DGAP-News: STRATEC Biomedical AG / Key word(s): Final Results
STRATEC achieves higher sales and improved profitability in 2015
14.04.2016 / 07:36
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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STRATEC achieves higher sales and improved profitability in 2015
- Sales of EUR 146.9 million (+1.4%; previous year: EUR 144.9 million)
- EBIT of EUR 26.9 million (+11.7%; previous year: EUR 24.1 million)
- EBIT margin at 18.3% (+170 base points; previous year: 16.6%)
- Consolidated net income of EUR 22.1 million
(+11.7%; previous year: EUR 19.8 million)
- Earnings per share of EUR 1.87 (+11.3%; previous year: EUR 1.68)
- Proposed dividend of EUR 0.75 per share
(dividend payment previous year: EUR 0.70 per share)
- Publication of new financial forecast in 2016 half-year Interim Report
Birkenfeld, April 14, 2016
STRATEC Biomedical AG (Frankfurt: SBS; Prime Standard, TecDAX) today
announced the final audited results of the STRATEC Group for the financial
year ending December 31, 2015, with the publication of its 2015 Annual
Report. These figures prepared in line with International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS) have been audited and granted an unqualified
audit opinion.
<pre>
Key figures
(EUR thousand) 01.01.- 31.12.2015 01.01.- 31.12.2014 Changes
Sales 146,886 144,860 +1.4%
EBIT 26,875 24,052 +11.7%
Consolidated net income 22,084 19,768 +11.7%
Earnings per share (EUR) 1.87 1.68 +11.3%
EBIT margin (%) 18.3 16.6 +170 bps
</pre>
bps = basis points
Business performance
STRATEC achieved a growth in sales in the 2015 financial year of 1.4% over
the previous year, from EUR 144.9 million to EUR 146.9 million. The EBIT
margin was also significantly increased from 16.6% to 18.3%. This positive
development was largely attributable to the mix of products, new projects
in the workflow solutions area, and a locally beneficial development in
currency fluctuations.
Additionally, the company continued to receive a high volume of progress
payments for development services. These projects and subsequent market
launches are expected to generate the growth planned over the coming years.
The share of sales attributable to service parts increased from 23.4% in
2014 to 24.3% in 2015.
EBIT increased by 11.7% from EUR 24.1 million in the previous year to
EUR 26.9 million in the 2015 financial year, representing an EBIT margin of
18.3%. Consolidated net income grew correspondingly by 11.7% to EUR 22.1
million, and earnings per share increased by 11.3% to EUR 1.87.
Acquisition of Diatron
STRATEC announced the acquisition of the hematology system specialist
Diatron on March 23, 2016. The company designs and manufactures system
solutions for hematology applications and clinical chemistry, as well as
related consumables. With this acquisition, STRATEC is expanding its
portfolio of products and customers. Synergies are expected especially in
development and production.
Diatron supplies analyzer systems and complementary products such as
consumables and services for use in human and veterinary diagnostics to
more than 100 countries. Among its customers are well-known life science
companies with global operations. In 2015 the company generated sales
equivalent to around EUR 34 million with profitability comparable to that
of the STRATEC Group. The acquisition is expected to be make a positive
contribution to Group earnings in 2016.
Financial forecast
STRATEC will publish a new forecast with the 2016 half-year figures. This
will take into consideration the financial forecast published on March 15,
2016, (2014-2017 average annual growth rate [CAGR] of 6%) as well as the
most recent effects from the acquisition of Diatron.
Dividend proposal
Given the company's positive business performance in 2015 and its strong
long-term prospects, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board of
STRATEC Biomedical AG will be proposing the distribution of a dividend of
EUR 0.75 per share for the 2015 financial year for approval by the Annual
General Meeting on June 9, 2016. After a dividend payout of EUR 0.70 per
share in the previous year, this would represent an increase of 7.1%.This
reflects the continued good earnings position and business prospects, also
in respect of potential acquisitions.
Pending approval from the Annual General Meeting, shareholders can thus
anticipate an increase in the dividend for the twelfth consecutive time
since dividends were first paid in 2004. We thus intend to maintain our
continuity-based dividend policy, which provides for a distribution quota
of between 40 and 60%. STRATEC continues to focus on internal and external
growth opportunities. This may result in temporary deviations from the
distribution quota. These opportunities may take the form of acquisitions
or potential up-front financing for major projects.
Development in personnel
Including temporary employees and trainees, the STRATEC Group had a total
of 583 employees as of December 31, 2015 (previous year: 544).
In order to keep pace with the anticipated continued growth, production
capacities at STRATEC's location in Switzerland were expanded during 2015.
At the location in Romania, construction of a new building began towards
the end of 2015, and the employees at the site in the United Kingdom moved
to a modern, larger building as the capacity of the old space had been
reached.
STRATEC will continue to be in need of qualified personnel, especially in
development.
STRATEC's Board of Management has an interest in long-term staff retention.
For this reason, employees were given the opportunity in the 2015 financial
year to participate in the success of the company through an employee
participation program, further details of which can be found in our Annual
Report.
Projects and other developments
STRATEC will continue to focus in the current financial year on achieving
further major milestones; important market launches are also scheduled for
2016. Negotiations on additional development and production projects are
ongoing, and platform development is being pushed forward in order to
secure growth on numerous pillars for the future.
For 2016 we expect the proportion of sales from spare parts to remain in
line with the high level achieved in 2015, partly driven by the increased
need for spare parts for recently developed, more complex systems.
The Data Management business unit developed very positively in the 2015
financial year, especially due to an order from a new major customer.
The range of offerings and thus also the foundation for growth of STRATEC
will continue to be strengthened through targeted company acquisitions.
2015 Annual Report
The 2015 Annual Report of STRATEC Biomedical AG has been published on the
company's homepage at www.stratec.com/financial_reports.
Forthcoming dates
The Interim Report as of March 31, 2016, will be published on April 26,
2016.
The Annual General Meeting of STRATEC Biomedical AG will be held in
Pforzheim on June 9, 2016. The invitation to the Annual General Meeting
will be forwarded to STRATEC shareholders in good time ahead of the Annual
General Meeting.
About STRATEC
STRATEC Biomedical AG (www.stratec.com) designs and manufactures fully
automated analyzer systems for its partners in the fields of clinical
diagnostics and biotechnology. These partners market such systems, in
general together with their own reagents, as system solutions to
laboratories, blood banks and research institutes around the world. The
company develops its products on the basis of its own patented
technologies.
Shares in the company (ISIN: DE000STRA555) are traded in the Prime Standard
segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and are listed in the TecDAX select
index of the German Stock Exchange.
Further information can be obtained from:
STRATEC Biomedical AG
André Loy, Corporate Communications
Gewerbestr. 37, 75217 Birkenfeld
Germany
Tel: +49 7082 7916-190
Fax: +49 7082 7916-999
ir@stratec.com
www.stratec.com
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Language: English
Company: STRATEC Biomedical AG
Gewerbestr. 37
75217 Birkenfeld
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)7082 7916 0
Fax: +49 (0)7082 7916 999
E-mail: info@stratec.com
Internet: www.stratec.com
ISIN: DE000STRA555
WKN: STRA55
Indices: TecDAX
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover,
Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange; Terminbörse EUREX
End of News DGAP News Service
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454185 14.04.2016
DGAP-News: STRATEC achieves higher sales and improved profitability in 2015
| Source: EQS Group AG