Eckert & Ziegler: Bumper year despite a depressive economic mood

Berlin, March 30, 2010 - The Berlin-based Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700), a specialist for radioactivity in medicine has tripled its profits in the fiscal year 2009 - and for the first time was able to overcome the EUR 100 million sales point. Including special effects the group earned EUR 13.3 million (previous year: EUR 4.5m) after tax and minority interests in the fiscal year 2009. The profit from operating activities, i.e. the result excluding special effects increased from EUR 3.4 million in the previous year by 116% to EUR 7.5 million here and now. On the basis of an average number of shares amounting to EUR 3.8 million the total annual net profit corresponds to EUR 3.50 per share, the surplus from operating activities to a sum of EUR 1.97 per share. The annual sales increased for the sixth successive time to a new record of EUR 101 million (previous year: EUR 72 million, +42%). The Group has thus more than doubled its sales over the past five years. On average the business volume has increased by 25% per annum since 2005. The greatest jump in sales at 74% or EUR 22 million growth was achieved by the segment Industry where the inclusion of the former competitor Nuclitec had the greatest impact. The segment Radiopharmacy primarily increased, by 32% to EUR 19 million, by the inclusion of the Yttrium-90 sales of Nuclitec. The sales of the Russia project of the segment Therapy were only included at a reduced volume in 2009. Nevertheless, the sales increased by 12% to EUR 30 million.

The segment with the highest yield of the three-division Group in 2009 was the segment Industry with its components for industrial, scientific and imaging applications which contributed EUR 1.44 per share or EUR 5.5 million to the annual net profit of the Group. The segment Therapy contributed (without special effects) towards the consolidated profit EUR 0.30 per share which corresponds to a share of 15%. Without the minority interests, the result would be EUR 0.56 per share. The segment Radiopharmacy in which high development expenses burden the result, the loss compared to the previous year could be greatly reduced to EUR -0.1 million or EUR -0.02 per share. Finally, the Holding registers a profit before special effects of EUR 0.9 million or EUR 0.25 per share. The EBIT (Earnings before interest, tax and minorities) adjusted by the special effects more than doubled, from EUR 6.9 million to EUR 14.6 million.

Balance sheet marked by acquisition and special effects Deep down, the balance sheet changes can be ascribed to the following facts: The acquisition of Nuclitec changed the balance sheet compared to 31.12.2008 almost under every single item. The capital increases and the 'Russia Project' led to balance sheet extensions. Thus the cash on the asset side increased - and on the equity and liabilities side the equity increased and by the delimitation of the Russia yields also the item "advance payments received". The release of accruals from the commitment surplus of the IBt takeover bid, and the IBt special effects in connection with the capitalized deferred taxes, the changes in the goodwill and the minority shares also markedly influenced the balance sheet. Particularly due to the capital increases and the annual profit the equity-to-assets ratio increased from 43% to 54%. The cash flow from operating activities achieved a new record of EUR 22.1 million which more than doubled compared to the value of 2008. Together with the revenues from the second capital increase of the year, not yet invested at the end of the year, the resulting operative capital flow decisively contributed towards the liquid funds of the Group being increased by EUR 36.4 million to EUR 43.7 million

The Executive Board and the Supervisory Board will propose an increase in dividends from Euro 0.30 to EUR 0.45 per share at the Annual General Meeting convened on 20th May 2010. For the current year the company expects a result of approx. EUR 1.80 per share considering an increase of shares by 40%. Without considering the increased number of shares this would correspond with a growth of some 28%. With its 520 employees the Eckert & Ziegler Group is one of the largest global suppliers of isotope technology components for radiotherapy and nuclear medicine.

The Board of Directors