Ad-hoc | 9 May 2006 07:56

plenum AG: First Quarter 2006 Confirms Refocusing Strategy

Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— – Sales climb to EUR 6.2 million (QI 2005: EUR 5.2 million) – EBIT at minus EUR 0.3 million (QI 2005: EUR minus 0.6 million) better than expected – Expansion of consulting business will be pushed ahead further Wiesbaden, May 9, 2006 plenum AG (Prime Standard, ISIN DE 0006901002) provides consulting services to facilitate the implementation of solutions to strategic problems with significant IT-emphasis for banks and insurance companies, and is complimented by the communications business acquired in 2000. The first quarter of 2006 confirmed the focus on the consulting business implemented since the beginning of 2005 (Refocusing Strategy). While the business development for 2005 was marked by the scheduled exit from the low-margin software implementation business causing sales to fall to EUR 5.2 million in the fourth quarter 2005, the high-margin consulting business as well as the communications business significantly expanded in the first quarter 2006. Thus, based on preliminary figures, sales rose by 19.8% to EUR 6.2 million as of March 31, 2006 versus the prior quarter. Gross profit increased to EUR 0.8 million (QI 2005: EUR 0.4 million) and EBIT was at minus EUR 0.3 million (QI 2005: EUR minus 0.6 million) above budget. Incoming orders also developed favourably. plenum posted an orders volume of EUR 8.4 million in the first quarter 2006 (QI 2005: EUR 5.7 million). After the successful translation of the Refocusing Strategy to the consulting business, sales and earnings forecasted for the entire year of EUR 24 million and EUR minus 1.9 million (EBIT), respectively, and the expected return to the profit zone in 2007, were substantially confirmed. The Company’s consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2006 will be published on May 24, 2006. For further information, please contact us by eMail at aktie@plenum.de or directly under plenum Aktiengesellschaft, Investor Relations, Hagenauer Str. 53, 65203 Wiesbaden/Germany. Information and explanations of the issuer on this ad-hoc announcement: This announcement contains statements relating to the future, which are based on current expectations, estimates, predictions and projections as well as assumptions made by the management of plenum AG. Such statements especially encompass statements on plans, strategies and projections. Words such as ‘expect’, ‘probably“, ‘provisionally“ and similar expressions characterise such future oriented statements. These statements are not a guarantee for future results and risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which are sometimes difficult to predict. Thus the actual consequences and results could differ significantly from the future oriented statements. Contact: plenum AG Investor Relations Hagenauer Strasse 53 65203 Wiesbaden EMail: aktie@plenum.de (c)DGAP 09.05.2006 ————————————————————————— Language: English Issuer: plenum AG Hagenauer Straße 53 65203 Wiesbaden Deutschland Phone: +49 (0)611 9882-361 Fax: +49 (0)611 9882-496 email: aktie@plenum.de WWW: www.plenum.de ISIN: DE0006901002 WKN: 690100 indices: Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Stuttgart; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München End of News DGAP News-Service ————————————————————————-