VTG Aktiengesellschaft / Preliminary Results
23.02.2009
Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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VTG sales for financial year 2008 higher than anticipated
- Sales increased by 12.4 per cent
- Operating profit (EBITDA) up 14.2 per cent
- Sales far exceed forecast, EBITDA forecast clearly achieved
- Sales and EBITDA for 2009 expected to be slightly below the high level of
2008
Hamburg, 23rd February 2009. VTG Aktiengesellschaft, Europe's leading
private wagon hire and rail logistics company (Securities Identification
Code: VTG999), today announced its preliminary, unaudited figures for the
financial year 2008. According to these figures, group revenue has gone up
compared with the previous year by 12.4 per cent, or EUR 67.4 million, to
EUR 608.7 million, exceeding prior forecast (of between EUR 585.0 and EUR
595.0 million). In the case of operating profit (EBITDA), the figure
achieved, EUR 156.4 million, surpassed the forecast (between EUR 152.0 and
EUR 156.0 million) by 14.2 per cent versus the previous year, equalling EUR
19.4 million.
'Our growth was even stronger in 2008 than anticipated', says Dr. Heiko
Fischer, CEO of VTG Aktiengesellschaft. 'These good results and a solid
business model are a very good basis for further growth in what is overall
a difficult economic environment', he continues. VTG plays a key role in
rail freight transports of products for meeting the basic supply
requirements of industry and thus forms part of the industrial
infrastructure. This element of VTG's largest division, Wagon Hire, sets
the company quite apart from many other companies in the logistics sector
in that the latter are more susceptible to the economic climate.
All divisions showing very good growth
In all three divisions, VTG reported similar rises in sales. Thus the
company increased sales in its largest division, Wagon Hire, by 13.0 per
cent in the financial year 2008, to EUR 294.1 million. As at 31st December
2008, the level of capacity utilization achieved for the wagon fleet was
high, at 91.1 per cent. The drop of 2.8 per cent on the previous year was
primarily due to returns of rail freight cars, which are also used for
transporting automotive parts. These wagons constitute a small part of the
entire fleet and come from a joint venture in which VTG has just a 50 per
cent share. Due to the fleet increasing from 47,800 to a total of some
49,600 freight cars, this drop had little impact on the results of the
Wagon Hire Division.
In the Rail Logistics Division sales increased by 15.5 per cent compared to
the previous year, to total of EUR 177.7 million. In the third division,
Tank Container Logistics, sales increased by 7.6 per cent to EUR 136.8
million.
VTG continues on its path of growth
In the financial year 2008, VTG has continued to pursue its disciplined
strategy of international growth and consolidation of its leading market
position in Europe. This strategy included not only the successful entry
into the North American market and entry into the joint venture with Cosco
Logistics in China, but also the takeover of the German wagon manufacturer
Graaff.
As at 31st December 2008, VTG employed a staff of 1,004 worldwide, 190 more
than at the end of 2007. The increased number of staff is largely due to
the acquisition of the wagon manufacturer Graaff.
Sales and EBITDA for 2009 expected to equal 2008 level
Being part of the industrial infrastructure, VTG is less susceptible than
other companies to fluctuations in the economic climate. With some 1,000customers from different industries, VTG has a broad range of customers,
making it less dependent on the economic fortunes of individual companies
or sectors. Furthermore, long-term secured lines of credit enable VTG to
make investments and grasp opportunities for growth. Building on these
secure elements of its business model, the company expects sales and EBITDA
operating profit in 2009 to be slightly below the levels achieved in 2008,
despite the difficult economic climate. This means in more detail that if
the economic climate doesn't improve in the second half of 2009, the
company could end the year at a level of only up to 5 per cent under the
very good sales and EBITDA of 2008; in for example the division Wagon Hire
this would equal a wagon capacity utilization rate of approx. 86 per cent.
About VTG:
VTG Aktiengesellschaft is one of Europe's leading wagon hire and rail
logistics companies. The company has the largest private wagon fleet in
Europe. Globally the fleet consists of about 49,600 rail freight cars with
a focus on tank cars and state of the art high capacity freight cars and
flat cars. In addition to the hiring of wagons, the Group offers global
tank container transport and comprehensive multi-modal logistics services
mainly around rail transport.
With the combination of its three interrelated divisions Wagon Hire, Rail
Logistics and Tank Container Logistics VTG offers its clients a
high-performance platform for international transport of their freight. The
Group has many years of experience and specific know-how in particular in
the transport of liquid and sensitive goods. Its customers include numerous
well-known companies from almost all industrial sectors such as, for
example, chemicals, mineral oil, the automobile or paper industries.
In the financial year 2007 VTG generated operating revenues of EUR 541.3
million and an operating result (EBITDA) of EUR 137.0 million. The
preliminary, still unconfirmed figures for 2008 are sales of EUR 608.7
million and operating profit (EBITDA) of EUR 156.4 million. Via its
subsidiaries and affiliates the company, which has its head office in
Hamburg, is mainly present in Europe, Asia and North America. As at 31
December 2008 VTG employed 1,004 employees worldwide in consolidated
companies. Since June 2007 VTG AG has been listed on the official Prime
Standard market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange - since September 2008 also
on the SDAX (SCN: VTG999).
Media contact:
Tanja Laube
Head of Corporate Communications
Telephone: +49 (0) 40 23 54-13 41
Fax: +49 (0) 40 23 54-13 40
Email: tanja.laube@vtg.com
Felix Zander
Head of Investor Relations
Telephone: +49 (0) 40 23 54 - 13 51
Fax: + 49 (0) 40 23 54 - 13 50
Email: felix.zander@vtg.com
Further information at www.vtg.com
DGAP 23.02.2009
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Language: English
Issuer: VTG Aktiengesellschaft
Nagelsweg 34
20097 Hamburg
Deutschland
Phone: 040 2354 0
Fax: 040 2354 1199
E-mail: info@vtg.de
Internet: www.vtg.de
ISIN: DE000VTG9999
WKN: VTG999
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-News: VTG Aktiengesellschaft sales for financial year 2008 higher than anticipated
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