DGAP-News: M.A.X. Automation achieves highest levels with

DGAP-News: M.A.X. Automation AG / Key word(s): Half Year Results M.A.X. Automation achieves highest levels with order intake and order backlog in the second quarter of 2016 12.08.2016 / 09:33 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRESS RELEASE M.A.X. Automation achieves highest levels with order intake and order backlog in the second quarter of 2016 - At EUR 129.3 million, the M.A.X. Group achieved extremely high order intake in the second quarter of 2016 - Order backlog reaches EUR 177.4 million at the end of June - Consolidated revenue adjusted for portfolio effects declined by 1.9% compared to the previous year to EUR 160.1 million - EBIT before PPA amortization at EUR 4.9 million of EUR 5.0 million in the first half of the year and thus below expectations - Outlook for the full year 2016 confirmed Düsseldorf, August 12, 2016 - The M.A.X. Group recorded by far the highest new order intake in a quarter thus far in the second quarter of 2016. The positive development resulted from a vibrant business development in the Industrial Automation division in which new orders nearly doubled in the second quarter over the same period of the previous year. Order intake for the Group increased by 15.3% to EUR 203.0 million in the first six months of 2016 (first half of 2015: EUR 176.0 million). Order backlog as of June 30, 2016, grew by 8.5% to the highest level of EUR 177.4 million (previous year: EUR 163.5 million). A share of the orders in the second quarter were received with a time delay and therefore have no effect on revenues and earnings in this reporting period. Subsequently, the sales and earnings development in the first half generally fell short of expectations. The Management Board expects to see a significant improvement in the sales and earnings situation in the following quarters, especially in the fourth quarter of 2016, however, and confirms its targets for the full year 2016. Key Group figures for the first half of 2016 - Consolidated revenues adjusted for portfolio changes decreased by 1.9% to EUR 160.1 million in the first half of the year, but included the revenue contribution from the operational business of altmayerBTD, which was sold in December 2015. Excluding the adjustment, sales declined by 6.2% from EUR 170.6 million to EUR 160.1 million. A somewhat weaker recycling business in the Environmental Technology division due to persistently low oil prices and delays in placing orders with the Industrial Automation division had an impact here. - Consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and before amortization of purchase price allocations amounted to EUR 5.0 million after EUR 7.6 million in the previous year's period. Besides the effects mentioned earlier, the exchange rate result decreased by EUR 0.9 million compared to the same period of last year. - Net interest income improved by EUR 0.4 million to EUR -1.4 million. Thanks to the syndicated loan concluded last year as part of the reorganization of Group financing, net interest decreased significantly. For the full year 2016, M.A.X. Automation expects a reduction in interest expenses - as predicted - by approximately EUR 1 million. - The net result for the first six months of 2016 amounted to EUR 0.4 million (prior year period: EUR 2.3 million). Development of the Group segments in the first half of 2016 - In the Industrial Automation segment, orders increased by 45.7% to EUR 161.9 million in the first half of 2016. Incoming orders were mainly received in the areas of cleaning, testing and assembling of engine components, dosing, impregnating systems for electric engines, press automation and robotics solutions. The increased demands with respect to CO2 emissions, the great variety in the area of automobile production, the sustainable trend toward driver assistance and comfort systems, and the development of electric mobility, which is leading to more active investment activity in the automotive industry, proved to be the growth drivers. Revenue of the segment grew only slightly by 3.3% to EUR 110.8 million as a result of delayed orders in the second quarter. EBIT before PPA reached EUR 6.1 million (first half 2015: EUR 7.0 million). - In the Environmental Technology segment, orders adjusted for altmayerBTD fell by 28.7% to EUR 41.0 million (previous year's period: EUR 57.6 million). This decline was due to the somewhat weaker recycling business. Sales were 22.2% lower at EUR 49.4 million. Half year EBIT before PPA of EUR 0.3 million was posted after EUR 2.3 million in the previous year. Outlook for the full year 2016 Given the good development of order intake and order backlog and the resulting significant increase in capacity utilization over the course of the year and particularly in the fourth quarter, the Management Board expects a significant improvement in sales and earnings compared to the first half of the year. Assuming that the good order situation remains intact, the Management Board continues to believe that Group sales in the range of EUR 370 million to EUR 390 million and Group earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and before PPA amortization of at least EUR 24 million can be achieved in 2016. Fabian Spilker, CFO of M.A.X. Automation AG: "We see the current order intake situation at the M.A.X. Group as confirmation of the strategic orientation and the performance of our Group companies in Industrial Automation. With its comprehensive know-how, this division acts as a strong partner to the automobile industry and addresses significant market drivers in the industry. These include the sustainable reduction of emissions in modern engines, the individualization of vehicles and equipment, the increasing importance of driver assistance systems and the steady progress that is being made in the field of electric mobility." The complete interim report for the first half of 2016 is available for downloading on the website of M.A.X. Automation AG under http:// www.maxautomation.de in the area "Investor Relations." M.A.X. AUTOMATION AG CONSOLIDATED RESULTS AT A GLANCE (IFRS) <pre> in EUR mill. Jan-June Jan-June Change 2016 2015 New order intake 203.0 176.0 +15.3% Order book position* 177.4 163.5 +8.5% Revenue 160.1 170.6 -6.2% EBITDA 8.3 11.0 -24.8% EBIT before PPA 5.0 7.6 -34.6% EBIT after PPA 2.8 5.3 -46.4% Earnings for the period 0.4 2.3 -84.0% EBIT per share before PPA (in EUR) 0.18 0.28 -34.6% Earnings per share (in EUR) 0.01 0.09 -84.0% </pre> * Date June 30, 2016, compared to June 30, 2015 <pre> in EUR mill. 30.06.2016 31.12.2015 Change Equity 106.7 106.2 0.4% Equity ratio (in %) 37.4 37.5 -0.1 pp Gross debt 83.8 61.1 +37.2% Cash and cash equivalents 16.6 21.4 -22.3% Net debt 67.2 39.7 +69.2% Employees (by headcount)* 1,747 1,779 -1.8% - of which trainees* 123 136 -9.6% </pre> * Date June 30, 2016, compared to June 30, 2015 Contact: Frank Elsner / Frank Paschen Frank Elsner Kommunikation für Unternehmen GmbH Phone: +49 - 5404 - 91 92 0 Fax: +49 - 5404 - 91 92 29 About M.A.X. Automation AG M.A.X. Automation AG (Securities Identification Number: 658090) with its headquarters in Düsseldorf is an internationally active high-tech mechanical engineering Group and a leading full-service supplier of integrated and sophisticated system and component solutions. Its operational business is divided into two segments. In the Industrial Automation segment, the Group is considered to be a trendsetter in the development and manufacturing of integrated and proprietary solutions for use in manufacturing and assembly in the automotive industry, medical technology, packaging machines and the electronics industry due to its comprehensive technological know-how. In the Environmental Technology segment, M.A.X. Automation develops and installs innovative systems for use by the recycling, energy and raw materials industries. www.maxautomation.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12.08.2016 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. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: M.A.X. Automation AG Breite Straße 29-31 40213 Düsseldorf Germany Phone: +49 (0)211 90991-0 Fax: +49 (0)211 90991-11 E-mail: Investor.Relation@maxautomation.de Internet: www.maxautomation.de ISIN: DE0006580905 WKN: 658090 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 492117 12.08.2016