Ad-hoc | 22 November 2001 08:30

plenum AG english

plenum success story continues Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– plenum success story continues – Sales up to almost 50 %, earnings up to 33 % – Original earnings target exceeded after only 9 months Wiesbaden/Frankfurt, November 22, 2001: plenum AG, the provider of integrated IT and communications solutions, continued its positive business development in Q3. Contrary to the overall industry trend and despite the slowdown in the IT sector, sales increased by almost 50% year-on-year to Euro 48.3 million (p.y.: Euro 32.9 m.). Growth in plenum’s core business (excluding New Venture) even amounted to 84% after the consolidation of the Stoll +Fischbach acquisition, while organic growth here amounted to around healthy 45%. Given this rapid pace of growth, consolidated earnings (EBITDA) rose by 33% to Euro 4.1 million (p.y.: Euro 3,1 m.), although the income statement was affected by high one- time expenses (Euro 0.8 m.) for severance payments, the optimization of locations and expansion. As a result, plenum was able to exceed its original earnings target for the whole of 2001 (EBITDA: Euro 3.9 m.) after only nine months – despite integration expenses for five acquisitions. At almost 9%, the consolidated return after Q3 exceeded the target for the year as a whole, which was raised to 8% in August (original target: 7%). Net income for the period increased by almost 50% to Euro 1.6 m.(p.y.: Euro 1.1 m.), producing earnings per share of Euro 0.17 (p.y.: Euro 0.13) for 9,577,068 no-par value shares as of September 30, 2001. The number of employees in the plenum Group rose in line with sales growth by around 50% from 338 in the previous year to 482. plenum AG’s financial strength remains unchanged despite its high level of growth: in the third quarter of 2001, we succeeded not only in generating positive cash flow from operating activities but also free cash flow for the first time – after investments. As a result, cash and cash equivalents increased from Euro5.9 m.to Euro6.6 m.in the third quarter alone. This conclusively proves that plenum is able to finance its strong growth from its own resources – and therefore does not rely on the capital markets or their environment. The Managing Board is confident that it can achieve the sales and EBITDA targets for the fiscal year, which were raised in August to Euro 65 m and Euro 5.1 m respectively, despite the recessionary market development and IT budget cuts. end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 22.11.2001 Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad-hoc-announcement: The complete nine-month report will be available on the Internet at http://www.plenum.de from 09:30 onwards For further information please contact Hubert Sand plenum AG Leiter Corporate Communication Tel. + 49 (0) 611 98 82 229 Fax: + 49 (0) 611 98 82 174 e-mail: hubert.sand@plenum.de ——————————————————————————– WKN: 690100; Index: Listed: Neuer Markt Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Düsseldorf, München, Hamburg, Berlin, Bremen, Hannover und Stuttgart 220830 Nov 01