Sales revenues earned by the Hönle Group jumped 7.6 % to TEur 21,790 in the first quarter of the 2014/2015 financial year, and the corporate group succeeded in improving the operating result (EBIT) by 19.6 % to TEur 2,653. Earnings before tax rose by 20.2 % to TEur 2,520 and consolidated earnings saw a 19.4 % increase to TEur 1,801. This translates into earnings per share of Eur 0.32 (PY: Eur 0.28).
Thus, the EBIT margin came to 12.6 % in the current financial year compared to 10.7 % in the previous year. Net profit on sales climbed from 7.5 % to 8.3 % in the same period. The Hönle Group reported an equity ratio of 60.1 %.
Outlook
Positive sales and earnings development is expected for the Equipment & Systems segment. The forecast is supported by the orders on hand of Dr. Hönle AG and Eltosch Grafix GmbH and also by current projects which are likely to materialize in the next quarters. Moreover, PrintConcept GmbH and Mitronic GmbH will realize projects in the second half of the year that are reflected in the companies' sales and earnings development.
At TEur -280, Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH still contributed negatively to earnings reported for the Glass & Lamps segment in the first quarter of the year. Several measures were already introduced or taken in the previous year in order to improve the company's earnings power.
Rebuilding measures concerning the melting furnaces of Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH, where products for the lamp and automotive industry are manufactured, were implemented according to plan. The scrap ratio for these melting furnaces dropped significantly as a result and the use of new insulating material led to a planned reduction of energy costs.
At present, the melting furnaces for the manufacture of semi-conductor and glass fibre industry products are undergoing optimization processes and it is expected that the furnaces will be able to manufacture high quality products from the third quarter onwards. The aim is to generate sales growth in the course of the second half of the year and to achieve positive earnings contributions at Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH.
A new managing director with many years of experience in the segment of UV lamps will strengthen Aladin GmbH's management team in the future. He will make a significant contribution to further improving the already high quality level of UV lamps and to achieving a sustained increase in the company's earnings power. Aladin GmbH also assumes an increase in sales and earnings in the course of the current financial year.
UV-Technik Speziallampen GmbH aims at producing and offering infrared lamps for a broad-based range of customers in addition to meeting the internal demand of the Hönle Group. Short to medium term corporate growth is planned for in this product segment, in particular, but also in the area of lamps for ballast water treatment. Both the orders on hand and current projects indicate positive a business development for the current financial year.
The positive development in the Adhesives segment is expected to continue in the current financial year also. New model cycles for smartphones will contribute to sales revenue and earnings increases in the current financial year.
Overall statement on the future business development
The Hönle Group's business development is impacted by the general economic development of the global economy.
In addition, the efficiency of measures already implemented at Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH amongst other things will play an important role for the future earnings power of the Hönle Group.
Given unchanged general economic conditions and positive business development at Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH in the second half of the year, the Hönle Group management assumes sales revenues of between Eur 85 and Eur 95 million and an operating result of between Eur 12 and Eur 14 million for the financial year 2014/2015.
With its three business segments, Equipment & System, Glass & Lamps and Adhesives, the Hönle Group is very well positioned. At the same time the corporate group is represented in markets which provide strong potential for further growth. In addition to strictly organic growth, corporate acquisitions will be of importance for the expansion of the Hönle Group's business activities. Hönle intends to further strengthen its market position in the adhesives market, in particular.
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