Eckert & Ziegler: Significant improvement in cost items in the first half year

Berlin, 2 August 2016. In the first half of the year, Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE 0005659700), a specialist for isotope-based applications in medicine, science and industry headquartered in Berlin, posted a EUR 1.1 million rise in sales to EUR 70.1 million compared to the same period in the prior year (+ 2 %). Currency effects and acquisitions were irrelevant, the nominal growth was largely based on organic growth.

The sharpest rise in sales of EUR 2.1 million, or 12 %, to EUR 19.4 million was posted by the Radiopharma segment. While sales of equipment and cyclotron products remained more or less unchanged year on year, sales of pharmaceutical radioisotopes posted double-digit growth. The Isotope Products segment saw sales rise by EUR 1.4 million, or 4 %, to EUR 40.2 million, while, as expected, sales in the Radiation Therapy segment shrank by EUR 2.7 million, or 18 %, to EUR 12.0 million following the prior year's disposal of two divisions.

Group earnings per share fell by EUR 0.53, or 37 %, year on year to EUR 0.89. This corresponds more or less exactly to the expected value, which provides for earnings of EUR 1.80 per share for the full year. If the earnings for the first half of the year are only calculated on the basis of the continuing operations and eliminating the losses for 2016 that arose from the winding-down of a Californian subsidiary, earnings per share amounted to EUR 0.98, that is to say EUR 0.10 more. The scheduled decline in profits was due to the EUR 5.9 million drop in extraordinary income which stood at a record figure of EUR 9.2 million in the prior year as a result of, among other things, the sale of an investment (OctreoPharm Sciences). This was compounded in 2015 by a EUR 1.2 million rise in the financial result - mainly as a result of exchange rate gains.

If extraordinary income and the financial result are excluded for both halves of the year, there has been a significant improvement in the results of operations. While sales remained more or less unchanged, the Group's gross margin rose by EUR 1.3 million and administrative and selling expenses fell by EUR 2.2 million. The disposals of loss-bringer operations and the closure of unprofitable subsidiaries enabled the Group to reduce its cost base by EUR 3.5 million, or 5 % of sales, within a period of twelve months.

Compared to 2015, more or less constant sales of EUR 140 million are expected for 2016. Profit is likely to decline to around EUR 1.80 per share due to the absence of positive one-off effects.

The complete quarterly financial statements can be viewed under:
http://www.ezag.com/fileadmin/user_upload/ezag/investors-financial-reports/englisch/euz216e.pdf

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.

Your 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.com