euro adhoc: BWT Aktiengesellschaft
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
/ BWT posts sales and earnings increase after three quarters
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
30.11.2005
Sales: EUR 361.9 million, +1.8% y.o.y. Consolidated BWT Group sales rose in the first nine months of 2005 as against the previous year from EUR 355.3 million to EUR 361.9 million (+1.8%). The Aqua Ecolife Technologies segment recorded a decline of 0.4% to EUR 233.8 million. The Aqua Systems Technologies industrial segment, which was legally spun off after the end of the third quarter on November 8 and floated on the Vienna Stock Exchange under the name "CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG" grew by 7.9% to EUR 127.6 million. The Fuel Cell Membrane Technologies segment generated sales of EUR 0.5 million (PY: EUR 2.2 million). In the third quarter, sales totaled EUR 116.0 million, thereby rising by 3.0% as against 2004 (PY: EUR 112.6 million).
Segment 1 - 9 / 2005 1 - 9 / 2004 + / - % Aqua Ecolife Technologies (AET) 233.8 234.8 -0.4% Aqua Systems Technologies (AST) 127.6 118.3 +7.9% Fuel Cell Membrane Technologies (FCMT) 0.5 2.2 -77.3% Total 361.9 355.3 +1.8%
Order Book: EUR 174.5 million +53.8% y.o.y. Order Intake: EUR 412.7 million, +13.4% y.o.y. As of September 30, 2005, the order book of the BWT Group amounted to EUR 174.5 million, thereby increasing by 53.8% as against the same date of the previous year. Incoming orders grew by 13.4% to EUR 412.7 million.
EBIT: EUR 22.8 million, +5.8% y.o.y. Consolidated earnings: EUR 15.8 million, +31.8% y.o.y. As a result of the turnaround in the AST segment in particular EBIT increased by 5.8% to EUR 22.8 million, accounting for 6.3% of sales (PY: 6.1%). The AET segment posted an EBIT margin of 9.4%; the margin for the AST segment was 1.1%. At EUR 21.8 million, earnings before taxes were up 7.9% on the previous year's figure of EUR 20.3 million. Consolidated earnings after minorities increased by 31.8% to EUR 15.8 million, earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.88 (PY: EUR 0.67).
Cash flow from the result: EUR 23.5 million (PY: EUR 21.2 million) Gearing: 50.3% (PY: 60.3%) The rise in consolidated earnings increased the cash flow from the result by 10.8% from EUR 21.2 million to EUR 23.5 million in the first nine months, the cash flow from operations declined from EUR 20.1 million in the previous year to EUR 11.9 million. At around EUR 75.0 million, the net debt of the BWT Group remained constant as against the end of the last financial year, while gearing declined year-on-year from 60.3% to 50.3% as a result of the higher Group equity figure of EUR 149.1 million.
Investments in tangible and intangible assets rose by EUR 2.2 million to EUR 6.9 million year-on-year.
As of September 30, the number of employees in the BWT Group increased by 137 people year-on-year from 2,723 to 2,860. The rise in staff numbers in the AET segment relates largely to the expansion of servicing activities in France, while the focus in the AST segment was on the further internationalization of operations (Asia, South Africa, and the US).
Outlook As forecast, BWT will generate sales of more than EUR 500 million and earnings of more than EUR 20 million. The increase in sales and earnings is driven by extremely encouraging developments and the successful turnaround in the AST segment, but is unfortunately muted by weak sales and declining earnings development in the AET segment. The BWT Management Board is forecasting a return to clear growth in the AET segment as well from the second half of 2006.
Events after the balance sheet date On November 8, 2005, the spin-off of CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG from BWT Aktiengesellschaft became legally valid by way of its entry in the commercial register. CHRIST WATER TECHNOLOGY AG reports separately on the development of business in the first nine months in a pro forma interim report
BWTs Letter to Shareholders on the 3rd quarter 2005 can be downloaded from www.bwt-group.com.
Company profile:
BWT Best Water Technology today is the leading European water technology group, comprising more than 30 companies over 2,000 employees. BWT devotes its efforts to the entire water cycle, "from source back to earth". With its business segment Aqua Ecolife Technologies, the Group offers customised, sustainable products and solutions in the areas of drinking water, swimming pool water, process water and waste water for individual homes, hotels, industry, and municipalities. With its second business segment Fuel Cell Membrane Technologies, BWT is well positioned as a premier supplier of innovative membranes for fuel cells.
More information on BWT Best Water Technology can be downloaded from www.bwt-group.com
end of announcement euro adhoc 30.11.2005 08:00:00
Further inquiry note:
BWT AG
A-5310 Mondsee, Austria, Walter-Simmer-Strasse 4
Simone Spitzbart, Investor Relations
Tel. +43 6232 5011-1130, Fax. +43 6232 5011-1196, E-Mail:
investor.relations@bwt.at
Branche: Water Supply
ISIN: AT0000737705
WKN: 884042
Index: ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official market
Original-Content von: BWT AG, übermittelt durch news aktuell