DGAP-News: IBS AG excellence, collaboration, manufacturing: Profitable growth in 2008 with 4th quarter record earnings

IBS AG excellence, collaboration, manufacturing / Preliminary Results/Final Results

16.03.2009 

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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IBS AG: Profitable growth in 2008 with 4th quarter record earnings

- Group turnover rises 7 per cent to 21.9M EUR
- Earnings per share increase 26 per cent to 0.35 EUR
- Sustained high volume of orders on hand of 10.3M EUR
- Liquid funds of over 6.7M EUR, around 1 EUR per share
- Q4 increase in turnover to 6.6M EUR with an 18 per cent EBIT margin

Hoehr-Grenzhausen, 16th March 2009: IBS AG, Hoehr-Grenzhausen is a leading
supplier of cross-company standard software systems for quality, production
and compliance management. IBS AG continued to achieve profitable growth
throughout the 2008 financial year.

Preliminary figures for the 2008 financial year

Turnover rose 7.4 per cent to 21.9M EUR (previous year: 20.4M EUR) during
the 2008 financial year, with 53 per cent of the turnover due to software
and maintenance sales. The turnover contribution of IBS America Inc. was
particularly significant. This rose a considerable 27 per cent to 8.2M USD
(previous year: 6.4M USD). On a Euro basis, turnover also increased 18 per
cent to 5.6M EUR (previous year: 4.7M EUR). The average EUR-USD rate of
exchange was 1.47.

Earnings before taxes and interest (EBIT) amounted to 2.62M EUR (previous
year: 2.79M EUR), reaching an EBIT margin of 12 per cent. The annual
surplus per share (earnings per share (undiluted)) rose 26 per cent to 0.35
EUR (previous year: 0.28 EUR). IBS America, Inc. tripled its earnings
contribution and achieved an EBIT of 520K EUR (previous year: 165K EUR),
which corresponds to an EBIT margin of almost 10 per cent.

The corporate group's volume of orders on hand of 10.3M EUR remained at a
high level (previous year: 10.7M EUR) and includes the turnover from
maintenance and service business over the next 12 months. Cash flow from
operating activity increased 66 per cent to 4.38M EUR (previous year: 2.64M
EUR). IBS AG's liquid funds amounted to 6.72M EUR as at 31.12.2008
(previous year: 3.28M EUR), which corresponds to approximately one EUR per
share. The equity ratio rose to 63 per cent, despite a higher balance sheet
total of 22.7M EUR (previous year: 20.5M EUR), thus enabling IBS AG to
operate virtually independently of the banks.

Preliminary figures for the 4th quarter 2008

The operating result for the fourth quarter 2008 was the best quarterly
result in the history of the company. IBS AG achieved a double-figure
increase in turnover of 12.4 per cent to 6.6M EUR (Q4 2007: 5.9M EUR). The
25 per cent increase in earnings before taxes and interest (EBIT) was even
more dramatic, amounting to 1,180K EUR (previous year: 942K EUR) and with
an EBIT margin of 18 per cent.

Outlook 2009

Leading market research institutes anticipate a further positive
development of the software and IT services markets in 2009 and the IBS AG
Board of Management are in agreement with this estimation. The tense
macroeconomic situation worldwide, however, will bring extra challenges
that IBS AG will also have to face. This will mean, inter alia, an increase
in pressure on margins and daily rates. With the backdrop of the
aforementioned macroeconomic situation and in consideration of the related
opportunities and risks, the Board of Management still anticipates being
able to sustain turnover and earnings for the 2009 financial year at the
same high level as in the previous year, however, expects greater
fluctuations between the individual quarters.

The final consolidated financial statement for 2008 will be announced on
31st March 2009, within the scope of the 2008 Annual Report. The 2008
Annual Report will be available for download from www.ibs-ag.de from this
date.

Contact:
Nina Schroeder
IBS AG
Rathausstrasse 56
56203 Hoehr-Grenzhausen
Tel. 49 2624 9180424
Fax: 49 2624 9180966 


DGAP 16.03.2009 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       IBS AG excellence, collaboration, manufacturing
              Rathausstrasse 56
              56203 Hoehr-Grenzhausen
              Deutschland
Phone:        02624/ 9180-424
Fax:          02624/ 9180-966
E-mail:       investorrelations@ibs-ag.de
Internet:     www.ibs-ag.de
ISIN:         DE0006228406
WKN:          622840
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Stuttgart, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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