Ad-hoc | 3 May 2001 08:16

Ad hoc-Service: Wienerberger Baustoffind. english

Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Unchanged growth strategy despite bad weather The first quarter of the year has low predictive value for the development of business in the building materials industry, and earnings are dependent primarily on weather conditions in key markets. Extremely favorable weather during the first three months of 2000 led to unusually high sales growth of 72%, but construction activity during the current year was severely impaired by frequent and heavy rain. In addition, the German market deteriorated further from its weak prior year level. Building materials sales therefore declined by 2% to Euro 302.2 million over the comparable prior year period. The 14% decrease in Group revenues is a result of the divestment of Treibacher Industrie AG, which recorded sales of Euro 46.5 million during the first quarter of 2000. Operating EBIT decreased from Euro 17.1 to -11.3 million after adjustment for divested segments. This was due primarily to weather-related problems for the construction industry and, in particular, to difficult market conditions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Moreover, energy costs are still high and therefore represent a drain on earnings. In spite of lower earnings during the first quarter, estimates for our different regional markets and related industrial strategy remain unchanged. In addition, we will place increased emphasis on marketing, the development of technology, cost management, and reorganization. Maximizing Total Shareholder Return has absolute priority over the mid- to long-term. In Eastern Europe we expect higher earnings in 2001 and continued profitable growth over the long-term. We will invest the high cash flows generated by stable West European markets to expand our activities in growth regions. In the turnaround markets of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Wienerberger must use our role as market leader to actively work toward the restructuring of brick markets in order to trigger an adjustment of capacity and bring prices back to a normal level. We view the USA as a growth market with high sales potential for facing bricks over the mid- to long-term. Wienerberger Baustoffindustrie AG The Managing Board Vienna, May 3, 2001 For additional information visit www.wienerberger.com or contact: Thomas Melzer, IR and PR Tel.: +43(1) 60192-471, E-Mail: investor@wienerberger.com end of ad hoc announcement (c) DGAP 03.05.2001 ——————————————————————————– WKN: 083170; Index: ATX Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Wien; Freiverkehr in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, München und Stuttgart 030816 Mai 01