DGAP-News: ecotel communication ag: ecotel continues

DGAP-News: ecotel communication ag / Key word(s): Quarter Results ecotel communication ag: ecotel continues profitable growth course in B2B segment 15.11.2013 / 07:25 --------------------------------------------------------------------- - Increased revenue of 3% in B2B segment compared with same quarter last year - EBITDA at previous year's level after nine months - Earnings Per Share numbers EUR 0.33 for the first nine months Düsseldorf, 15 November 2013 In the third quarter 2013 ecotel continued on its profitable growth course in the core segment of Business Solutions. Revenue in the B2B segment, at EUR 10.5 million, was increased by 3% in comparison with the previous year. In a comparison of the first nine months, revenue, at EUR 31.4 million, was EUR 1.0 million higher than in the previous year. The B2B gross profit, at EUR 5.1 million, likewise again increased in the reporting period by 8% in comparison with the same quarter of the previous year. In a comparison of the first nine months this corresponds to an increase by 10% to EUR 15.4 million. Total revenue for the first nine months totalled EUR 66.2 million, which is 7% below the same period last year due to the expected decrease in revenue from Wholesale Solutions. The gross profit for the first nine months on the other hand increased by 5% from EUR 18.5 million to EUR 19.5 million. Compared with the same period of the previous year the gross profit margin in the first nine months likewise increased from 26% to 29 %. EBITDA for the first nine months totalled EUR 4.9 million (previous year: EUR 5.0 million), with an EBITDA margin of 7%. The slight decline in EBITDA despite the improved gross profit is due to temporary implementation costs for a key account project, which led to an increase in other operating expenses (EUR 0.7 million) and in personnel costs (EUR 0.3 million) in the reporting period. Starting with the fourth quarter of this year the company expects the first revenue and profit effects from this key account project in Business Solutions. EBIT in the first nine months, at EUR 2.4 million, was consequently slightly below the previous year's value (EUR 2.6 million). Consolidated profit for the first nine months totalled EUR 1.2 million (previous year: EUR 1.4 million), which corresponds to earnings per share of EUR 0.33. The net debt increased from EUR 2.3 million in the previous quarter to EUR 2.8 million at the end of the third quarter due to planned investments as part of the aforementioned key-account project. The equity ratio improved to 47 %. ecotel reaffirms the forecast for 2013 with EBITDA of EUR 6.0 - 7.0 million and revenue of EUR 80.0 - 90.0 million. The quarterly report is available for download at the company's website www.ecotel.de. About ecotel communication ag: Listed in the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, ecotel communication ag is a telecommunications company with activities in three business sectors throughout Germany. In the core segment of »Business Solutions« ecotel provides about 18,000 business customers with an IT/telecom product portfolio consisting of voice, data and mobile communications solutions. This includes nationwide available and convergent bundled products, broadband data access on the basis of xDSL and Ethernet technologies, scalable networking of corporate locations (VPNs) as well as housing and hosting services. In the second segment, »Wholesale Solutions«, the ecotel group markets preliminary service products to other telecommunications companies. At the same time, the company achieves high traffic volumes in this segment, enhancing added value for the core segment of »Business Solutions«. In addition to the international wholesale voice activities of ecotel, mvneco GmbH is also included in this segment. The »New Business« segment covers new, fast-growing business segments and niches of independently operating subsidiaries. In addition to easybell GmbH, which is aligned to private customer business, nacamar GmbH, which now focuses exclusively on new media activities, is part of this independent business unit. Founded in 1998, the corporate group, with its main office in Düsseldorf, currently has about 230 employees, including subsidiaries and holdings. Note: This publication is not an offer for the sale nor an invitation for the purchase or subscription of securities. This publication is not a securities brochure. This publication and the information contained therein are not intended for direct or indirect dissemination to or within the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan. PR office: Business and Financial Media Annette Drescher (Assistant to the Managing Director) Phone: 0211-55 007-740 Fax: 0211-55 007 5 740 E-mail: presse@ecotel.de Business media Bernadette Loosen-Flanz (PR) Phone: 0211-55 007-316 Fax: 0211-55 007 5 316 E-mail: presse@ecotel.de For more information, please visit us on the web at www.ecotel.de End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 15.11.2013 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: ecotel communication ag Prinzenallee 11 40549 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: +49 (0)211 55 00 70 Fax: +49 (0)211 55 00 7 222 E-mail: info@ecotel.de Internet: http://www.ecotel.de ISIN: DE0005854343 WKN: 585434 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 240052 15.11.2013