Successful start for the GfK Group

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ GfK increased sales by 10.5 per cent to EUR 149.9 million in the first three months of 2004

Nuremberg, Germany (ots) - The first quarter of 2004 has been successful for the GfK Group, with a 10.5 per cent increase in sales to EUR 149.9 million. With an increase of almost 64 per cent to EUR 15.0 million, EBIT after income from participations again rose much more strongly than sales.

In the first quarter of 2004, the margin increased to 10 per cent (compared to 6.7 per cent in the same period in the previous year). The stronger rise in EBIT than in sales resulted both from organic growth and from acquisitions.

Consolidated total income increased by almost 52 per cent. Net of tax of EUR 5.4 million and the share of consolidated total income attributable to minority interests of EUR 2.2 million, consolidated total income amounted to EUR 6.9 million.

As already announced at the accounts press conference on 15 April of this year, GfK anticipates that in 2004 it will achieve rates of sales growth which are higher than those of the market sector. More specifically, based on the same scope of consolidation, GfK anticipates sales growth of 5.8 per cent to EUR 630 million. Including the companies acquired to date during 2004, sales will increase by over 9 per cent to EUR 650 million. The full Interim Report is available under www.gfk.com

ots Original Text Service: GfK Group Internet: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact: Dr. Ulrike Schöneberg, Phone +49 (0)911 395-2645, ulrike.schoeneberg@gfk.de