euro adhoc: Basler AG
Financial Figures/Balance Sheet
Basler announces
preliminary results for 2007: Turnover on previous year's
level, earnings suffering from downward trend in the flat screen industry;
turnover and earnings in the fourth quarter
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
21.02.2008
Ad hoc announcement according to §15 WpHG
Turnover 2007: EUR 51.5 million; turnover Q4/2007: EUR 14.7 million Earnings before taxes 2007: EUR 1.8 million; earnings before taxes Q4/2007: EUR 2.2 million Forecast for 2008: Single-digit growth in sales, double-digit growth in earnings before taxes
Ahrensburg, 21 February 2008 - The Basler group ended the fiscal year 2007 with a EUR 51.5 million turnover (2006: EUR 52.1 million). Incoming orders of the group amounting to EUR 56.6 million also remained on previous year's level in 2007 (2006: EUR 57.5 million). The components business experienced a double- digit growth in turnover and incoming orders whereas in the solutions business those two figures declined significantly. In the fourth quarter, the group's turnover increased by 5% to EUR 14.7 million compared to the previous year's quarter. Hence, in terms of turnover the fourth quarter was by far the most successful quarter of the fiscal year 2007. In Q4/2007, incoming orders amounting to EUR 16.4 million also improved considerably compared to the previous year (2006: EUR 14.8 million; +11%). The Basler Components business unit (industrial digital cameras) increased its turnover by 18%, rising to EUR 27.5 million (2006: EUR 23.3 million). Only ten years after its foundation, the business unit generated more than half of the group's turnover. As a result of its strong growth in an otherwise stagnant market, Basler Components has become the world's number two in the market for digital camera solutions for capital goods manufacturers in 2007. Hence, the components business remains the most important growth driver within the Basler group. Turnover in the Vision Solutions business unit (turnkey inspection systems for mass production) fell by approximately 17% to EUR 24.0 million in the fiscal year 2007 (2006: EUR 28.8 million). This decline was mainly due to a 35% reduction in investments in the flat screen industry compared to 2006. Basler's market entry into the solar industry was very successful. In 2007, several new products generated incoming orders by key accounts and for the first time produced considerable turnover. As the demand in the flat screen industry began to grow again, the fourth quarter was the most successful quarter of the fiscal year 2007 in terms of turnover and incoming orders. In 2007, the group's earnings before taxes amounted to EUR 1.8 million (2006: EUR 4.9 million). This figure translates into a pretax margin of 3.5% (2006: 9.4%). The most important cause for the decline in results is the reduced turnover in the systems business. Furthermore, the unfavorable development of exchange rates between the Euro and the US Dollar and production-related additional costs in the components business affected the result. In the fourth quarter, earnings before taxes were EUR 2.2 million (Q4/2006: EUR -64,000) These provisional figures are awaiting attestation by the auditors and approval by the Supervisory Board. The definitive figures together with the annual report for 2007 and the forecast for 2008 will be presented at the press conference to be given for the publication of the financial statement on 12th March.
Basler AG, Dietmar Ley (CEO), An der Strusbek 60-62, 22926 Ahrensburg, Phone +49(0)4102-463-0, www.baslerweb.com, ISIN DE0005102008
end of announcement euro adhoc --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further inquiry note:
Verena Fehling
Assistant to the Board/Investor Relations
Telefon: +49(0)4102 463-100
E-Mail: Verena.Fehling@baslerweb.com
Branche: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0005102008
WKN: 510200
Index: CDAX
Börsen: Börse Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Börse Berlin / free trade
Börse Hamburg / free trade
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Original content of: Basler AG, transmitted by news aktuell