Q2 2012: Highlight Group with solid business development
(firmenpresse) - (DGAP-Media / 15.08.2012 / 17:45)
Press Release
- Consolidated sales increased by 2.4% to CHF 163.6 million
- Consolidated net profit at CHF 11.2 million due to end of period
effects
- Consolidated equity rises to CHF 101.1 million
- Forecast for 2012 confirmed once again
Pratteln, August 15, 2012
In the first half of 2012, the Highlight Group met its sales and earnings
targets in a still difficult environment.
Consolidated sales rose by 2.4% year-on-year from CHF 159.7 million to
CHF 163.6 million. Including capitalized film production costs and other
own work capitalized, Group total output amounted to CHF 189.3 million
(previous year's period: CHF 176.7 million). Other operating income rose by
CHF 2.0 million to CHF 14.9 million. Consolidated operating expenses
increased by 11.3% to CHF 188.6 million (previous year's period:
CHF 169.5 million), resulting in a profit from operations of
CHF 15.6 million (previous year's period: CHF 20.1 million).
Consolidated net profit for the period was CHF 11.2 million. The decrease
as against the previous year's figure (CHF 16.2 million) is due to temporal
delimitation and results from the Film segment. CHF 11.3 million of this
profit (previous year's period: CHF 14.9 million) relates to Highlight
shareholders, equating to earnings per share of CHF 0.25 (previous year's
period: CHF 0.32).
With external sales of CHF 119.0 million, the Film segment exceeded the
comparative figure for the previous year (CHF 113.8 million) by 4.6%. This
increase is largely attributable to the theatrical hit comedy 'Türkisch für
Anfänger' and strong sales figures in the home entertainment business area.
Segment expenses rose by 14.8% to CHF 158.4 million, primarily due to
higher cost of materials and licenses. Segment earnings were down on the
first half of 2011 (CHF 5.6 million) at CHF 0.2 million. This development
is due to temporal delimitation, as less TV license income compared to the
previous year was generated as of June 30, 2012. In the meantime, this
income was realized, so that the Film segment as a whole is in line with
planning.
The Sports- and Event-Marketing segment continued to develop very well.
Here, a significant reduction in segment expenses more than compensated for
a largely exchange rate-related decrease in external sales from
CHF 45.9 million to CHF 42.9 million. Consequently, segment earnings
improved by 15.2% to CHF 19.7 million.
The Other Business Activities segment generated external sales of
CHF 1.8 million and segment earnings of CHF -1.4 million. As this segment
only came into existence on July 1, 2011, no prior-year comparison is
possible at present.
Cash and cash equivalents increased by CHF 11.1 million to
CHF 151.8 million in the first half of 2012 (December 31, 2011:
CHF 140.7 million). As of June 30, financial liabilities stood at
CHF 235.9 million - up by CHF 31.7 million as against the end of 2011
(CHF 204.2 million). This resulted in an increase in net debt from
CHF 63.5 million to CHF 84.1 million.
Consolidated equity (including non-controlling interests) rose by
CHF 5.1 million to CHF 101.1 million as against the end of 2011
(CHF 96.0 million). The increase was due mainly to the consolidated net
profit of CHF 11.2 million. As a result of the increase in total assets,
the notional equity ratio remained almost unchanged at 19.3% as at
June 30, 2012 (December 31, 2011: 19.2%).
Basedon the sound operational prospects for the second half of the year,
particularly with regard to the forthcoming 3-D releases ('Step Up
Revolution' and 'Resident Evil: Retribution'), the Highlight Group expects
to generate consolidated sales of CHF 370 million to CHF 390 million and
earnings per share of EUR 0.42 to EUR 0.44 for 2012 as a whole, assuming
that exchange rates remain roughly stable.
The interim report as of June 30, 2012 is available for downloading from
the company's website www.highlight-communications.ch as of today.
For questions, please contact:
HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS AG
Investor Relations
Netzibodenstrasse 23b
4133 Pratteln / Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0)61 816 96 91
E-mail: ir(at)hlcom.ch
End of Media Release
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Issuer: Highlight Communications AG
Key word(s): Finance
15.08.2012 Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
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Language: English
Company: Highlight Communications AG
Netzibodenstrasse 23b
4133 Pratteln
Switzerland
Phone: +41 61 816 96 96
Fax: +41 61 816 67 67
E-mail: info(at)hlcom.ch
Internet: www.hlcom.ch
ISIN: CH0006539198
WKN: 920299
Indices: SDAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard);
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover,
München, Stuttgart
End of News DGAP-Media
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