News Detail - Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG

Eckert & Ziegler fiscal year 2013: slight decrease in sales. Proposed dividend unchanged. Optimistic for fiscal year 2014.


Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG / Key word(s): Final Results/Dividend

27.03.2014 / 07:45


Press release

Eckert & Ziegler fiscal year 2013: slight decrease in sales. Proposed dividend unchanged. Optimistic for fiscal year 2014.

Berlin, March 27, 2014. Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700), a Berlin-based company specializing in isotope technology for medical, scientific and industrial applications, reported sales of EUR 117.1 million in 2013 (previous year: EUR 120.0 million). The decisive factors for this development were the decline in sales in industrial components, implants and instruments, the planned exit from the accessories trade in France as well as the unfavorable EUR/USD exchange rate. Additional sales from acquisitions were unable to compensate for these effects.

Consolidated net profit after taxes and minority interests fell by 12% from EUR 10.3 million to EUR 9.1 million, and earnings per share dropped EUR 0.23/share to EUR 1.72. The main reason for this was the decline in the gross margin, which was down 12% due to one-off effects although sales only registered a 2% decline. Higher sales costs as a result of higher one time waste costs as well as a shift in the product mix to low-margin products were also responsible.

A sales breakdown by segment shows the following sales distribution:

The Radiation Therapy segment reported the largest nominal decline in sales of EUR 3.9 million to EUR 27.8 million. Special sales in the previous year from a one-off license fee for the use of Company patents and technologies in Russia and the discontinuation of the radiation accessories business in France were the two factors responsible for this. Adjusted for these effects, sales in the Radiation Therapy segment grew in particular on the back of stable demand for tumor irradiation equipment (+7%).

Sales in the Isotope Products segment contracted 4% to EUR 54 million due to the lower demand for industrial components in China and America as well as unfavorable exchange rate effects.

Sales in the Radiopharma segment increased by EUR 2.3 million or 9%. This was largely a result of the acquisition of Austrian company BSM Diagnostica GmbH, which contributed EUR 3.0 million to sales.

A foreign acquisition also significantly contributed to sales growth in the Environmental Services segment at EUR 1.6 million. Sales increased EUR 1.1 million or 18% on the back of the first-time inclusion of the British waste management business acquired from Energy Solutions.

Overall, sales and earnings are expected to see at least 10% growth in fiscal year 2014. This corresponds to sales of some EUR 129 million and net profit of around EUR 10 million (EPS approx. EUR 1.90/share) for the year. Internal planning figures are considerably higher than these threshold values.

The complete annual financial statements can be viewed under:
http://www.ezag.com/home/investors/financial-reports.html

The Executive Board and Supervisory Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting on May 22, 2014, a dividend of EUR 0.60 per share entitled to a dividend (previous year: EUR 0.60).

About Eckert & Ziegler.
Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700), with approximately 700 employees, is one the world's largest providers of isotope technology for radiation therapy and nuclear medicine.
Contributing to saving lives.

For further information or questions, please contact:
Eckert & Ziegler AG, Karolin Riehle, Investor Relations Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 94 10 84-138, karolin.riehle@ezag.de, www.ezag.de



End of Corporate News


27.03.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de



259824  27.03.2014