Corporate News from 27.01.2017

Report for the 1st half of the financial year 2016/2017 (1 June 2016 to 30 November 2016)
Group turnover €10,251k (+20.7%) / Consolidated result €655k (+€783k) / Order volume €6,615k (+13.7%) / Incoming orders €11,631k (+48.9%)

CeoTronics AG Audio Video Data Communication (ISIN: DE0005407407), Adam-Opel-Straße 6, 63322 Rödermark, Germany, recorded Group sales of €10,251k in the report period from 1 June to 30 November 2016 (previous year €8,494k). This corresponds to an increase of 20.7% compared with the sales in the previous year.

An EBIT of €906k (previous year -€92k), a result before tax of €807k (previous year -€189k) and a Group result of €655k (previous year -€128k) were recorded in this half of the financial year. Liquidity-neutral exchange rate effects of €134k and income from the deconsolidation of CeoTronics Switzerland of €161k have had a positive influence on the stated key figures. There was a result per share of €0.10 (previous year -€0.02). It was possible to increase the gross cash flow significantly to €948k (previous year -€189k).

The Group’s equity capital increased compared with the previous year by €24k from €10,810k to €10,834k. The equity ratio as of 30 November 2016 fell from 58.5% to 55.7% due to the increased balance sum.

The consolidated order volume as of 30 November 2016 rose in comparison with the previous year by 13.7% to €6,615k. It was possible to significantly increase incoming orders in the first six months of the 2016/2017 fiscal year by 48.9% from €7,813k to €11,631k.

The workforce in the Group (including apprentices) as of 30 November 2016 was below the level of the previous year (148 employees) by a total of 7 members of staff, at 141 employees. Full-time equivalents (FTEs) produced a value of 138.

On the basis of the current sales, the usable order volume as of 31 May 2017 and based on current and upcoming projects in the order forecast, an increase in Group turnover by approx. €2.0 million (+11.4%) to approx. €19.5 million compared to the previous year and a significantly positive Group result are to be expected for the fiscal year 2016/2017.

CeoTronics AG Audio Video Data Communication (ISIN: DE0005407407), Adam-Opel-Straße 6, 63322 Rödermark, Germany, is listed in the Entry Standard

Information and explanatory notes from the issuer on this Corporate News:

For many years, there has been an increased need for investment on the part of government security and law enforcement agencies.

Our lives, our values and our democracy are threatened not only by Islamic terrorism, but also by the radical and/or populist right-wing as well as organized crime. As a result of this, the willingness and ability to invest further with regard to government security and law enforcement agencies should increase further across Europe. What’s more, the legal framework conditions for prevention, determination and preservation of evidence to the benefit of fighting crime and “liberating” no-go areas should be improved.

Over recent months, it is evident that words are now being put into actions within politics. Across Europe, special budgets and expanded budgets to combat terror are being discussed and adopted more frequently. It is not too late, but rather high time to make up for the shortcomings in the period after the last threat by the Red Army Faction and the Cold War. For far too long, we have all felt safe and have neglected internal and external security to the benefit of other popular political/social priorities.

Not only special response units (SEKs), mobile task forces (MEKs), riot police, the German Federal Police Force and military special forces but also units operating covertly should be expanded and developed – naturally also with the necessary technical equipment. Equipping special units of the police force and military with communications technology and video systems is one of the greatest core competencies of CeoTronics AG.

In the product area ‘covert communication’, CeoTronics has gone a step further with a new, lower-cost communication component, which naturally cannot be described in more detail here. For SEK/SWAT teams and other (also military) special units, CeoTronics developed the intelligent radio operating button CT-MultiPTT 2C/BT and CT-ClipCom Digital – a system that has now become established. CT-MultiPTT 3C was developed for connection and simultaneous communication across three media. It was possible to register the first orders of this, even before the official sales launch. It was possible to win the large contract from the riot police in Hessen worth €1.1 million (guaranteed) up to €5.6 million (optional) for various applications, among other things due to the newly developed CT-HR PTT, which represents the central point of a system for various communication components. The mobile video camera/radio systems by subsidiary CT-Video GmbH are not only used for observation but also to preserve evidence and for temporary monitoring of sensitive areas or soft targets – e.g. to combat vandalism, at Christmas markets or by the drug squad.

Over the last three to four years, the range of products and services offered by CeoTronics AG and CT-Video GmbH have been continuously improved at the expense of the year-end results and adapted to suit the needs that result from the increased or changed threat situation and the pursuit across all customer groups for improved process efficiency and occupational health and safety.

CeoTronics will aim for a preliminary climax with the market launch of the new CT-DECT generation and the CT-MultiPTT 3C with the next step in the evolution of the CT-ClipCom Digital from spring or early summer 2017.

“With the new CT-DECT Multi, the new CT-MultiPTT 3C and the new headset range developed for this, CeoTronics will continue to develop its lead over the competition and secure its position in the premium segment as a market and innovative leader, including in the industrial customer field,” announced CEO and Board spokesperson Thomas H. Günther.

More information:
CeoTronics AG
Audio Video Data Communication
Investor Relations, Adam-Opel-Straße 6, 63322 Rödermark, Germany
E-mail: investor.relations@ceotronics.com, Internet: www.ceotronics.com