DGAP-Adhoc: DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft: DEAG increases sales revenues during the first half-year 2015 in a double-digit range and invests in organic growth in the Content business unit


DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft  / Key word(s): Half Year Results

01.09.2015 00:29

Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted
by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Ad hoc announcement in accordance with § 15 WpHG (German Securities
Trading Act)

DEAG increases sales revenues during the first half-year 2015 in a
double-digit range and invests in organic growth in the Content business
unit

  - Sales revenues after consolidation increase by 23% to EUR 118.8 million

  - Adjusted EBIT significantly above prior year

  - Ticket volume reaches record level following investments

  - Optimum positioning of MyTicket with new partners and growing product

  - Sale of 110,000 m² of developed real property areas around the
    Frankfurter Jahrhunderthalle arena

Berlin, August 31, 2015 - DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft
(DEAG), Berlin, (ISIN DE000A0Z23G6, WKN A0Z23G) has reached its strategic
goals during the first half-year 2015. Sales revenues rose by 23% to EUR
118.8 million (prior year EUR: 96.7 million); before consolidation sales
revenues increased to EUR 150.5 million (prior year EUR 113.9 million, plus
32%). The adjusted EBIT amounts to EUR 5.5 million (prior year: EUR 5.2
million, plus 6%). In connection with the expansion of the Open Air
business unit, claims are asserted, which are rated by legal experts with a
high probability of success. These receivables were nonetheless not
recognized as income in accordance with IFRS. The Executive Board
anticipates a final and conclusive legal decision still in fiscal 2015.
Without these receivables the EBIT amounts to EUR -8.5 million, the Group
result to EUR -9.3 million; the adjusted Group result of  EUR 3.0 million
(prior year: EUR 3.1 million) is on prior year level.

The strategic focus has been placed on the rapid development of the highly
profitable own digital distribution platform MyTicket. Strong marketing
partners and a growing ticket volume are major success drivers to meet the
short-term earnings objectives in this business unit. The recent admission
of Bild/Axel Springer and Starwatch/ProSiebenSat.1 as co-shareholders has
been an important milestone. In order to step up the ticket volume, the
Executive Board pursues an investment policy which is targeting organic and
external profitable growth in the core business. During major open air
events at Hockenheimring, the Olympic Stadium in Munich or the Wembley
Stadium in London renowned artists such as AC/DC, Sunrise Avenue, Muse or
Metallica were presented to more than one million visitors. Many events in
the different genres of Live Entertainment such as Classical Music or
Family Entertainment featured the broad offering of the group of companies.
This includes shows and tours such as Disney on Ice, Riverdance, Night of
The Jumps, Anna Netrebko, Jonas Kaufmann or Andreas Gabalier.

The ticket volume achieved already during the first half-year reached a
record level. As a result, DEAG has confirmed its recently increased
forecast for the sales of 4.2 to 4.5 million tickets in the group in the
current year.

The expansion of the Open Air activities was partly faced with a
challenging competitive environment, and the Executive Board points out
that the investments were higher than expected. If the assertion of the
above-mentioned claims is delayed despite the positive assessment by the
lawyers and cannot be enforced in fiscal 2015, the results forecast for
2015 cannot be achieved.
The investment activity is necessary for the strategic orientation and will
probably result in positive contributions to earnings during the following
year.

DEAG has contributed the Frankfurter Jahrhunderthalle arena acquired 15
years ago and the adjoining plots of land to be developed to three JV
companies. With these transactions DEAG sells 51% of the Jahrhunderthalle
arena and 51 % of Jahrhunderthallen Betriebs GmbH. Moreover, 50% of the
plots of land adjoining the Jahrhunderthalle arena are sold and marketed
together with a professional national real estate investor. The inflow of
funds for DEAG will be in a double digit million euro range during the
coming years. These agreements are based on the successful continuing
operation of the Jahrhunderthalle by DEAG until at least 2030. As a result
of the joining of this highly professional joint venture partner, DEAG
anticipates a value-creating and full development of the whole area within
the coming years. In the event of a positive and successful development of
the plots of land, an additional profit will be generated which will exceed
the book value many times over.

The report on the first half-year 2015 is available for downloading in the
Investor Relations section of the website www.deag.de.

DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft 
The Executive Board 

Contact for further information: 
Axel Mühlhaus 
edicto GmbH 
Tel: +49-69-90 550 552 
E-mail: deag@edicto.de


01.09.2015 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:      DEAG Deutsche Entertainment Aktiengesellschaft
              Potsdamer Straße 58
              10785 Berlin
              Germany
Phone:        +49-30-810 75-0
Fax:          +49-30-810 75-519
E-mail:       deag@edicto.de
Internet:     www.deag.de
ISIN:         DE000A0Z23G6
WKN:          A0Z23G
Listed:       Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
              Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich,
              Stuttgart
 
End of Announcement                             DGAP News-Service
 
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