Ad-hoc | 4 May 2004 07:59

technotrans starts 2004 with Growth in Revenue and Profit

Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– technotrans starts 2004 with Growth in Revenue and Profit technotrans, leading systems supplier of equipment for the printing industry and the manufacture of micro technology, reports a good start into financial year 2004. With revenue up 3.5 percent on the first quarter of the previous year to EUR 26.7 million (previous year: EUR 25.8 million), the positive trend of the previous two quarters held up. The Print segment performed particularly well, growing by more than 11 percent compared with the prior-year quarter to EUR 19.2 million. The efforts to adjust operations during the recent crisis have had a significant effect. For example, the gross margin was boosted from 31.8 to 35.5 percent in the first quarter, and the gross profit rose by 15.6 percent in absolute terms from EUR 8.2 million in 2003 to EUR 9.5 million in the first quarter of 2004. The operating profit, too, improved from EUR 1.3 million to EUR 2.0 million in the first quarter. A net profit of EUR 1.3 million is reported for the first quarter, equivalent to earnings per share of EUR 0.20 (previous year EUR 558,000 or EUR 0.08 per share). Cash and cash equivalents have risen from EUR 8.8 to 11 million since the end of 2003, an increase of 25 percent. Long-term assets in the intangible and goodwill categories fell as a result of amortisation. This amortisation is to be applied for the last time in 2004 as a result of a change in the IFRS accounting provisions, and the result will improve accordingly from 2005. A cash flow from operating activities of EUR 2.4 million (previous year EUR 1.15 million) was generated in the first quarter. After investment, the free cash flow totalled EUR 2.0 million (previous year EUR 458,000). At the reporting date of March 31, 2004 technotrans had a total of 606 employees (previous year: 617. Whereas the total number of domestic employees recovered slightly (421ompared with 403in the previous year), the number of employees abroad was down from 214 in the previous year to 185 on March 31, 2004, largely as a result of the closing of the production plant in England. Download: the comprehensive press release as well as the full Interim Report Q1 2004 can be downloaded from the Internet at http://www.technotrans.com , section News resp. Investor Relations. Contact: Thessa Roderig, Investor Relations, +49 (0) 2583 301 887 end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 04.05.2004 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 744900; ISIN: DE0007449001; Index: NEMAX 50 Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 040759 Mai 04