Corporate | 11 May 2016 08:43

Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft: Berentzen Group reports substantial progress in first quarter of 2016

DGAP-News: Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement/Quarterly / Interim Statement

2016-05-11 / 08:43
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Berentzen Group reports substantial progress in first quarter of 2016

– Tangible 7.9% increase in consolidated revenues to EUR 39.3 million (Q1 2015: EUR 36.4 million)

– Adjusted consolidated EBIT totals EUR 1.3 million (Q1 2015: EUR 1.5 million) after higher marketing expenditure

– Positive full-year outlook for the corporate group reaffirmed: substantial increase in total operating performance planned

Haselünne, May 11, 2016 – Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft, which is traded on the regulated market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE0005201602), has made a positive start to the 2016 financial year. In the first quarter of 2016, the corporate group reported a considerable increase in its consolidated revenues excluding spirits tax to EUR 39.3 million, which represents a tangible rise of 7.9% over the total of EUR 36.4 million recorded in the same period last year. “All the strategic areas we’ve prioritised helped to add value in the first quarter of 2016. This underscores the progress we’ve made in our realignment on the market,” comments Frank Schübel, CEO of Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft.

At EUR 1.3 million, adjusted consolidated EBIT remained just below the equivalent figure for the first quarter of 2015 (EUR 1.5 million), as did adjusted consolidated EBITDA at EUR 2.9 (Q1 2015: 3.4) million. Despite this decline, CEO Frank Schübel is very satisfied with the results: “The increase in gross profit in the first quarter was good. The EBIT in the first three months of the year was affected by higher seasonal marketing and selling expenses for spirits to support the demand peaks at the carnival season and Easter and to accompany the launch of the new Citrocasa series ‘Revolution’. These effects will, however, balance out as the year wears on. Then again, our marketing offensive is already yielding results. In particular, the Fresh Juice Systems segment (Citrocasa) enjoyed a 32% jump in revenues in the first months of the current financial year. The growth is highly dynamic thanks to the new ‘Revolution’ line that has been developed specifically for the hospitality trade. Double-digit growth rates have been achieved for revenues from each of the strategic brands ‘Berentzen’, ‘Puschkin’ and ‘Mio Mio Mate’ in the first three months of the current year.”

Following on from the change of franchise partner to the Sinalco Group at the beginning of the 2015 financial year, revenues in the franchise business grew substantially in the first quarter of 2016. “We succeeded in expanding this activity by 18% over the same period last year. The growth is built around a very good new customer acquisition rate,” comments CEO Frank Schübel.

The only area where declining revenues were reported was in international operations involving branded spirits. Schübel goes on to note how business activities in some sales regions served by the corporate group were being adversely affected by ongoing geopolitical crises.

Changes in the shareholder structure
Furthermore, there were significant changes in the shareholder structure of Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft in the first quarter of 2016. The AURELIUS Group has reduced its holding in two stages, first at the beginning of March by way of a private placement and then from 51.1% before to 18.8% now after the end of the quarter in April 2016 by selling a further tranche of shares. At the same time, the Berentzen Group has gained a new anchor investor, the Netherlands-based investment company Monolith, that now holds a 10.4% stake in Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft.

Outlook
With regard to 2016 as a whole, Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft expects the financial performance to pick up tangibly across the entire corporate group: “We anticipate a normal, good year in the Spirits segment. At the same time, we’re evidently becoming better at leveraging the huge potential in the Fresh Juice Systems segment. And we’re also making big progress on establishing our Sinalco franchise operations on the market,” comments CEO Frank Schübel. In terms of total operating performance, the Berentzen Group is forecasting a considerable increase over the 2015 total of EUR 159.0 million. The company similarly expects to record a strong increase in consolidated EBIT and EBITDA. The corporate group generated adjusted EBIT of EUR 7.6 million and adjusted EBITDA of EUR 15.7 million in the 2015 financial year.
The Interim Report Q1/2016 can be found on our corporate website www.berentzen-gruppe.de via the following link: www.berentzen-gruppe.de/en/investors/announcements/financial-reports/

About the Berentzen Group:
The Berentzen Group is one of the leading beverage groups in Germany and simultaneously one of the oldest producers of spirits with a history going back over 250 years. With its well-known brands, above all “Berentzen” and “Puschkin”, and attractively priced private-label products, Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft is able to respond competently, comprehensively and quickly to the demands of consumers in Germany and elsewhere. With its Vivaris Getränke GmbH & Co. KG subsidiary, the Company also has a strong presence in the field of non-alcoholic beverages. Through its TMP Technic-Marketing-Products GmbH subsidiary, an international vendor of fresh juice systems under the “Citrocasa” brand, the Berentzen Group is also moving more strongly into modern, health-oriented markets.

For further information:
Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft
Antje Schwindeler
Public Relations
+49 (0)5961 502 215
pr@berentzen.de / www.berentzen-gruppe.de

2016-05-11 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP – a service of EQS Group AG.
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Language:	English
Company:	Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft
	Ritterstraße 7
	49740 Haselünne
	Germany
Phone:	+49 (0)5961 502-0
Fax:	+49 (0)5961 502-268
E-mail:	berentzen@berentzen.de
Internet:	berentzen-gruppe.de
ISIN:	DE0005201602, DE000A1RE1V3,
WKN:	520160, A1RE1V
Listed:	Regulated Market in Frankfurt (General Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart

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