euro adhoc: Basler AG
Financial Figures/Balance Sheet
Basler shows
substantial gains in turnover and results
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
14.03.2007
Basler shows substantial gains in turnover and results . Presentation of the audited Annual Statement of Accounts 2006 . Turnover up by 16%, net results up by 25% . New growth markets addressed and course set for regional expansion . Further growth in turnover and profits expected in 2007
Ahrensburg, 14 March 2007 - Basler AG, one of the most innovative growth companies in Vision Technology, today published its audited Annual Report for 2006. Turnover, incoming orders, and results received a powerful boost in 2006 whilst important milestones on of Basler's way to market leadership in the markets it serves were also laid. The figures at a glance:
|in millions of Euros |2006 |2005 |+/-% | |Turnover |52.1 |45.0 |+16% | |Incoming Orders |57.5 |47.0 |+22% | |Gross Results |27.3 |22.2 |+23% | |Gross Margin (in %) |52 |49 |+3 Percentage Points | |Net Results |3.0 |2.4 |+25% | |Earnings per Share (in |0.85 |0.68 |+25% | |Euros) | | | | The main growth driver in 2006 was the Vision Components division (digital camera solutions for capital goods manufacturers). In just nine years after setting up this division, we now occupy a top number three position in a global market of around 200 providers. In 2006 Basler was once more one of the fastest growing companies in this market, both in absolute and relative terms. The Vision Components figures at a glance: |in millions of Euros |2006 |2005 |+/-% | |Turnover |23.3 |15.8 |+47% | |Incoming Orders |24.7 |16.7 |+48% | |EBIT |4.3 |2.3 |+87% | In 2006 over 40 new camera models were introduced. Their superior technology and excellent price/performance ratio shall ensure that they continue to drive growth in this sector. At the same time we have expanded our distribution network by opening a sales office in Japan, the world's biggest single market for Vision Technology components. On top of this, we have also further broadened our sales activities in the USA, Europe and Asia, using the leverage of enhanced customer closeness to open up greater marketing opportunities for our products. The high level of incoming orders we have already booked for 2007 confirms the high growth expectations we have for this sector and enables us to even further strengthen our market position. Our Vision Systems division (turnkey inspection systems for mass production) maintained last year's high turnover level and increased the volume of incoming orders. Divisional results were lower due to a change in the product mix and Yen currency effects which favoured our Japanese competitors. In addition, there have also been higher depreciation for new developments like the inspection of the Blu-ray-disc in the product lead-in phase. The Vision
Systems figures at a glance:
|in millions of Euros |2006 |2005 |+/-% | |Turnover |28.8 |29.1 |-1% | |Incoming Orders |32.8 |30.3 |+8% | |EBIT |1.5 |2.2 |-32% | In our Vision Systems division sales of inspection solutions for the flat
screen industry have continued to grow rapidly, whilst at the same time the optical disk and sealing ring markets have suffered from muted investment due to a cyclical downturn.
In a key strategic step to ward off cyclically induced risks and achieve strong margin growth in new markets, we developed innovative inspection solutions for the rapidly expanding photovoltaic industry which we have generated great customer interest on several trade fairs. Fully automated solutions embedded in the production process enable our customers to achieve much higher efficiency in combination with significantly reduce raw material consumption both in wafer technology and thin layering. The first pilot orders were acquired in 2006, some of which have already been finalized. A significant level of turnover with solar inspection systems is first expected in the course of the 2007 fiscal year.
We shall continue to pursue our growth strategy and tap new and promising markets with our pioneering and user-friendly products. To this end over the past few years we have built up Europe's largest Know-How Pool for Vision Technology. Building on our core business sectors, we thus pave the way for long-term profitable growth and further consolidating our position on the Vision Technology market.
The investments we have made over the past few years in technology and marketing shall help us to achieve expansion in existing and new markets for the next years. This induces increased sales expenses and higher depreciation on the new developments. For the current year we therefore expect a substantially higher positive cash flow but a slower increase in profits. For 2007 we are planning a turnover corridor of between 54 - 59 million Euro and pre-tax profits of between 3.5 and 6.0 million Euro (2006: 4.9 million Euro).
The Annual Report is available in downloadable PDF format and as an online version at www.baslerweb.com.
end of announcement euro adhoc 14.03.2007 06:58:13
Further inquiry note:
Peter Krumhoff
Tel.: +49 (0)4102 463 100
Fax: +49 (0)4102 463 108
E-Mail: ir@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
Börse Berlin-Bremen / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Original content of: Basler AG, transmitted by news aktuell