Ad-hoc | 13 November 2003 02:14

Gericom AG english

Price war in notebooks pushes results into loss Ad-hoc-announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– The persistent price war in the notebook market has pushed third quarter results of fiscal year 2003 of GERICOM AG into loss. Against the background of a tense economic environment and an aggressive competition margins continued to decrease further. At the same time the strong volatility of the US dollar in addition to the unexpectedly early appearance of a shortage in components, which resulted in a rapid increase in prices, lead to further pressure on earnings. According to the now presented nine month report third quarter EBIT declined to EUR -8.10 m (prev. EUR +8.28 m), in the first nine months it went to EUR -3.95 m (prev. EUR +18.16 m). Thus for the first time ever GERICOM noted a net loss for the period from January to September of EUR -3.02 m (prev. EUR +14.09 m). Earnings per share dropped to EUR -0.28 (2002: EUR 1.29). In spite of the 30% decline in prices for notebooks revenues only dropped 5% below previous year’s level to EUR 327.3 m (EUR 344.9 m). With 88,000 notebooks sold during the time from July to September (prev. 89,000) the core business added about 91% (prev. 66%) or EUR 83.5 m to the third quarter revenue of EUR 91.8 m (2002: EUR 133.9 m). In the first nine months notebook unit sales could be raised by about 27%. Therewith GERICOM defended its good position in the market and rank 8 among the ten biggest notebook marketers in Western Europe, in Germany GERICOM managed to retaine its ranking as the leader in the private consumer notebook segment. Order backlog at the end of September ascended by about 20% to the record level of EUR 114.4 m (2002: EUR 95.2 m). Despite the record level in order backlog at the end of third quarter the revenue target of EUR 500 m can not be assured due to the expected shortage of components and a net loss of round about EUR 5 m has to be reckoned with. end of ad-hoc-announcement (c)DGAP 13.11.2003 Issuer’s information/explanatory remarks concerning this ad-hoc-announcement: For further Information please contact: GERICOM AG, Ingo Middelmenne, Dipl.-Betriebswirt (BA), Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communication, Industriezeile 35, A-4021 Linz, Phone: +43-732-7664-9113, Fax: +43-732-7664-113, Email: middelmenne@gericom.com, www.gericom.com ——————————————————————————– WKN: 565773; ISIN: AT0000729108; Index: SDAX Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin- Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart 130214 Nov 03