Presse R e l e a s e
Creating value. Ensuring growth.
Engineering specialist Bertrandt again records growth in a challenging business environment
(Ehningen, 12 December 2013) Bertrandt stayed on its growth course under challenging market conditions. The technology specialist again grew in all segments of the Group and boosted its key performance indicators. Consolidated revenues climbed to EUR 782.4 million as of 30 September 2013 (previous year EUR 709.3 million). Operating profit (EBIT) came to
EUR 81.2 million (previous year EUR 75.1 million), while post-tax profit came to EUR 57.2 million (previous year
EUR 51.7 million). At the end of the fiscal year the Bertrandt Group had 10,829 employees worldwide, and thus more than 10,000 for the first time.
Intact megatrends and ongoing model diversity
demand for development work at a high level
“In the past financial year, we benefited from the increased amount of development work due to the megatrends of environmentally friendly mobility, safety, comfort and connectivity as well as the widening model diversity,” CEO Dietmar Bichler said at today’s balance sheet press conference. “Our objective is to continually raise enterprise value and to satisfy our customers with quality development work, dependability and sustainability,” Bichler added.
Consolidated revenues climbed to EUR 782.4 million as of
30 September 2013 (previous year EUR 709.3 million), equivalent to an increase of 10.3 percent. Operating profit (EBIT) came to
EUR 81.2 million (previous year EUR 75.1 million), while post-tax profit came to EUR 57.2 million (previous year EUR 51.7 million). This works out to earnings per share of EUR 5.68 (up from
EUR 5.14 in the previous year). Outside Germany, Bertrandt recorded dips in both revenues and earnings due to mixed performance among its subsidiaries. Revenues were down by
26.5 percent, from EUR 73.9 million to EUR 54.3 million.
Operating profit consequently dropped to EUR 4.3 million (from
EUR 7.4 million the previous year). The decline was due to the difficult market conditions in France, which appear to be slowly stabilising. All other foreign branches performed well.
Capital spending was at a high level in fiscal 2012/2013, amounting to EUR 34.7 million (previous year EUR 39.5 million), of which
EUR 30.5 million was spent on property, plant and equipment alone. “The focus was on market drivers that provide the Bertrandt Group with long-term growth prospects. In the area of environmentally friendly mobility, for instance, this includes our new centre of electronics expertise in Wolfsburg. We opened a new facility in Regensburg in line with the current trend towards connectivity. Here we are focussing on software and electronics development,” Bichler explained. Bertrandt also invested in a new test lab primarily for pedestrian protection sensors at its facility in Ingolstadt.
Bertrandt’s CEO mentioned a sharp focus on the customer, profound development know-how, technological efficiency, dependability and quality in project work as well as financial stability as further success factors for the good business performance. “Our sector and process knowledge furthermore gives us a valuable competitive edge to master the increasing complexity in development work,” Bichler added.
Against the backdrop of increasing model diversity, the further broadening of global R&D value creation, the ongoing technological change and the intact megatrends, Bertrandt sees good prospects for its business model in the future as well despite the mounting price pressure and fierce competition.
Steady dividend policy to be continued
On the strength of its favourable business performance, the Bertrandt Group plans to continue its steady dividend policy this year. Accordingly, the Management Board and Supervisory Board will be asking the shareholders to approve a dividend of EUR 2.20 per share at the annual general meeting scheduled for
19 February 2014. This is an increase of around ten percent over the previous year’s figure of EUR 2.00.
Number of employees above 10,000 for the first time
With a global workforce of 10,829 as at the reporting date, Bertrandt had more employees than at any time before in its history. “All told, we have created about 900 new jobs within the Company,” Bichler said. “The further increase in the number of our staff shows that the setting for a development specialist offers good prospects for starting and pursuing a carrier because of a strong momentum as well as multifaceted experience to be acquired.” In addition, Bertrandt offers its employees many possibilities for putting their skills and knowledge to good use and developing them within a broad range of activities. The budget for providing qualifications was also at a high level of EUR 10.9 million following EUR 11.4 million in the previous year.
Bertrandt’s consolidated IFRS-based financials / 2012/2013 / 2011/2012Revenues (EUR mn) / 782.405 / 709.323
Operating profit (EUR mn) / 81.161 / 75.094
Net profit after taxes
(EUR mn) / 57.198 / 51.718
Free cash flow (EUR mn) / 45.284 / 1.379
Equity ratio / 58.8 % / 56.6 %
Earnings per share (EUR) / 5.68 / 5.14
Dividend (EUR) / 2.20* / 2.00
Employees worldwide / 10,829 / 9,952
*Proposal for AGM in 2014
This press release and the annual report are available on the Internet at www.bertrandt.com.
Additional information is available from:
Bertrandt AG Bertrandt AG
Anja Schauser Dr. Markus Götzl
Manager Public Relations Investor Relations
Birkensee 1 Birkensee 1
71139 Ehningen, Germany 71139 Ehningen, Germany
Tel.: +49 7034/656-4037 Tel.: +49 7034/656-4201
Fax: +49 7034/656-4095 Fax: +49 7034/656-4488
E-Mail: E-Mail:
www.bertrandt.com www.bertrandt.com
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