pta20160722032
Shareholders' meeting results

Zumtobel Group AG: Information on the Zumtobel Group AG annual shareholders' meeting

Dornbirn, Austria (pta032/22.07.2016/15:45 UTC+2) * Actions of Management Board and Supervisory Board in 2015/16 ratified
* Shareholders' Meeting approves dividend of EUR 0.20 per share
* CEO Schumacher fully committed to continuing on chosen course
* KPMG Austria GmbH reappointed as auditors

The Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Zumtobel Group AG, held this morning at company headquarters in Dornbirn, Austria, ratified the actions of the Management Board and Supervisory Board of Zumtobel Group AG. The meeting was again well attended, with 285 voting shareholders or about 59% of the company's share capital present or represented. The actions of the members of the Management Board in 2015/16 were ratified unanimously. The prior actions of the members of the Supervisory Board were also ratified unanimously.

In his Management Report on the 2015/16 financial year, CEO Ulrich Schumacher described the progress made in the strategic reorientation and restructuring of the Zumtobel Group. As the technology shift progressed, he said, the aim of the Management Board was to align the Group with new and innovative business models. In the 2015/16 financial year, the Zumtobel Group again posted record revenues totalling EUR 1,356.5 million. Group EBIT, however, was still below expectations at EUR 58.7 million, with a return on sales of 4.3%.

"It takes a massive effort to transform what was previously a metalworking company into an innovative, software-oriented service provider. In the course of the past year we successfully merged our sales organisations and now increasingly offer our customers cross-brand solutions. We are engaged in exciting pilot projects involving new services and connected lighting soultions. At the same time we have had to acknowledge that restructuring our production operations will take longer than originally planned. We are convinced that our chosen course is the right one and we will be continuing along that course with total commitment," said Zumtobel Group CEO Ulrich Schumacher, summing up the past financial year.

In line with the recommendation of the Management Board and Supervisory Board, the Shareholders' Meeting approved the payment of a EUR 0.20 dividend per share for the 2015/16 financial year (2014/15: EUR 0.22). The dividend will be paid on Tuesday, 02 August 2016.

Other items on the agenda involved the remuneration for the members of the Supervisory Board in 2016/17 and the election of KPMG Austria GmbH Wirtschaftsprüfungs- und Steuerberatungsgesellschaft, Vienna, as auditors of the annual financial statements and consolidated financial statements for 2016/17.

The 2015/16 financial year in figures

Following on from record revenues in the previous year, further 3.3% growth took revenues to EUR 1,356.5 million (2014/15: EUR 1,312.6 million). The main growth driver was again innovative and energy-efficient LED technology: At EUR 860.3 million, the LED share of Group revenues rose to from 49.8% in 2014/15 to 63.4%. Owing to increased Research and Development expenditures, delays in plant restructuring, pressure on prices and negative currency translation effects, the operating results (adjusted EBIT) for the Group totalled EUR 58.7 million, 11.7% down on the previous year. As a result, the return on sales fell from 5.1% to 4.3%. Despite higher negative special effects and thanks to an improvement in financial results, the Zumtobel Group was able to post net profits after tax at the previous year's level of EUR 11.9 million. Another positive factor was the development of free cash flow, which moved ahead from minus EUR 15.2 million in the previous year to plus EUR 49.8 million.

Information

For full details of voting, go to:
www.zumtobelgroup.com/en/shareholders_meeting.htm

This press release can be downloaded from:
www.zumtobelgroup.com/en/press_center.htm

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Emitter: Zumtobel Group AG
Höchster Straße 8
6850 Dornbirn
Austria
Contact Person: Harald Albrecht
Phone: +43 5572 509-1125
E-Mail: harald.albrecht@zumtobelgroup.com
Website: www.zumtobelgroup.com
ISIN(s): AT0000837307 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s): Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Trade)
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