DGAP-News: EQS Group AG growth continues / Geographic expansion and an upswing on the IPO market driving business


EQS Group AG  / Key word(s): Half Year Results/Quarter Results

28.08.2015 08:30

Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS
Group AG.
The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this
announcement. 

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EQS Group AG growth continues / Geographic expansion and an upswing on the
IPO market driving business

Munich - 28 August 2015

EQS Group AG (ISIN: DE0005494165) continued to grow both domestically and
internationally in the second quarter, building on the strong start to the
year. Investments in geographic expansion are bearing fruit, even if there
are, as expected, short-term effects on profitability. In the first six
months of 2015, the company generated revenue of EUR8.995 million. This
represents a growth of 23% from the same period of the previous year.
Adjusted for revenues in the first four months for the Asian subsidiary
acquired at the end of April, growth was 13%. EBIT before scheduled
amortisation of the customer assets and before acquisition costs (Non-IFRS)
rose in the first six months of the year despite high expenditure for the
Asian expansion; it was up 9% to EUR1.251 million. The scalable business
model led to a 28% increase in EBIT to EUR1.078 million compared to last
year. Adjusted net income totalled EUR.757 million. Year-on-year adjusted
earnings per share were up from EUR0.47 to EUR.65.

In the second quarter, revenues totalled EUR4.788 million (+20%), adjusted
EBIT was down -11% to EUR.770 million and net income was down -20% to
EUR.387 million. Adjusted earnings per share for the period from April to
June were EUR.33 (previous year: EUR.40).

According to Achim Weick, CEO of EQS Group AG, "The first six months of the
year saw extremely positive developments for EQS Group AG. We were able
further to consolidate our leading position in the German-speaking
countries and significantly expand our international business. EQS Group
has emerged as a clear winner from the market consolidation that has been
ongoing since the financial crisis broke."

A very positive trend was the upswing on the IPO market in Germany. This
ensured that revenues in the Regulatory Information & News segment remained
steady despite an environment of delisting and downlisting on the domestic
market. Revenues in this segment amounted to EUR3.001 million (-1%) in the
first six months. EBIT rose by 20% to EUR.701 million, and non-IFRS EBIT by
4% to EUR.757 million.

New customers acquired in the IPOs also had a positive effect on the
Products & Services segment; another key performance driver was the new
Asian subsidiary EQS Asia Ltd. Revenues were up by 37% in the first six
months of the year to EUR6.473 million. Segment EBIT without acquisition
expenses increased correspondingly by a significant 48% to EUR.377 million.
Non-IFRS EBIT rose by 18% to EUR.494 million.

Forecast confirmed

The EQS Group Management Board expects continued revenue increases of
between 10-15% to EUR18 - EUR18.8 million for the current business year. We
expect a decrease of 5-10% to EUR3 - EUR3.15 million in Non-IFRS EBIT due
to higher expenditures, particularly for expansion into China's markets.
EQS Group expect 2016 to see new records in revenue and adjusted EBIT.

Management will comment on results today beginning at 11:00 a.m. (CET) via
teleconference which will be streamed live online at www.eqs.com.
 

<pre>

Key Figures (IFRS)                         6M 2015      6M 2014      Change
Revenues (EURmillion)                      8.995        7.307        23%
Non-IFRS* EBIT (EURmillion)                1.251        1.144        9%
EBIT (EURmillion)                          1.078        .840         28%
Non-IFRS* Group Earnings (EURmillion)      .757         .560         35%
Group Earnings (EURmillion)                .657         .384         71%
Non-IFRS* Earnings per Share (EUR)         .65          .47          38%
Earnings per Share (EUR)                   .56          .32          75%
Operative Cash Flow (EURmillion)           2.457        1.324        86%
Liquid Assets (EURmillion)                 .974         1.370        -29%
Employees (Period Average)                 175          136          29%



</pre>

<pre>

Key Figures (IFRS)                         Q2 2015      Q2 2014      +/-
Revenues (EURmillion)                      4.788        3.988        20%
Non-IFRS* EBIT (EURmillion)                .770         .870         -11%
EBIT (EURmillion)                          .683         .642         6%
Non-IFRS* Group Earnings (EURmillion)      .387         .481         -20%
Group Earnings (EURmillion)                .337         .350         -4%
Non-IFRS* Earnings per Share (EUR)         .33          .40          -18%
Earnings per Share (EUR)                   .29          .30          -3%



</pre>

* Non-IFRS performance indicators before amortisation on acquired customer
assets & acquisition costs

 

Further Comments:

Six month 2015 figures are unaudited.

The complete quarterly report can be found and downloaded at www.eqs.com in
Investor Relations in an interactive version.

Receive EQS Group AG corporate news immediately and free of charge on your
mobile device or directly on your Apple Watch via the DGAP News App
(http://newsapp.dgap.de/).

 

About EQS Group

The EQS Group is a Munich-headquartered leading international provider of
digital corporate communications.

Since its founding in 2000, the EQS Group has grown to be a leading global
provider of digital solutions for investor relations and corporate
communications. Its solutions and services enable over 7,000 companies
worldwide to fulfill complex domestic and international corporate
information requirements securely, timely and efficiently.

EQS Investor Relations and EQS Corporate Communications disseminate
financial and corporate news, develop corporate websites and apps, produce
online financial as well as sustainability reports, and execute audio and
video broadcasts. EQS Financial Markets & Media and ARIVA.DE (25.44%) are
active in financial marketing, data and content delivery as well as the
development of financial portals. Through its DGAP service, the EQS Group
is the institution by which companies fulfill mandatory regulatory news
dissemination requirements.

The EQS Group is headquartered in Munich, with a further domestic office in
Hamburg. The international growth strategy has led to subsidiaries in
Zurich, Moscow, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Singapore, Taipei, and Kochi. EQS
Group currently has over 180 employees.


28.08.2015 The DGAP 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:      EQS Group AG
              Karlstr. 47
              80333 Munich
              Germany
Phone:        +49(0)89 210298-0
Fax:          +49(0)89 210298-49
E-mail:       info@eqs.com
Internet:     www.eqs.com
ISIN:         DE0005494165
WKN:          549416
Listed:       Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich
              (m:access), Stuttgart; Open Market (Entry Standard) in
              Frankfurt
 
End of Announcement                             DGAP News-Service
 
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