GfK nine-month results outperform total results for 2003

Nuremberg, Germany - The GfK Group has continued its successful path of the first six months into the third quarter. The target sales figure was EUR 487.1 million, which is 13 per cent more than that of the same period in the previous year. Rising by 24.5 per cent to EUR 58.3 million, EBIT after income from participations once again increased at a significantly higher rate than sales. At 12 per cent, the sales margin remained a good percentage point above the previous year. Consolidated total income rose to EUR 34.6 million with the result that after nine month it was already greater than that of the previous year as a whole (EUR 33.3 million).

Sales for the year as a whole are expected to rise by almost 11 per cent and will certainly reach at least EUR 660 million, including sales of companies acquired during the course of the current financial year. With no change to the scope of consolidation, this corresponds to growth on the previous year of 6.7 per cent, which is significantly higher than the sector average of 4 per cent.

GfK is also expecting to attain EBIT after income from participations of at least EUR 82 million. Based on sales, the margin is set to amount to approx. 12.5 per cent. It is anticipated that consolidated total income after minority interests will rise to approx. EUR 50 million, which is a total increase of 50 per cent on the year.

The Group is well-positioned within its industry and expects to benefit overproportionally from sector growth, which is currently estimated at 4-5 per cent.

The full interim report is available under www.gfk.com