Eckert & Ziegler 2016 annual financial statements: Sales and profit according to plan. Gross profit margin up by 6%. Change in the Supervisory Board.

Berlin, March 23, 2017. 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 138.0 million (prior year: EUR 140.0 million) in fiscal year 2016.
The slight decline in business volume was largely due to the sale of unprofitable segments in December 2015. With sales remaining stable, the Group's material costs fell by 6%, or EUR 3.9 million. Selling expenses declined by 11%, or EUR 2.9 million, to EUR 22.6 million.

Despite the much lower cost base, consolidated profit after taxes and minority interests fell by 11% from EUR 10.7 million to EUR 9.5 million. Prior-year earnings were boosted by extraordinary income from the disposal of a subsidiary. Excluding this effect, earnings per share in 2016 only came to the forecast EUR 1.81 per share. Discontinued operations are not included in the annual financial statements, which is why recorded sales only stand at EUR 137.9 million. Excluding continued and discontinued operations, earnings per share actually stood at EUR 1.97 per share.

Isotope Products, the largest segment, saw its sales decline slightly by EUR 1.3 million to EUR 76.2 million. Sales in the energy sector in particular failed to match expectations on account of the low oil price.

Sales in the Radiation Therapy segment declined by EUR 6.2 million, or 20.0%, to EUR 24.9 million due to the disposal of the U.S. seed business. Another reason for this development was the decline in afterloader business. Due to the poor economic situation in target markets in South America and in Russia, sales of SagiNova^(R) fell short of expectations. Implant business was able to be stabilized and actually exceeded expectations.

Sales in the Radiopharma segment increased by EUR 34.2 million to EUR 39.8 million. All main product groups contributed to the rise in sales, with the exception of the equipment division. Sales of cyclotron-based radiodiagnostics also rose year on year, as these products were also employed in neurological clinical trials to diagnose Alzheimer's disease. This more than compensated for the slight decrease in sales of standard FDG products. Prices of standard FDG products stabilized at a low level in fiscal year 2016.

Cash inflows from operating activities increased by EUR 3.6 million to EUR 19.8 million. Capital outflows from investing activities in 2016 stood at EUR 5.5 million. Besides investments in new plants and machinery, which rose by EUR 1.5 million year on year, capital outflows from investing activities in 2016 include cash payments for acquisitions and the acquisition of interests totaling EUR 0.5 million. Capital outflows from financing activities increased year on year by EUR 1.1 million. Net liquidity, in other words the difference between liabilities and cash-in-hand, rose by EUR 9.0 million to EUR 24.9 million.

As of the reporting date, cash or cash equivalents increased by EUR 5.1 million to EUR 36.6 million. The equity ratio improved from 53.2% to 55.2%.

Sales are expected to rise in fiscal year 2017 to roughly EUR 150 million, while EBIT is expected to stand at approximately EUR 16 million. This should result in consolidated profit of some EUR 10.6 million, or EUR 2.00 per share. The forecasts are based on a USD/EUR exchange rate of no more than 1.15.

The majority shareholder of Eckert & Ziegler AG, Eckert Wagniskapital und Frühphasenfinanzierung GmbH, is to propose to the Annual General Meeting on 31 May 2017 the appointment of former Executive Board member Dr. Edgar Löffler to the Supervisory Board.

The complete financial statements can be viewed here:
http://www.ezag.com/fileadmin/user_upload/ezag/investors-financial-reports/englisch/euzj16e.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.

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.com