Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
EquityStory AG significantly outperforms annual forecast Introduction of dividend payments planned - Dividend of EUR 0.50 proposed for 2007
Munich - 4 April 2008
EquityStory AG (ISIN: DE0005494165) again achieved record results in the 2007 financial year, thus continuing its growth. The group realised sales of EUR 8.339 million. This is an increase of 73 per cent over the same period of the previous year. In accordance with IFRS, the EBIT increased by 169 per cent to EUR 3.045 million while net profits amounted to EUR 1.815 million. Earnings per share (according to DVFA/SG, the German Association of Financial Analysis and Asset Management/Schmalenbach Society) reached a new high of EUR 1.53.
From October to December 2007, turnover came to EUR 2.320 million, with EBIT according to IFRS at EUR 1.011 million, and net income at EUR .531 million. Earnings per share for the 4th quarter 2007 are EUR .45. The strong growth in the 4th quarter 2007 can also be attributed to the successful introduction of the new service for the submission of intermediate reports with the Unternehmensregister (german company register) and of annual reports with the eBundesanzeiger.
In view of the very good earnings development, a dividend has been proposed for the 2007 financial year for the first time. Achim Weick, CEO of EquityStory AG, said: 'Thanks to our strong cash flow and high equity ratio, we are now able for the first time to distribute a reasonable dividend to our shareholders in addition to financing our future growth.'
The board of directors and the supervisory board of EquityStory AG will propose a dividend to the amount of EUR .50 per share at the shareholders' meeting to be held on 15 May 2008.
The cash flow in accordance with DVFA/SG amounted to EUR 2.023 million in 2007. The equity ratio was 73 per cent. As of December 31, 2007, liquid assets amounted to EUR .738 million. The acquisition loan for the purchase of financial.de AG will already have been redeemed in May.
The acquisition of financial.de AG (100%) led to a positive profit contribution of EUR .02 per share for the 4th quarter, while the interest in ARIVA.DE AG (25.1%) contributed EUR .02 per share to the profit of the year.
In the 4th quarter 2007, EquityStory AG once again acquired a high number of new clients, namely 55 listed companies. This trend will not continue in the 1st quarter 2008 due to the weak capital market but be overcompensated by the new online corporate communications business field. 75 non-listed new companies could already be acquired in this field in the 4th quarter of 2007.
Our DGAP-Geoinfo Zrt. joint venture has not yet been able to start its operations in Hungary. Although the legal framework has been established by the government, the start is delayed due to a lacking implementation directive by the Hungarian Financial Markets Supervisory Authority, the final version of which has not yet been scheduled.
Despite the delay in Hungary and the troubled capital market environment, the board again expects a high sales growth between 20 and 30 percent for the 2008 financial year. The EBIT is expected to increase above average relative to turnover. This forecast is based on the positive experience made in relation with the establishment of the online corporate communications field, the great success of our services for the submission of intermediate reports with the Unternehmensregister and of annual reports with the eBundesanzeiger for our listed customers, the significantly lower tax rate due to the corporate tax reform in germany and the first indicators observed in the 1st quarter 2008.
Today EquityStory AG´s Board of Directors will comment on the company´s results in a conference call at 11:00 am (CET) to be transmitted live online at www.equitystory.de.
Important figures according to IFRS 2007 2006 +/-
Sales (EUR million) 8.339 4.810 73%
EBIT (EUR million) 3.045 1.132 169%
Net profit (EUR million) 1.815 .706 157%
Earnings per share DVFA/SG (EUR) 1.53 .76 101%
Cash Flow according to DVFA/SG (EUR million) 2.023 1.134 78%
Liquid assets (EUR million) .738 .264 180%
Staff (31.12.) 44 36 22%
Further notifications:
Q4-figures are unaudited. 2007 full-year figures are audited.
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About the EquityStory group of companies:
The EquityStory AG is the market leader for online investor relations in the German-speaking region, and renders extensive business services in the areas comprising reporting requirements, finance portals, audio and video broadcasts of investor events, online financial reports as well as outsourced websites for over 1,250 listed enterprises at home and abroad. By acquiring capital stakes in ARIVA.DE AG (25 %) and financial.de AG (100 %) EquityStory AG has entered the growth markets of online advertising and b2c investor relations. The sphere of reporting requirements is bundled in the subsidiary Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ad-hoc-Publizität mbH (DGAP). The DGAP is an institution for the fulfilment of regulatory publicity for listed companies, and has been the market leader since the formation in 1996. With establishing the new online corporate communications business field, EquityStory AG enters the market for non-listed companies. The corporate group employs financial analysts, communications experts and software engineers, and thus has the three core competencies for online investor relations. The EquityStory concern currently has a staff of 48 and realised a turnover in the amount of 8.3 million Euros in 2007.
Contact:
EquityStory AG
Robert Wirth
Tel +49(0)89 210298-34
Fax +49(0)89 210298-49
Email robert.wirth@equitystory.de
Seitzstraße 23
80538 München