13.08.2004 – 08:00

Bechtle AG

euro adhoc: Bechtle AG
Bechtle publishes its final figures for the first half of 2004 and confirms its profit forecasts for 2004 (E)

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Bechtle publishes its final figures for the first half of 2004 and
confirms its profit forecasts for 2004

Neckarsulm, 13.8.2004. The system house Bechtle has almost tripled
its consolidated net profit for the first half of 2004, posting a
surplus of 13.2 million Euro compared to 4.8 million Euro during the
same period in the previous year (a gain of 8.4 million or 173.1
percent). The consolidated net profit includes extraordinary earnings
amounting to 3.6 million Euro. Adjusted for extraordinary earnings,
consolidated net profit amounted to 9.5 million Euro in the first
half of 2004, which is almost double the figure for the same period
of 2003 (a gain of 4.7 million or 97.9 percent). No extraordinary
earnings were included in the consolidated net profit for the same
period of the previous year. Sales in the first half of 2004 (492.1
million Euro) rose 36.2 percent (a gain of 130.7 million Euro)
compared to 361.4 million in the previous year. It is worth noting
the overall organic growth of 5.8 percent, with the System Houses and
eCommerce segments accounting for 5.1 percent and 7.8 percent
respectively.

Figures for the first half of 2004 in million Euro (previous year's
figures in brackets):

~
                            System houses eCommerce    Bechtle total

Sales                       326.7 (274.8) 165.4 (86.6) 492.1 (361.4)
EBITDA                        10.4 (7.5)    9.3 (4.1)    19.7 (11.6)
EBIT                           6.3 (4,1)     8.1 (3.7)    14.4 (7.8)
EBT                                                       14.3 (8.0)
Consolidated net profit for the period
before adjustment for extraordinary earnings              9.5 (4.8)
Consolidated net profit                                  13.2 (4.8).
~
On the basis of sales in the first half of 2004 and assuming a
continuation of the positive sales trend which emerged in July,
during which order receipts rose 16 percent (20 percent after
adjustment for working days) in connection with the increasing market
consolidation among system houses, we hereby affirm our sales
forecast for 2004 of 1 billion Euro plus X.

With regard to earnings before taxes (EBT), Bechtle expects to match
the good results it achieved in the second half of 2003 (EBT for 2nd
half 2003: 19.2 million Euro) in the second half of 2004 and has
raised its earnings forecast for 2004 from EBT 30 million Euro plus X
to 33 million Euro.

The half-year report is available from today at www.bechtle.com.

Contact: Bechtle AG, Rudi Schmidt, +49 (0)7132/981 4111. 
ir@bechtle.com, www.bechtle.com

end of announcement        euro adhoc 13.08.2004

Further inquiry note:

Rudi Schmidt
ir@bechtle.com

Branche: Software
ISIN: DE0005158703
WKN: 515870
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Prime Standard, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing
Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover / free trade
Berliner Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB) / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade

Original content of: Bechtle AG, transmitted by news aktuell