Corporate | 25 April 2016 09:36

_wige MEDIA AG meets forecast for 2015 and affirms growth planned for 2016

DGAP-News: _wige MEDIA AG / Key word(s): Final Results

2016-04-25 / 09:36
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

_wige MEDIA AG meets forecast for 2015 and affirms growth planned for 2016

– Revenues set to grow by more than 10 % in 2016

– EBITDA expected to more than double to EUR 4 million at minimum

– Growth financing secured

Cologne, 25 April 2016 _wige MEDIA AG met its forecast in the financial year. Revenues climbed by around 5 % to EUR 63.3 million; thereby outperforming expectations (forecast: approximately EUR 60 million; 2014: EUR 60.2 million.) EBITDA, which stood at EUR +2.1 million, marginally exceeded the forecast range (forecast: EUR 1 to 2 million; 2014: EUR 3.5 million), and at EUR -1.5 million the consolidated result reached the projected corridor (forecast: EUR -1 to -2 million; 2014: EUR 0.1 million). “Whereas in 2014 we recorded a high-margin large-scale infrastructure project, in 2015 we grew on the back of a significantly broader-based order position”, emphasised CEO Peter Lauterbach. At the same time, the Management Board confirmed a substantially higher forecast for the financial year 2016. Based on a major order for an infrastructure project anticipated in the third quarter of 2016 at the latest, and the contract renewals already agreed with all key customers, the Management Board forecasts revenues of at least EUR 70 million in 2016 (+10.6 %) and EBITDA of at least EUR 4 million (+90.4 %). _wige would therefore have almost doubled its operating result compared with 2015, with net profit lifted to a minimum EUR 1 million. As before, _wige MEDIA AG intends to reach a revenue level of EUR 100 million and an EBITDA margin of 11 % by 2018 through expanding segments with strong potential such as the infrastructure business.

Cooperation with the Alibaba Sports Group

In February, _wige MEDIA signed a cooperation agreement with the Alibaba Sports Group, a subsidiary of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Based on this agreement, _wige MEDIA AG has become the first German partner of the Alibaba Sports Group and can accelerate its strategy of digitalisation and internationalisation. The partners have agreed to organise, produce and market sports events, initially in the core area of motor sport. Another important additional component of the agreement is the equipping of sports venues in China with innovative digital video technology and marketing content in media channels, also in the partners’ own sports media. _wige MEDIA AG will therefore be deploying its expertise for the first time in the fully automated live broadcasting of sports events in the international arena. Possible order volumes from this cooperation are not included in the planning to date.

Growth financing secured

_wige has secured its growth financing through two capital increases in November 2015 and March 2016, taking gross issuing proceeds of EUR 5 million. _wige has already used the funds to acquire a participating interest of 16.7% in the Munich-based sport media group. With motorsport-total.com and formel1.de, the group is the market leader for motorsport portals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. _wige intends to increase its share in the company up to 85% in two stages in 2016. The synergy potential is considerable: With _wige content and the portal’s internationalisation, this investment combines digitalisation and internationalisation, yielding high earnings potential. The capital increase also enables _wige to prefinance new large-scale projects and to forge ahead with promising social media projects.

About _wige MEDIA AG
As one of the world’s leading marketing and production companies in motor sport as well as in other areas of sport in Germany, _wige MEDIA AG produces the Formula1 races, the DTM German Touring Car Masters, the Handball Champions League, the ADAC Zurich 24-hour Race at the Nürburgring and German Football League games, as well as organising events and content for prestigious companies such as Porsche, Audi, Mercedes/AMG, Red Bull, VW, Fisherman’s Friend and Deutsche Post AG. In the financial year 2016, the company anticipates revenues in a volume of at least EUR 4 million.

The Annual Report of _wige MEDIA AG for the financial year 2015 is available for downloading here (German only).

Contact:
Company:
_wige MEDIA AG
Am Coloneum 2
50829 Köln
Germany
www.wige.de
Tel: +49 [0] 221_7 88 77_ 0
Fax: +49 [0] 221_7 88 77_ 199 Email: info@wige.de

Investor Relations:
BSK Becker+Schreiner Kommunikation GmbH
Tobias M. Weitzel
Tel.: +49 [0] 2154_ 81 22 16
Email: weitzel@kommunikation-bsk.de

2016-04-25 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Language:	English
Company:	_wige MEDIA AG
	Am Coloneum 2
	50829 Köln
	Germany
Phone:	+49 (0)221 7 88 77 0
Fax:	+49 (0)221 7 88 77 199
E-mail:	info@wige.de
Internet:	www.wige.de
ISIN:	DE000A1EMG56
WKN:	A1EMG5
Listed:	Regulated Market in Frankfurt (General Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Stuttgart

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