Ad-hoc | 14 July 2003 07:51

Agrana Beteiligungs-AG english

Agrana – Interim report on the 1st quarter of the 2003/04 financial year Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– The first quarter of the current financial year lasted three months (1 March through 31 May 2003) throughout the group after the balance-sheet dates of the AGRANA International companies were brought into line with the consolidated group,s balance-sheet date (last day of February). That was in contrast to the previous financial year, when the AGRANA International companies had an accounting first quarter lasting five months (1 January through 31 May 2002). The change limits comparability between the current financial year and 2002/03. AGRANA,S revenues during the first quarter of this group financial year (1 March through 31 May 2003) were E 52 million down on 2002/03. Profit from operating activities fell by E 9.7 million, and first-quarter consolidated earnings dropped by E 6.7 million. Based on genuinely comparable periods (i.e. 1 March through 31 May for all group-members), revenues fell by E 12.3 million, profit from operating activities declined by E 1.8 million, and consolidated earnings fell by E 1.6 million. Most of the drop in revenues took place within the group,s Austrian Sugar Division and was attributable to the low world market price of sugar and the US$/EUR exchange rate. The Starch Division recorded an increase in both revenues and sales by volume. The decline in profit from operating activities took place within the AGRANA International companies, whose mar-kets suffered setbacks in both volumes and prices compared with the same period of 2002/03. First quarter of the current financial year: Emn Q1 2003/04 Q1 2002/03 Revenues 193.6 245.9 Profit from operating activities 16.9 26.5 Profit before tax 15.8 26.8 Consolidated earnings 11.1 17.8 Capital expenditure on tangible non-current assets – during Q1 5.0 8.0 – during year Planned: 51,8 Planned: 49.7 Staff 3,519 3,672 The 1st Quarter Interim Report is available in the Internet at www.agrana.com. end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 14.07.2003 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 060370; ISIN: AT0000603709; Index: Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Wien 140751 Jul 03