technotrans AG confirms organic growth targets

Highest revenue for a quarter since 2009 / Operating profit (EBIT) up 43.4 percent / Forecast for full year may even be exceeded

technotrans AG has maintained its growth trajectory over the first nine months of the current financial year. In the period under review the company increased revenue by 11.5 percent year on year to EUR 91.6 million. The operating profit (EBIT) grew by 43.4 percent to EUR 6.8 million. This represents a margin of 7.4 percent. In light of the positive business performance, the Board of Management has voiced te prospect of slightly exceeding the targets for the year.

“We remain on a successful and steady growth trajectory,” declared Henry Brickenkamp, Chief Executive Officer of technotrans AG. The third quarter brought especially good progress: the company achieved revenue of EUR 31.3 million, its highest quarterly figure since the financial crisis of 2009. Operating profit (EBIT) climbed 33 percent to EUR 2.3 million, and the corresponding margin came to 7.5 percent.

In the first nine months of the year activities outside the printing industry again made a significant contribution to the positive business performance. The group companies active in that area achieved organic revenue growth of 20 percent, with the result that that segment now accounts for 36 percent of total revenue. “This development underlines the enduring success of the group’s strategic direction,” stressed Brickenkamp. Business in the printing industry equally developed well, with revenue up 7.5 percent.

Technology segment achieves growth in all areas
The business performance in the Technology segment over the first nine months was equally pleasing: revenue here was up 14 percent, at EUR 61.0 million. All relevant sub-segments of the group, whether mechanical and plant engineering, the growth segments or the printing industry, contributed to this development. Furthermore, the activities in the laser industry but also in the fields of proprietary technologies for temperature control, filtration, cooling lubricant preparation and spray lubrication achieved higher revenue shares. The profit from operations (EBIT) improved to EUR 1.8 million, contrasting with a slight loss of EUR 0.04 million in the prior-year period.

In the Services segment, growth in follow-on business (after sales business) had a positive impact. Service business in the Technical Documentation area, too, picked up again slightly. All in all, revenue for the segment grew by 6.7 percent to EUR 30.6 million; this translated into earnings of EUR 5.0 million, slightly up on the prior-year level.

Positive outlook for remainder of year
“In view of the highly satisfactory organic growth, we have set ourselves the target of slightly bettering our forecast by the end of the year,” explained Brickenkamp. He indicated that this would be conceivable in the case of the year’s revenue target of EUR 120 million. For net profit, too, the original goal of an EBIT margin of 7.3 percent could be just exceeded. The actual result will depend on whether certain projects are completed as planned by the end of the year or whether they will run on into the next financial year.

The full Nine-Month Report 2015 is available to download from the Investor Relations/Financial Reports section of the company website.