net income 2,111 1,661 + 27.1% Earnings per share (Euro) 0.19 0.15 + 26.7% EBIT margin (%) 16.3% 16.0%Including temporary personnel, the STRATEC Group had a total of 289 employees as of March 31, 2009 (previous year: 264). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Information and Explaination of the Issuer to this News: STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG increased its sales by 26.6% to Euro 16.7 million and its consolidated net income by 27.1% to Euro 2.1 million in the first quarter of 2009. This growth was mainly driven by a further increase in production and turnover figures. The temporary reduction in turnover with one of our most important customers is now easing, although the sales generated with this customer in the first quarter of 2009 did not quite reach the level seen in the equivalent period in the previous year. Due to this, as well as to the different sales contributions made by individual production locations with varying income tax rates across the Group, the Group's tax rate rose to 27.6% (Q1 2008: 23.3%, FY 2008: 34.7%). The volume of down payments received (milestone payments made by customers for STRATEC's development work) has risen by Euro 1.2 million compared with December 31, 2008. Although personnel expenses grew significantly between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009 due to the hiring of new employees in the development division (in preparation for forthcoming marketing launches) the Group nevertheless increased its margins through economies of scale and further expanding its consumables business. Our long-term company growth is secured by numerous development and supply agreements. In particular, the development status of existing development projects, as well as the projects currently in the process of being initiated, indicate positive business performance. On April 8, 2009, and in conjunction with our audited 2008 results, we published financial guidance for the full year 2009. Accordingly we continue to expect sales growth of between 20% and 30% generating EBIT margins of between 18.5% and 19.5%. In contrast to previous practice, STRATEC will in future refrain from publishing preliminary quarterly figures and preliminary year-end figures unless otherwise required by law. Regular reporting will hereafter be based on the dates as published in our financial calendar. The full interim report as of March 31, 2009 will be available for downloading from our website from around 3 p.m. (CET) on May 14, 2009. About STRATEC STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG (http://www.stratec-biomedical.de) designs and manufactures fully automated systems for its partners in the fields of clinical diagnostics and biotechnology. These partners market such systems, in general together with their own reagents, to laboratories, blood banks and research institutes around the world. The company develops its products on the basis of its own patented technologies. Shares in the company (ISIN: DE0007289001) are traded in the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The STRATEC Group consists of the publicly listed parent company STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG and of subsidiaries and second-tier subsidiaries in Germany, the USA, the UK, Switzerland and Romania. Further information can be obtained from: STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG André Loy, Investor Relations Gewerbestr. 37, 75217 Birkenfeld Germany Tel: +49 7082 7916 190 Fax: +49 7082 7916 999 E-mail: ir@stratec-biomedical.de 21.04.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Issuer: STRATEC Biomedical Systems AG Gewerbestraße 37 75217 Birkenfeld Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)7082 7916 0 Fax: +49 (0)7082 7916 999 E-mail: info@stratec-biomedical.de Internet: www.stratec-biomedical.de ISIN: DE0007289001 WKN: 728900 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Stuttgart, München, Düsseldorf End of News DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------