euro adhoc: Basler Vision Technologies AG
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Basler AG: Improved sales and profits position in third quarter
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10.11.2005
Basler AG: Improved sales and profits position in third quarter
- In third quarter sales are up by 17% compared to the same quarter last year - At 14% pre-tax margin is on a high level - Annual forecast adjusted downwards to Euro 43 million sales revenues and Euro 3.5 million earnings before taxes - Cost saving programme initiated
Ahrensburg, 10 November 2005 - In the third quarter Basler AG - a leader in Vision Technology, the technology of artificial vision - was able to increase its sales and profit position compared to the two weaker preceding quarters. In Q3/2005 Group-wide turnover was Euro 12.2 million - up by 13% on the previous quarter (Q2/2005: Euro 10.8 million) and up by 17% on the same quarter last year (Q3/2004: Euro 10.5 million). Earnings before taxes amounted to Euro 1.7 million in Q3/2005 and thus rose by 188% compared to the previous quarter (Q2/2005: Euro 0.6 million), albeit falling short by 21% of what had been an extraordinarily profitable third quarter last year (Q3/2004: Euro 2.1 million). At 14% the pre-tax margin remains on a high level in Q3/2005 (Q2/2005: 5%, Q3/2004: 20%).
Given the weak first half of 2005, sales and profits in the first nine months are still - in part substantially so - below figures reported last year. In the first nine months of 2005 sales revenues totalled Euro 33.4 million, thus declining by 12% compared to the same period last year (Q1-3/2004: Euro 38.1 million). In the same period earnings before taxes amounted to Euro 3.3 million (Q1-3/2004: Euro 7.8 million, -58%).
Among other reasons, the improved sales and profits situation in the third quarter of 2005 is attributable to the growing business with digital high-performance cameras (Vision Components), where sales, totalling EUR 4.3 million, jumped by 13% compared to the previous quarter (Q2/2005: Euro 3.8 million).
Moreover, in the Vision Systems segment, business with inspection systems for flat screen products showed a favourable trend. In this business, sales improved by 17% on the previous quarter and even by 55% on the same quarter last year. Additional growth impulses in this field are expected to come from the new product line for the inspection of colour filters applied on flat glass.
New orders booked, which totalled Euro 11.9 million in the third quarter of 2005, fell short of the volume reported last year. The unusually strong third quarter last year (Euro 14.6 million, -18%) was basically owed to target-date effects in connection with booking a number of large-project orders. In the first nine months of the year 2005 the volume of new orders totalled Euro 35.5 million, thus declining by 8% compared to last year (Q1-3/2004: Euro 38.7 million).
Yesterday the management board presented the expected results for the current business year and the year 2006 to the supervisory board. Facing the weak investment climate in the optical disk and rubber industry we expect weaker sales and profit levels for the last quarter of the year 2005 comparable to those achieved in the third quarter 2005. Thus we will not meet the targets announced in the May forecast, which set sales at Euro 48 million and pre-tax earnings at Euro 5 million. We now assume sales at a level of Euro 43 million and pre-tax earnings of Euro 3.5 million.
For 2006 we assume a low, two-digit growth in sales on an organic basis and a pre-tax margin exceeding 10%. The growth will begin in the second quarter of the year from todays point of view. In order to adjust the companys situation on the changing environment, yesterday afternoon the management board adopted a cost saving programme amounting to Euro 1 million for 2006, which will already be effective in Q4/2005.
Overview of figures:
In Euro mill. Q3/2005 Q3/2004 Q1-3/2005 Q1-3/2004 Sales 12.2 10.5 33.4 38.1 Order income 11.9 14.6 35.5 38.7 Pre-tax earnings 1.7 2.1 3.3 7.8 Net profit 1.2 1.3 2.3 4.8 Result per share 0.33 0.38 0.64 1.38
The detailed Quarterly Report can be downloaded at www.baslerweb.com.
end of announcement euro adhoc 10.11.2005 07:03:34
Further inquiry note:
Christian Höck
Tel.: +49 (0)4102 463 175
E-Mail: christian.hoeck@baslerweb.com
Branche: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0005102008
WKN: 510200
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing/prime
standard
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