Corporate | 15 May 2007 13:02
ARAGON AG / Final Results/Final Results
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With a 67.4% growth in sales in 2006, the Aragon AG continued its strong
growth from the previous year and achieved a total turnover of 61.4 million
Euro (2005: 36.7 mil. Euro). Earnings before interest, taxes and
amortizations (EBITDA) more than doubled to 4.2 million Euro (2005: 2.0
mil. Euro), and the Group’s profitability was likewise considerably
enhanced.
The EBITDA-margin rose by 1.4 points (+26%) to 6.8% (2005: 5.4%). Earnings
after amortizations before interest and taxes (EBIT), at 3.3 million Euro,
is 130% higher than last year at 1.4 million. Once again, on 31 December
2006 the Aragon AG thus concluded the most successful year in the company’s
history, as it had the previous year as well.
Aragon’s equity increased by 51.4% from 26.0 mil. Euro to 39.4 mil. Euro
with respect to the previous year, primarily due to the successful
recapitalization in June 2006. The recapitalization made liquid funds in
the amount of 9.4 million Euro available to the company. In contrast, the
equity ratio fell from 72.5% to 21.3%. The reason is basically the first
consolidation of the biw Bank in the fourth quarter. With receivables of
the bank at 110.7 mil. Euro and liabilities from banking business (for the
most part accounts deposits) in the amount of 114.8 mil. Euro, the biw
contributed significantly to extending the balance sheet from 35.9 mil.
Euro to 184.7 mil. Euro.
Cash Flow from current activities rose in comparison to the previous year
from 0.9 mil. Euro by 2.4 mil. Euro to 3.3 mil. Euro. As of 31 December
2006, liquid funds amounted to 12.0 mil. Euro and thus increased in
comparison to the previous year by 8.4 mil. Euro (2005: 3.6 mil. Euro).
Earnings per share rose by 146% from 0.13 Euro to 0.32 Euro.
The management expects the pattern of strong growth to continue in the
current business year. In addition to the customarily strong growth in
Retail Sales, expectations are particularly positive with respect to the
contribution of the biw Bank. The biw was first consolidated only in the
final quarter of 2006 and has marked out a path of rapid and continuous
growth in business volume and earnings in the past months. The management
therefore expects a further significant rise in earnings for 2007 under
conditions of continuing positive economic developments.
Aragon’s management is preparing the transition of the company’s listing to
the regulated market (Prime Standard) at Frankfurt Stock Exchange by the
end of this year.
Board Member Christian Angermayer will leave Aragon as planned upon
publication of the 2006 Business Report. He will continue to accompany
Aragon in its successful growth in the future as CEO of our majority
partner ABL Unternehmensgruppe GmbH ('Angermayer, Brumm & Lange
Unternehmensgruppe', www.abl-group.de). We wish to express our gratitude,
also in the name of the Supervisory Board, to Mr. Angermayer for his good
and successful cooperation. The Board will propose to the annual meeting
that Mr. Angermayer be elected to the Supervisory Board.
Aragon-Group’s annual report 2006 is now available at www.aragon-ag.de.
Contact:
Aragon AG
Achim Pfeffer
Leiter Investor Relations
Kormoranweg 1
62501 Wiesbaden
Tel.: +49(0)611 890 575-574
Fax: +49(0)611 890 575-99
E-Mail: achim.pfeffer@aragon-ag.de
DGAP 15.05.2007
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