Dr. Hönle AG: Hönle Increases Nine-Month Results to Eur 6.4 million

fiber optics; Glasfaser

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Gräfelfing, Munich (pta002/22.08.2014/05:25 UTC+2) Sales revenues earned by the Hönle Group in the first nine months of financial year 2013/2014 increased by 10.6 % to TEur 61,390. The operating result (EBIT) climbed by 19.5 % to TEur 6,368 in the same period. Pre-tax results grew 26.7 % to TEur 6,044 and consolidated earnings by 29.0 % to TEur 4,539, which translates into earnings per share of Eur 0.80 (PY: Eur 0.61).
This development also led to a year-on-year improvement in the earnings ratio: Despite a clearly negative earnings contribution on the part of Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH, the Hönle Group succeeded in increasing the EBIT margin from 9.4 % to 10.3 % and net profit margin from 6.3 % to 7.4 %.
Equity capital amounted to TEur 48,586 as of 30 June 2014, which corresponds to an equity ratio of 59.9 %.

Outlook
The Hönle Group is excellently positioned in growth segments such as digital printing, the automotive industry, smartphones and smartcards. Future growth is expected for these fields of business, in particular. Moreover, the corporate group has created sound preconditions to further tap into the growing semiconductor and glass fiber markets with quartz products. The Offset printing segment is assumed to provide for stable sales development.

The future business development of Raesch Quarz (Germany) GmbH, in particular, is of major importance for improving the earnings power of the Hönle Group.
Technical problems in the current year led to high materials expenditure and, in addition, were an obstacle to realizing the planned sales revenues. As a consequence, the melting furnaces will be optimized in terms of both construction and control technology by the end of the calendar year. Initial results respecting furnaces already remodelled indicate that these measures will result in a significant lower amount of rejects. In addition, energy costs are expected to fall significantly below the level achieved to date. Management expects that the measures taken together with the strong expansion of distribution capacities will contribute positively to earnings in the first quarter of the new financial year.

In all, Management assumes that the Hönle Group will reach the sales target of between Eur 80 and Eur 85 million and an earnings target (EBIT) of between Eur 9 and 10 million in financial year 2013/2014. Management's expectations respecting financial year 2014/2015 are for further sales and earnings increases given constant overall economic conditions.

The complete 9-month report can be downloaded here: http://www.hoenle.de/en/ir-reports/

About Hönle
Dr. Hönle AG is a listed technology company with head office in Gräfelfing, near Munich. With a staff level of more than 500 employees, the Hönle Group is one of the world's leading systems suppliers in the UV technology segment. The equipment and systems are used for drying inks and coatings, curing adhesives and plastics, disinfecting surfaces, and in the simulation of natural sunlight. The Company's business activities also include the development and sale of industrial adhesives and casting compounds. In addition, the Group manufactures UV lamps that are used in water sterilisation and for other applications, and produces tubing and semi-finished goods made of quartz glass that are used by various branches of industry. The Hönle Group is represented worldwide at 69 locations in 27 countries by own companies and sales partners.

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Emitter:	Dr. Hönle AG Lochhamer Schlag 1 82166 Gräfelfing/München Germany
Contact Person:	Peter Weinert
Phone:	+49 89 85608-173
E-Mail:	peter.weinert@hoenle.de
Website:	www.hoenle.de
ISIN(s):	DE0005157101 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s):	Regulated Market in Frankfurt; Free Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, Munich, Stuttgart