DGAP-News: Leifheit Aktiengesellschaft: Consistent implementation of 'Leifheit 2020' group strategy shows first results


DGAP-News: Leifheit Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Development of Sales
Leifheit Aktiengesellschaft: Consistent implementation of 'Leifheit 2020'
group strategy shows first results

11.02.2016 / 09:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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PRESS RELEASE

Consistent implementation of "Leifheit 2020" group strategy shows first
results

  - Preliminary figures for 2015 show 5% growth in group turnover

  - Turnover forecast of 4% exceeded

  - Earnings forecast with EBIT of more than EUR 20 million confirmed

Nassau, 11 February 2016 - Leifheit AG achieved group turnover of EUR 231.8
million in the business year 2015. This represents an increase of 5.0%
compared to the previous year (EUR 220.7 million) and exceeds the company's
growth target of 4%. Early effects of the "Leifheit 2020" group strategy,
introduced early in 2015, and the expansion of the company's customer base
in France contributed significantly to the latest results. This is made
clear by the preliminary figures published today.

Europe continues to be a growth driver in the two segments Brand and Volume
Business. The Group recorded turnover growth of 3.9% in Germany and 7.7% in
Central Europe. Continuing the trend of previous year, the markets in
Russia and Ukraine recorded a downturn. However, this macroeconomic-driven
development was offset by significant growth in the Czech Republic and
Poland. In total, turnover in the Eastern Europe region was 0.8% higher
than the previous year. Outside Europe, the Leifheit Group recorded a
slight decrease in turnover of 0.9%.

The strategically important Brand Business achieved significant growth in
2015, with turnover reaching EUR 188.1 million by the end of the business
year. This represents an increase of 4.3% over the previous year's figure
of EUR 180.4 million. The continued growth of Brand Business turnover is
principally due to increasing demand for Leifheit products, primarily in
the cleaning category. E-commerce has also aided growth in this segment,
which once again reached double figures.

Also the much smaller Volume Business achieved growth of 8.6% compared to
the previous business year, recording turnover of EUR 43.7 million in 2015.
The segment benefited from strong growth of the Birambeau and Herby
subsidiaries in France in the product categories kitchen and laundry care.
Turnover was also positively impacted by a one-off effect caused by the
initial supply of a new customer with Birambeau kitchen products.

"We are consistently working on the implementation of our new strategy,
"Leifheit 2020", and are delighted to already see its first successes in
the market. This shows us that we are on the right track, even if we still
have a long way to go," says Thomas Radke, CEO of Leifheit AG.

The preliminary turnover figures confirm Leifheit's earnings forecast for
the last business year, which was concretised in November 2015 with the
prediction that an EBIT of more than EUR 20 million would be comfortably
achieved. The company will present its final figures for 2015 with the
submission of its full-year financial report on 31 March 2016.

The first successes of "Leifheit 2020"

The past business year saw the launch of the "Leifheit 2020" group strategy
and the implementation of its strategic guidelines across the company for
achieving sustainable growth.

These include the "Innovation Factory", a holistic innovation strategy
based on a medium-term roadmap of innovative products and significant
growth potential designed to support the company's growth over the coming
months and years. In addition, the company has further strengthened its
design expertise while maintaining high product quality and revised its
brand positioning.

"In 2015, we once again demonstrated our continuous stream of innovation -
for example, with the introduction of the Soehnle Genio Kitchen Scale,"
Radke adds. The space-saving kitchen scale not only won the Kitchen
Innovation Award 2016 and the "Best of the Best" Golden Award, but also
scooped the IF Design Award.

Leifheit presents new initiatives at this year's Ambiente

The path adopted in the sector of innovation will be revealed by the new
products on show at the Ambiente Consumer Fair in Frankfurt. The company's
latest products and solutions will include innovations in ironing board
covers and the Leifheit mop range. With the new Colour Edition, Leifheit
and Soehnle will create colourful accents in their laundry care, kitchen
and bathroom ranges. In addition, the company will present a new campaign
under the slogan "Experience the Leifheit effect".

About Leifheit

Leifheit AG, founded in 1959, is one of the leading European brand
suppliers of household items. The company stands for high-quality,
innovative products with great utility and pioneering design in the sectors
of cleaning, laundry care, kitchen goods and wellbeing. Leifheit and
Soehnle are among the best-known brands in Germany. In addition to the
Brand Business, Leifheit AG operates in the service-oriented Volume
Business via its French subsidiaries Birambeau and Herby. The Leifheit
Group and its international branches combined have around 1,000 employees.
More information on Leifheit is available online at www.leifheit-group.com,
www.leifheit.de and www.soehnle.de.




Contact:
Leifheit AG
D-56377 Nassau
ir@leifheit.com
+49 2604 977218


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11.02.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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   Language:    English                                                     
   Company:     Leifheit Aktiengesellschaft                                 
                Leifheitstraße                                              
                56377 Nassau / Lahn                                         
                Germany                                                     
   Phone:       02604 977-0                                                 
   Fax:         02604 977-340                                               
   E-mail:      ir@leifheit.com                                             
   Internet:    www.leifheit.com                                            
   ISIN:        DE0006464506                                                
   WKN:         646450                                                      
   Listed:      Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated   
                Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,  
                Munich, Stuttgart                                           
 
 
   End of News    DGAP News Service  
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436425 11.02.2016