euro adhoc: feratel media technologies AG
quarterly or semiannual financial
statement
feratel matches previous years sales and results for the first two
quarters
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
22.12.2006
"In the first half of the current business year, consolidated sales at TEUR 5,898.3 again reached the level of the previous year (TEUR 5,956.6). The result from ordinary activities in the first two quarters came to minus EUR 1 million after minus EUR 1.1 million. The operating result (EBIT) was minus EUR 1.1 million after minus EUR 1.1 million in the previous year. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) came to minus TEUR 310.7 after minus TEUR 238.6 in the previous year," says Dr. Markus Schröcksnadel, CEO at the listed feratel media technologies AG, with reference to the figures released for the first two quarters of the year.
"It should be noted that the negative results for the first and second quarters were foreseen. They derive from the fact that sales in the Telecommunications Division are mainly generated in the second half of the financial year, while overheads are distributed equally over the full twelve-month period. As in previous years, a positive result is accordingly anticipated for the third and fourth quarters of 2006/2007. In the 2005/2006 business year, the result from ordinary activities of TEUR 686.4 was achieved from sales totaling EUR 16.7 million," Schröcksnadel continues.
Strong presence on foreign markets In addition to numerous projects on feratels core markets in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, four new cameras and six information kiosks were delivered to Slovakia alone. In Hungary feratel has signed up Echo tv as a further broadcasting partner in addition to duna II Autonomia and hir tv.
feratel was successful in the face of international competition in an EU-wide tender process for delivery of a nationwide reservation system for the Slovenian Ministry of Economic Affairs. In September the go-ahead was given for work to begin on the system, which will be used to centralize management of the complete tourism offering for the whole of the country so as to facilitate booking procedures. In a first step, the tourism offering will be made available for booking online via www.slovenia.info, and then a network will be created for the individual local tourism organizations and a call center created. In the first two years, the reservation system is expected to handle some 16,000 bookings. For this year the Slovenian government is targeting sales of about EUR 1.6 million from 9.5 million bednights.
The North Sea Island of Ameland is an important new Deskline? customer in the Netherlands. The Dutch market is not completely new territory for feratel. A total of six weather cameras are already used to supply images from The Hague and the coastal regions. On the other hand, the Ameland contract is significant in that it gives the IRS Division a presence on the Dutch market, too. In addition to the Deskline? destination management system, the Ameland contract also covers a big visitor card project - the first of its type outside of feratels traditional core markets. Two information kiosks will also be supplied to the West Friesian island.
Outlook In addition to concentrating on its core markets, feratel will continue to focus on Eastern Europe. In the next few months orders can be expected to be placed in Slovakia, the Czech Republic or Hungary. At the same time feratel is continuing to work to increase its offering of weather cams with the addition of more attractive summer destinations, for example in Spain.
Both the general economic data and the predictions for the tourism industry in 2007 look very promising. In the first eight months of the 2006 tourism year, the World Tourism Organization reports 578 million arrivals. In the first nine months of the year, tourism in feratel core markets Germany and Switzerland saw very positive developments. For the period from January to October, Austria reports a slight downturn in bednights but an increase in arrivals. Buoyant growth in the online travel market is also a catalyst for the rapid implementation of modern IT and e-commerce applications in tourism. Working on the assumption that the positive business environment in feratels core markets will continue, the company is upholding its assessment as formulated in the first quarter already: for financial 2006/2007 feratel is targeting further growth in sales and improved results.
1st two quarters of 2006/2007 in figures (pursuant to IFRS) 1st two quarters 2006/2007 1st two quarters 2005/2006 TEUR TEUR Sales 5,898.3 5,956.6 Income from operations 6,185.1 6,253.5 EBITDA -310.7 -238.6 EBIT -1,109.6 -1,134.6 EBT -1,045.6 -1,070.5
end of announcement euro adhoc 22.12.2006 07:57:15
Further inquiry note:
Herr Fritsch Martin
Branche: Technology
ISIN: AT0000737804
WKN: 615165
Index: Standard Market Auction
Börsen: Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Wiener Börse AG / official dealing
Original content of: feratel media technologies AG, transmitted by news aktuell