Tipp24 AG: Subdued growth in sales and earnings

Aug 4, 2008 7:03 AM

Tipp24 AG / Half Year Results

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In the first six months of its fiscal year 2008, the Tipp24 Group raised
earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by 86.5 percent to EUR 4,398
(prior-year: EUR 2,358) thousand. The EBIT margin rose by 7.3 percentage
points to 20.4 percent. However, the second quarter of 2007 was burdened by
two special items amounting to EUR 1,772 thousand. After adjustment for
these items, year-on-year EBIT growth would have amounted to 6.5 percent.
Consolidated net profit increased by 75.2 percent to EUR 3,482 (prior year:
EUR 1,987) thousand. The domestic EBIT margin was raised by 13.2 percentage
points (adjusted +1.9 %-points) to 28.6 percent, compared with the
prior-year period, despite start-up costs for the new Skill-Based Games
division and increased other operating expenses for legal and consultation
services.

The Tipp24 Group raised billings to EUR 162,285 (prior year: EUR 139,583)
thousand in the first six months of 2008 – corresponding to year-on-year
growth of 16.3 percent. Revenues rose by 20.1 percent to EUR 21,564 (prior
year: EUR 17,958) thousand. Gross margin – the ratio of revenue to billings
– was up 0.4 %-points on the prior-year level, from 12.9 percent to 13.3
percent. The number of registered customers increased by 60 thousand in the
first six months of 2008 (prior-year period: 136 thousand). This was due in
particular to a more complex registration process caused by the change in
regulatory conditions as of 1 January 2008.

Against a backdrop of continuing uncertainty regarding the effects and
continuation of the current State Treaty on Gaming, we confirm the forecast
made in our last annual report and expect customer growth of at least 100
thousand new customers. We expect an increase in billings, revenue and EBIT
of at least 10 percent. This increase results partly from the positive
effects of customer growth in the past year. On completion of the current
transition phase of the European lottery markets, we expect a return to our
historically proven medium-term growth targets – an annual increase in
revenue of 30 percent and a disproportionately stronger increase in EBIT.


Key figures for the 2nd quarter of 2008

Q.II                                 Q.II 2008    Q.II 2007        Change
Billings              € thousand        75,492       70,806      +   6.6%
- Germany             € thousand        70,260       66,346      +   5.9%
- Abroad              € thousand         5,245        4,460      +  17.6%
Revenue               € thousand        10,191        9,050      +  12.6%
- Germany             € thousand         8,915        7,954      +  12.1%
- Abroad              € thousand         1,276        1,095      +  16.5%
Operating expenses    € thousand       - 8,163      - 8,699      -   6.2%
EBITDA                € thousand         2,028          351      + 477.8%
EBIT                  € thousand         1,712          161      + 961.7%
EBT                   € thousand         1,782          711      + 150.6%
Net profit            € thousand         1,606          350      + 358.9%


Half-year comparison Q.I-II 2008

Q.I-II                            Q.I-II 2008   Q.I-II 2007       Change
Billings             € thousand       162,285       139,583    +   16.3%
- Germany            € thousand       150,142       130,083    +   15.4%
- Abroad             € thousand        12,170         9,501    +   28.1%
Revenue              € thousand        21,564        17,958    +   20.1%
- Germany            € thousand        18,685        15,657    +   19.3%
- Abroad             € thousand         2,879         2,301    +   25.1%
Operating expenses   € thousand      - 16,559      - 15,205    +    8.9%
EBITDA               € thousand         5,005         2,753    +   81.8%
EBIT                 € thousand         4,398         2,358    +   86.5%
EBT                  € thousand         5,074         3,444    +   47.4%
Net profit           € thousand         3,482         1,987    +   75.2%
04.08.2008  Financial News transmitted by DGAP
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Language:     English
Issuer:       Tipp24 AG
              Straßenbahnring 11-13
              20251 Hamburg
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)40 325533-0
Fax:          +49 (0)40 325533-77
E-mail:       office@tipp24.de
Internet:     www.tipp24-ag.de
ISIN:         DE0007847147
WKN:          784714
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
 
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
 
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