Eckert & Ziegler: Profit for the year 2001 rises by about 160%.

START_OF_TAGiEND_OF_TAGEckert & Ziegler: Profit for the year 2001 rises by about 160%.START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGOperational cash flow increases by 174%.START_OF_TAG/iEND_OF_TAGSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGBerlin, March 27, 2002. Eckert & Ziegler AG, a specialist in low-level radioactive radiation sources, has been able to improve all its main key figures for the fourth time in succession. According to the Group accounts, which have now been adopted and granted an unrestricted auditor's certificate, sales rose by 40 percent to about Euro 33 million, earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by about 160 percent to Euro 5.2 million, and post-tax earnings per share by 150 percent to Euro 1.00. Operative cash flow rose by 174 percent to Euro 9.2START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGmillion. The greatest organic growth came from cancer-treatment products, where sales rose by 51 percent (to Euro 5.9 million). In the fields of Industrial Products (Euro 12.4 million, +64 percent) and Nuclear Imaging (Euro 10.4 million, + 18%), on the other hand, a small proportion of the growth was also due to acquisitions. Cardiology was able to grow particularly in the second half of the year, and its sales rose by 29 percent to a total of Euro 3.1 million. START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGFor 2002 the Management Board is once again expecting double digit growth in sales. Earnings per share will be around Euro 0.30 in the current year on account of development expenses for new molecular biology cancer medicines. This would represent a doubling of operating profits, as in 2001 an exceptional payment was received that cannot be expected to recur. START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGThe company's medium-term growth expectations are based amongst other things on forthcoming health-fund registrations in a number of European countries (for the Oncology Division), a boost to the economy in the specialized application area of security (for the Industrial Division), and the inclusion of newer imagingSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGprocesses in the reimbursement catalogs of the American health care organizations (for the Nuclear Imaging Division).START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGThe Board of DirectorsSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGFor further information please contact:START_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGEckert & Ziegler AG, Karolin Riehle, Investor RelationsSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGRobert-Rössle-Str. 10, D - 13125 BerlinSTART_OF_TAGBREND_OF_TAGhttp://www.ezag.com , Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 94 10 84-0, Fax -112