ZEAL Network SE: 2019 was an exciting and successful year for ZEAL
Feb 19, 2020 7:30 AM
DGAP-News: ZEAL Network SE
/ Key word(s): Preliminary Results
2019 was an exciting and successful year for ZEAL
(Hamburg, 19 February 2020) For ZEAL Network SE (Lotto24.de, Tipp24.com), Germany's leading online provider of state lottery products, the 2019 financial year was a very special year: the Company succeeded in successfully integrating Lotto24 AG, changing its business model to lottery brokerage and relocating its registered office back to Hamburg. Thanks to the Lotto24 takeover, ZEAL was also able to increase billings by 58% to €466.7m (2018: €296.3m) according to preliminary calculations. This was despite the fundamental organisational changes and the considerably weaker EuroJackpot development compared to the previous year. At EUR 113.5 million, preliminary revenues were down on the previous year's figure (2018: EUR 154.8 million), due in particular to a prize pay-out of EUR 26.3 million from the former secondary lottery business and the announced revenue dis-synergies caused by the business model change. As a result of the business model change, such strong fluctuations brought about by jackpot-related prize pay-outs will no longer occur in the future. Significant cost savings realised Against this background, ZEAL confirms the planned annual cost synergies of at least EUR 57.0 million, of which 80% is to be achieved after the first year and 100% after the second year following the completion of the Lotto24 takeover. Overall, the company continues to expect total costs to realise the planned cost synergies in the targeted range of between EUR 15.0 million and EUR 20.0 million. Provisionally, costs of EUR 14.9 million have been incurred for this purpose until the end of 2019. ZEAL expects further costs of around EUR 2.0 million for fiscal year 2020. In its German business, ZEAL Group gained around 274 thousand registered new customers in 2019 - this figure only includes new Lotto24 customers since the takeover on 14 May 2019 and new Tipp24 customers since the business model change on 15 October 2019 - at marketing costs per registered new customer ("cost per lead, CPL") of a provisional EUR 32.50. Adjusted EBITDA in line with guidance ZEAL plans to further expand its market leadership as an online provider of state lottery products with the Lotto24 and Tipp24 brands in fiscal year 2020. Aware that the comparative figures for the previous year are difficult to compare with those forecast for 2020 due to the Lotto24 takeover in May 2019 and the business model change from a secondary lottery to an online lottery broker in Germany in October 2019, ZEAL Group expects billings of between EUR 550 million and EUR 570 million. This includes for the first time the full year billings of Lotto24 and the discontinuation of the international products as part of the termination of the secondary lottery business. Based on the expected dis-synergies as a result of the business model change, ZEAL anticipates revenue of between EUR 70 million and EUR 73 million in the fiscal year 2020. As the gross margin in the online lottery brokerage business is naturally lower than in the riskier secondary lottery business, the company expects a gross margin of around 12% - a comparable level to Lotto24 in recent years. Depending on the general conditions, in particular the jackpot development, the timing of the implementation of the planned synergy effects and the marketing investments for the acquisition of new customers, EBITDA is expected to be between EUR 5 million and EUR 8 million. Due to the access to proven, more cost-effective marketing channels, the Company expects the German business of ZEAL Group to nearly double the number of new customers in 2020 with a lower CPL compared to the previous year.
* Including Lotto24 since 14 May 2019, German secondary lottery business up to 15 October 2019 and Tipp24 online lottery brokerage business beginning with 15 October 2019 The company is expected to publish a proposal for the appropriation of profits and a new dividend policy in the 2019 financial statements in March 2020. "We are aware that we could only reach the latest milestones in the history of ZEAL Group with the support of our customers, employees and shareholders," says Jonas Mattsson, CFO of ZEAL Network SE. "After leaving behind a long period of legal uncertainties and significantly improving our risk profile with the end of the secondary lottery business as the leading online provider of state lottery products, we can now fully focus on the continuously growing and socially valuable German online lottery business with two strong brands. Knowing the great value and high loyalty of our customers, we look forward to setting out on this exciting journey". About ZEAL Network SE: ZEAL Network SE, Germany's leading online provider of state-licensed lottery products, is a Hamburg based Group which mainly brokers customers' tickets to the state lottery companies through the brands Lotto24.de and Tipp24.com, for which it receives a commission. The offerings include among others »Lotto 6aus49«, »Spiel 77«, »Super 6«, »EuroJackpot«, »GlücksSpirale«, lotto clubs, »Keno« and the »Deutsche Fernsehlotterie«. Founded in Germany in 1999, it was initially set up as a lottery broker. In 2005, it was floated on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) and became one of the most successful initial public offerings (IPOs) in Germany at the time. In 2009, the Group changed its focus from lottery brokerage to the secondary lottery business. It moved its registered office to London and was renamed as ZEAL Network SE in November 2014. In May 2019, ZEAL completed the takeover of Lotto24 AG, returned its Tipp24 secondary lottery to the German brokerage business in October 2019 and relocated its registered office back to Germany in the same month. Contact:
19.02.2020 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | ZEAL Network SE |
Valentinskamp 70 | |
20355 Hamburg | |
Germany | |
Phone: | +49 (0)40 808141-123 |
Fax: | +49 (0)40 808 141-199 |
E-mail: | frank.hoffmann@zealnetwork.de |
Internet: | www.zealnetwork.de |
ISIN: | DE000ZEAL241 |
WKN: | ZEAL24 |
Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange |
EQS News ID: | 978307 |
End of News | DGAP News Service |