DGAP-News: RATIONAL AG on growth path DGAP-News: RATIONAL

DGAP-News: RATIONAL AG / Key word(s): Quarter Results RATIONAL AG on growth path 06.11.2013 / 07:00 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Press release RATIONAL AG on growth path - 8 percent growth in the third quarter - 4 percent after currency effects - 30 percent EBIT margin - Outlook confirmed Landsberg, November 6, 2013. In the third quarter RATIONAL AG posted significant organic growth of 8 percent before allowing for currency effects. The main drivers for this welcome development were the Americas (up by 14 percent) and Europe (up by 10 percent). 'In Europe the targeted measures started in the first six months to expand our sales capacities have already begun to pay off' explains Dr. Günter Blaschke, CEO of RATIONAL AG. Because it is geared to the international market, the business is dependent on exchange rate movements. This year the strength of the euro compared to the Japanese yen impacted revenues particularly negatively. But the weakness of the pound sterling, US dollar and Brazilian real also had negative effects. Because of the negative currency effect, organic sales growth was cut to 4 percent in the third quarter, with sales of 117.9 million euros (2012: 113.0 million euros). In the first nine months total sales of 328.7 million euros were posted (2012: 317.4 million euros). This likewise equates to a growth rate of 4 percent after currency effects. 30 percent EBIT margin EBIT in the third quarter stood at 35.9 million euros, very close to last year's figure (2012: 36.2 million euros), and the EBIT margin of 30 percent was at a high level (2012: 32 percent). After nine months this resulted in an EBIT of 86.5 million euros (2012: 89.8 million euros), equivalent to a drop of 4 percent. In the third quarter and after nine months, after allowing for exchange rate adjustments this produced a rise in EBIT comparable to sales growth and, hence, an EBIT margin in the same order of magnitude as in the last year. Outlook confirmed 'Against the backdrop of business performance to date and the positive trend in Europe, as well as with an eye to the strong euro, we are still assuming 5% sales growth, earnings at the previous year's level and an EBIT margin of around 27% for fiscal year 2013,' says Dr. Blaschke. Contact person: RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft Dr. Günter Blaschke Tel. +49 (0)8191 327-364 Fax +49 (0)8191 327-272 E-Mail: g.blaschke@rational-online.com www.rational-online.com Information for editors: RATIONAL is the world market and technology leader for the thermal preparation of food in professional kitchens. The company, founded in 1973, employs around 1,300 people, of which more than 700 are in Germany. Since the IPO in 2000 RATIONAL was floated in the Prime Standard on the German stock market and is currently listed on the MDAX. The company's principal objective is to offer customers maximum benefit. Internally RATIONAL is committed to the principle of sustainability, expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership, occupational safety and social responsibility. Numerous international awards bear witness year on year to the high quality of RATIONAL's work. <pre> Q3 2013 Q3 2012 Change in percent Sales (in m EUR) 117.9 113.0 +4 EBIT (in m EUR) 35.9 36.2 -1 EBT (in m EUR) 35.8 36.1 -1 EPS (in EUR) 2.41 2.40 +/-0 </pre> <pre> 9M 2013 9M 2012 Change in percent Sales (m EUR) 328.7 317.4 +4 EBIT (m EUR) 86.5 89.8 -4 EBT (m EUR) 86.1 89.7 -4 EPS (in EUR) 5.78 6.00 -4 </pre> End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 06.11.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: RATIONAL AG Iglinger Stra�e 62 86899 Landsberg a. Lech Germany Phone: 0049 8191 327 2209 Fax: 0049 8191 327 722209 E-mail: s.arnold@rational-online.com Internet: www.rational-online.com ISIN: DE0007010803 WKN: 701080 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 238045 06.11.2013