DGAP-News: ecotel communication ag: ecotel continues

DGAP-News: ecotel communication ag / Key word(s): Half Year Results ecotel communication ag: ecotel continues profitable growth course 14.08.2014 / 07:30 --------------------------------------------------------------------- - Consolidated turnover of EUR 50.2 million in 1st half year 2014 (plus 14.6 %) - EBITDA of EUR 3.6 million in 1st half year 2014 (plus 8.3 %) - Forecast for 2014 reaffirmed Düsseldorf, 14 August 2014 ecotel was able to continue the profitable growth course in the first half year of 2014 and to increase consolidated turnover to EUR 50.2 million. Compared to the same period of the previous year this represents an increase of 14.6 %, which is due essentially to turnover gains in the »Wholesale Solutions« and »New Business« segments. Revenue in the B2B segment, at EUR 21.0 million, was slightly above the half-year revenue figure for 2013. In the second quarter 2014 the group earned consolidated turnover of EUR 24.0 million (previous year: EUR 22.3 million). EBITDA in the second quarter 2014, at EUR 1.9 million (previous year: EUR 1.6 million) was increased in comparison with the previous quarter by EUR 0.2 million. In the half-year comparison this is an increase of 8.2 % compared with the previous year. The gross profit margin constituting 25.7 % of the revenue was slightly above the result for the first quarter 2014. Depreciations increased in comparison with the first quarter 2014 and with the first half year 2013 by EUR 0.4 million and EUR 0.6 million, respectively. This increase was the result of one-time investments for the router technology and the connection of the Allianz agencies, as well as impairments of tangible fixed assets. Consolidated profit for the first half year 2014 remained at the previous year's level of EUR 0.8 million. This corresponds to earnings per share of EUR 0.14. In the second quarter 2014 ecotel bought back 90,000 treasury shares at a purchase price of EUR 0.8 million and reduced the capital stock to EUR 3.51 million through the call-in of a total of 390,000 shares on 27 June 2014. Despite the subsequent equity reduction ecotel was able to slightly increase the equity to EUR 20.8 million (previous year: EUR 19.9 million) and the equity ratio to 45.4 % (previous year: 45.3 %). The net debt increased in comparison with 31 March 2014 by EUR 0.9 million to EUR 2.3 million (previous year: EUR 2.3 million). After completion of the router rollout in the large-scale Allianz project ecotel successfully began in the second quarter to convince the first agencies to change providers through targeted marketing and follow-up measures. Due to the large number of agencies (ca. 10,000) the planned time frame for the marketing activities will extend into the year 2015. ecotel was also able to launch new highly-promising B2B products for the impending change from ISDN to NGN (Next Generation Network) technology. The initial results of this on revenue and profit are expected for the second half year 2014. The management of ecotel communication ag reaffirms the forecast published in the 2013 Annual Report and expects EBITDA of EUR 6.5 - 7.5 million for the current business year 2014, with revenue of EUR 85 - 95 million, presumably within the upper range of the forecast corridor. 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 integrated 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 DSL 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. 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 14.08.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 282186 14.08.2014