Pironet NDH AG / Release of an announcement according to Article 37x of the
WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]
20.06.2011 10:44
Interim report according to Article 37x of the WpHG, transmitted by
DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Cologne, 20 June 2011 - The growth rate of the German economy was retained
at the beginning of 2011. Germany's adjusted gross domestic product (GDP)
rose by 1.5% over the previous quarter and has already exceeded the
pre-crisis level of early 2008. The year 2011 also started excellently for
the IT sector. According to BITKOM (the German Federal Association for
Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media) 78% of the
providers for IT, telecommunications and consumer electronics showed
increasing sales during the period from January to March. The general
business outlook of the high-tech industry has risen to an all-time high.
In 2011, BITKOM expects an overall increase in turnover for the sector of
2%.
PIRONET NDH is also feeling the momentum from the good economic situation,
and its continued operations achieved a turnover gain of 3.7% to EUR 11.7
million for the first three months of the financial year. The growth rate
does not include revenues of SA2 Worldsync GmbH as part of the group's
Master Data Services (MDS) segment in 2010 to make it comparable to 2011
(pro forma description). The company has been consolidated using the 'at
equity' method since January 1st 2011.
All group segments except MDS were able to increase sales significantly
over compared to the previous year. The section with the strongest growth,
recording an increase of 9.7% to EUR 2.5 million, was Content Integration;
ICT Outsourcing remained the section with the highest turnover, with EUR
5.7 million (+6.6%). EBT amounted to EUR 0.0 million (previous year EUR 0.4
million), with development varying across the different segments. Earnings
in the segments ICT Outsourcing and Content Integration were accompanied by
losses in the other areas. In the discontinued segment Finance IT Services
an EBT of EUR -1.6 million was created as a result of an asset deal
implemented using financial assistance on 31st March 2011. In the future,
no further financial burdens will be incurred in this segment at that
level.
With capital investments almost unchanged at EUR 1.1 million (EUR 1.2
million), liquid assets decreased from EUR 13.5 million as at the end of
2010 to EUR 12.2 million in the reporting period. This decrease is mainly
due to the deconsolidation of SA2 Worldsync GmbH. This sum corresponds to
net liquid assets, as PIRONET NDH continues to work without bank loans. Per
share, this makes EUR 0.84. The equity ratio as at 31st March 2011 was over
70%. The proportion of intangible assets to total assets has fallen
perceptibly to below 10%.
It is imperative in the current fiscal year to continue to work on the
profitability and the optimization of the company's structure, and in this
way to push forward the process of change that has already begun. The trend
for the first quarter confirms that this was the right decision. With the
sale of most of the loss-making activities of agentes AG an important step
has been achieved in this direction. The review of all strategic options
for the MDS segment, including the creation of strategic partnerships or
sales, has utmost priority on the Management Board's agenda.
The Management Board still expects to achieve this year's targets set out
in the annual report.
The Management Board
About PIRONET NDH AG
PIRONET NDH AG offers the market a unique portfolio of solutions for
handling digital content and data. This includes consultancy, software,
integration and outsourcing services. PIRONET NDH AG is a corporate group
that brings together four companies specializing in the different business
areas ICT outsourcing, consulting and design, content management solutions
as well as IT-solutions for retail / CPG. PIRONET NDH AG was founded in
1995 and is based in Cologne. Since 2000, it has been listed on the German
stock exchange. The group of companies employs more than 400 people working
in 20 different countries and posted sales figures of around 55 million
euros in the last financial year (2010).
Further Information: http://www.pironet-ndh.com
Contact:
Investor Relations
PIRONET NDH
Von-der-Wettern-StraÃe 27
Phone.: +49.2203.935 30-3951
51149 Cologne
Fax: +49.2203.935 30-3959
E-Mail: ir@pironet-ndh.com
20.06.2011 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
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Language: English
Company: Pironet NDH AG
Von-der-Wettern Str. 27
51149 Köln
Deutschland
Internet: www.pironet-ndh.com
End of Announcement DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-IRE: Pironet NDH AG: PIRONET NDH in a state of change
| Source: EQS Group AG