DGAP-News: TAKKT AG: TAKKT AGM approves total dividend of 85 cents per share - New members elected to Supervisory Board
(firmenpresse) - DGAP-News: TAKKT AG / Key word(s): AGM/EGM
TAKKT AG: TAKKT AGM approves total dividend of 85 cents per share -
New members elected to Supervisory Board
08.05.2012 / 13:06
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P R E S S R E L E A S E
TAKKT AGM approves total dividend of 85 cents per share - New members
elected to Supervisory Board
First Sustainability Report in line with GRI standards presented
Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart, Germany, 08 May 2012. The Annual General Meeting
(AGM) of TAKKT AG today approved the payment of a total dividend of 85
cents per share. TAKKT Group achieved organic turnover growth of 7.3
percent in 2011. All earnings figures were improved again. Earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 20.3
percent to EUR 121 million, the EBITDA margin was in the upper third of
TAKKT's own target corridor of 12 to 15 percent at 14.2 percent. In the
current financial year, substantial impulses for growth are expected to
come from business in North America. In addition, at the AGM the TAKKT
Sustainability Report was presented to the public for the first time.
With the dividend payment of 85 cents per share approved by the
shareholders, the total payout will be around EUR 56 million. This
corresponds to a payout ratio of around 85 percent of the profit for the
period, which totalled EUR 66 million for the financial year 2011. As TAKKT
Group did not realise any larger acquisitions or investments in 2011, the
positive earnings development resulted in an equity ratio of 54.7 (46.5 in
the previous year) percent, thereby reaching the upper end of TAKKT's own
target corridor of thirty to sixty percent. In addition to the ordinary
dividend, a special payout was therefore proposed by Management in order to
maintain the balance between sufficient financial scope to fund further
growth and optimised cost of capital.
Even after the dividend payout and the acquisition of GPA, a B2B direct
marketing company for display articles in the US, at the beginning of
April, the Group's equity ratio will be above forty percent. 'TAKKT is
healthy, soundly financed and has still got all options for further
growth,' said CEO Dr Felix A. Zimmermann at the AGM.
The shareholders approved all items on the agenda - including the discharge
of both the Management and the Supervisory Board for the financial year
2011 - by a large majority.
Since the terms of office for all members of the Supervisory Board ended
after the 2012 AGM, new elections for the Supervisory Board were pending
according to plan. Voted onto the Supervisory Board for the next five years
were Prof. Dr Klaus Trützschler and Dr Florian Funck, members of the
Management Board at Franz Haniel&Cie. GmbH, Dr Johannes Haupt, Chairman
of the Management Board of E.G.O. Blanc und Fischer&Co. GmbH and Chairman
of the Management Board of the E.G.O. Group, Prof. Dr Jürgen Kluge,
Chairman of the Management Board at Franz Haniel&Cie. GmbH, Thomas
Kniehl, Logistics employee at KAISER+KRAFT GmbH, and Prof. Dr Dres. h.c.
Arnold Picot, Professor at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.
Dr Zimmermann thanked Dr Dr Peter Bettermann and Stefan Meister, who
resigned from the Supervisory Board with effect from 04 May 2011 and 31
August 2011 respectively, for their good cooperation.
German business and online sales drive growth
TAKKT Group increased its turnover by 6.3 percent to EUR 852.2 million in
2011. Adjusted for currency effects, turnover rose by 7.3 percent. The
company benefited throughout most of the financial year from strong demand
at TAKKT EUROPE. All earnings figures were improved substantially due to
the above-average profitability of this division as well as overall better
utilisation of the infrastructure and increased advertising efficiency. The
growing percentage of turnover from high-margin private labels also helped
to increase earnings.
While a marked slowdown in the economic development emerged towards the end
of the year in Europe, the North American economy started an upward trend
again. Nevertheless, TAKKT EUROPE - and especially business in Germany -
was the main growth and earnings provider for the full-year 2011.
Across the Group, the online business was the main growth driver, the share
of e-commerce turnover was above twenty percent for the first time. Very
high growth rates were achieved in e-procurement solutions, i.e. electronic
catalogues, which are adapted individually to the needs of key accounts and
integrated into their IT systems. The demand for these solutions derives no
longer only at large corporations, but also increasingly at large
medium-sized companies with recurring order processes. Here, TAKKT can
deliver a noticeable benefit by optimising the procurement processes and
costs for the customers.
Sustainable management as an integral company objective
In 2011, TAKKT has made sustainability management a company objective.
Under the name of SCORE (Sustainable Corporate Responsibility), TAKKT
Group's entire activities in the area of sustainability are bundled and
systemised. 'We consider Corporate Responsibility for sustainable business
activities to be more than just a way of improving one's image. Sustainable
business has to become an integral part of the entire value chain: From
add-on to build-in,' explained Zimmermann. Therefore, we defined some focus
areas in an extensive sustainability strategy, based on economical,
ecological and social topics, which are relevant to TAKKT and all
stakeholder groups. Zimmermann continued, 'This way, we want to
systematically incorporate responsibility for reducing CO2 emissions or
offsetting unavoidable emissions into our business model. Our objective is
certainly ambitious - we aim to become a worldwide role model in terms of
sustainability in our industry by 2016.'
At today's AGM, Zimmermann also presented the first TAKKT Sustainability
Report in line with the international standards set by the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI). The GRI distinguishes between three application levels -
A, B and C. The Sustainability Report has been awarded a rating of 'C+' in
accordance with the GRI certification.
Joining the United Nation's Global Compact
At the beginning of 2012, TAKKT joined the Global Compact. This initiative,
which was founded in 2000 by Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United
Nations at the time, is a reaction to the emerging negative implications of
globalisation. With this membership, TAKKT commits to report annually on
adhering to and improving the ten principles of the Global Compact in the
areas of human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and
fighting corruption. 'We at TAKKT already meet all requirements and regard
them as a blueprint for corporate conduct in the future. Continuous
development and improvement and the gradual expansion to our sphere of
influence, the entire value-creation chain from suppliers to customers, is
decisive.' explained Zimmermann.
For example, as concrete measures in the area of Corporate Responsibility
(CR), the main German sites switched entirely to eco-power supply in 2011
and all of KAISER+KRAFT's, Topdeq's and gaerner's mailings and catalogues
in Germany were distributed CO2 neutrally with GO Green. In the meantime,
the paper advertising media are predominantly produced with certified paper
from renewable sources. Furthermore, one of the biggest photovoltaic
systems in whole Ohio was recently installed on top of the Hubert warehouse
in the USA. Measuring more than 11,000 square metres, this solar roof is
already up and running and will generate more than a million kilowatt-hours
of electricity every year. This corresponds to slightly more than a quarter
of the total amount of energy needed at Hubert every year.
For all TAKKT groups, sustainability targets will be defined in the future,
and their achievement will be monitored through the existing planning and
controlling tools. This integrates CR as a decision criterion within all
business processes.
For TAKKT, CR does not only refer to the environment, but also to the way
of cooperating with employees, customers and suppliers. TAKKT's corporate
values, which were first set out in writing in 2011, provide orientation
and form the basis both for internal teamwork as well as collaboration with
external business partners.
Outlook: A good start for TAKKT AMERICA
At the beginning of 2012, the economic slowdown in Europe continued, which
was reflected by a decline in TAKKT EUROPE's turnover in the first quarter.
In contrast, TAKKT AMERICA experienced an upward trend in business due to
economic growth in North America. In total, TAKKT Group recorded
consolidated turnover of EUR 222.8 million (213.5 million) in the first
quarter, an increase of 4.4 percent. TAKKT therefore benefited from its
regional diversification once again. Adjusted for currency effects,
turnover grew by 2.2 percent. The TAKKT Management Board still expects
organic turnover growth of around two percent for the full-year.
Furthermore, the foundation for additional growth has been laid by
acquiring GPA, which will be included into the TAKKT Group as of the second
quarter of 2012 and has not yet been recognised in the growth forecast.
Short profile of TAKKT AG
TAKKT is the leading B2B direct marketing specialist for business equipment
in Europe and North America. The Group is represented with its brands in
more than 25 countries. The product range of the TAKKT subsidiaries
comprises some 175,000 products for the areas of business and warehouse
equipment, classic and design-oriented office furniture and accessories,
and supplies for retailers, the food service industry and the hotel market.
TAKKT Group employs some 1,900 staff, has around three million customers
worldwide and distributes more than 45 million catalogues and mailings per
year.
TAKKT AG is listed on the SDAX and was admitted to Deutsche Boerse's Prime
Standard on 01 January 2003.
Contacts:
Dr Felix A. Zimmermann, CEO Tel. +49 711 3465-8201
Dr Claude Tomaszewski, CFO Tel. +49 711 3465-8207
Email: investor(at)takkt.de
End of Corporate News
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Language: English
Company: TAKKT AG
Presselstr. 12
70191 Stuttgart
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)711 346 58 -0
Fax: +49 (0)711 346 58 - 10
E-mail: investor(at)takkt.de
Internet: www.takkt.de
ISIN: DE0007446007
WKN: 744600
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Stuttgart;
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München
End of News DGAP News-Service
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