DGAP-News: Bastei Lübbe AG publishes Q1 results


DGAP-News: Bastei Lübbe AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement
Bastei Lübbe AG publishes Q1 results

29.08.2016 / 09:00
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Press Release

Bastei Lübbe AG publishes Q1 results

  - Consolidated revenue of EUR 28.6 million

  - Group EBITDA of EUR -1.0 million

  - Outlook for 2016/2017 as a whole remains positive

Cologne, 29 August 2016. Bastei Lübbe AG (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0), which is
listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, has published
its interim report on the first quarter of 2016/2017 today. In the period
from 1 April to 30 June 2016, the Cologne-based media group generated
revenue of EUR 28.6 million. EUR 8.2 million comes from BuchPartner GmbH,
EUR 1.7 million from Daedalic Entertainment GmbH, EUR 0.6 million from
BookRix GmbH & Co. KG and EUR 0.1 million from BEAM Shop GmbH.

Due to the amendment of the scope of consolidation in consultation with the
audit firm KPMG to include the investments pooled under the British Blue
Sky Tech Ventures earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortisation amounted to EUR -1.0 million. Earnings per share amounted to
EUR -0.09 at the end of the reporting period. Blue Sky Tech Ventures will
be fully consolidated retroactively - for the 2015/2016 consolidated
financial statements - and from now on.

In the reporting period, Bastei Lübbe AG took another step closer to the
goal of transforming from one of the largest and most traditional
publishers into a broad-based multi-channel media house. For this purpose,
the Group invested in high-opportunity investments. Particularly notable
here is the purchase of 51 % of the shares in the leading book wholesaler
BuchPartner GmbH for EUR 10.2 million. In May 2016, Bastei Lübbe AG
acquired the brands "LYX" and "INK" from Egmont Verlagsgesellschaft mbH.

Existing bank credit lines were increased in connection with the
investments. For example, an agreement to amend the syndicated loan
agreement was concluded on 15 April 2016, increasing the existing volume
from EUR 33 million to EUR 53 million. In this way, Bastei Lübbe will
remain in a position to sell high-quality entertainment literature and to
make the portfolio even broader and more attractive. Among other things,
the new funds will also help to pre-finance newly purchased titles from
prominent authors.

"We are pursuing a clear long-term strategy. This is the sound foundation
from which to become a digital media company," says Bastei Lübbe AG's CEO
Thomas Schierack. "With the assistance of the new funds, we can pursue our
targets more flexibly and dynamically. At the same time, the expansion of
the credit lines from our partner banks underscores their confidence in
Bastei Lübbe AG and its sustainable growth plan."

The outlook for Bastei Lübbe AG also remains positive for 2016/2017 as a
whole. The Management Board has not identified any indications of a
significant change to the forecast for the 2016/2017 financial year made in
the consolidated financial statements as of 31 March 2016. The resale of
the oolipo shares held by Blue Sky Tech Ventures is still being taken
forward. This could result in significantly positive earnings effects at
Group level.

The full interim report on the first quarter of 2016/2017 is available
online at https://www.luebbe.com/en/investor-relations/financial-reports.

About Bastei Lübbe AG:

Bastei Lübbe AG is an international media group based in Cologne. Its
business operations focus on developing and licensing content distributed
worldwide physically and digitally. The company's core business includes
the traditional publishing business and the periodical puzzle magazines and
novel booklets in the "Book" segment. With its twelve publishers and
imprints, the group of companies currently offers approximately 3,600
titles in fiction, non-fiction and books for children and young adults. In
the growing segment of hardcover fiction, the company has been the market
leader in Germany for many years. At the same time, Bastei Lübbe is driving
innovation in the field of digital media. As well as the production of
thousands of audio and e-books, the "Digital" segment also includes
holdings in the self-publishing platform "BookRix" and the renowned games
publisher "Daedalic Entertainment". Bastei Lübbe AG's value chain is
completed by the investment in the online shop "beam-ebooks.de" and the new
and internationally unique streaming platform "oolipo".
With currently 334 employees and an annual turnover of roughly EUR 102.5
million (financial year 2015/2016), Bastei Lübbe AG is the largest medium-
sized family company in the German publishing industry. Since 2013, the
company's shares have been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt
Stock Exchange (WKN A1X3YY, ISIN DE000A1X3YY0). Further information is
available at www.luebbe.de.

Contact Bastei Lübbe AG:
Barbara Fischer
Director / Vice President
Public Relations
Tel.: +49 (0) 221 / 82 00 28 50
E-mail: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de


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29.08.2016 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.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
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   Language:    English                                                     
   Company:     Bastei Lübbe AG                                             
                Schanzenstraße 6 - 20                                       
                51063 Köln                                                  
                Germany                                                     
   Phone:       02 21 / 82 00 - 0                                           
   Fax:         02 21 / 82 00 - 1900                                        
   E-mail:      investorrelations@luebbe.de                                 
   Internet:    www.luebbe.de                                               
   ISIN:        DE000A1X3YY0, DE000A1K0169                                  
   WKN:         A1X3YY, A1K016                                              
   Listed:      Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated   
                Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,  
                Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange                               
 
 
   End of News    DGAP News Service  
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496435 29.08.2016