- Sales growth despite seasonal shift in Easter business
- Strong quarter for the B2B segment (+11.8%)
- Forecast for 2017 confirmed

Hamburg, 11 May 2017. Today the wine-trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW GR, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) published its report on the first quarter of fiscal year 2017. CEO Thorsten Hermelink commented in Hamburg, "My colleagues on the management board and I are satisfied with the first-quarter results. Although the Easter business falls in the second quarter this year, we succeeded in increasing sales and keeping profitability stable."

In the quarter under review, consolidated sales rose to EUR 109.7 million, an increase of 4.7% over the same quarter of the previous year (EUR 104.8 million). At EUR 31.9 million, the omnichannel brand unit (Jacques' Wein-Depot) achieved quarterly sales at the level of the previous year. Sales at the digital brand unit (distance selling) amounted to EUR 37.0 million, corresponding to an increase of 1.6% over the same quarter of the previous year (EUR 36.5 million). The B2B brand unit (wholesale) had a strong quarter, posting sales of EUR 40.7 million, an increase of 11.8% over the same quarter of the previous year (EUR 36.4 million).

The consolidated operating result (EBIT) in the first quarter of 2017 amounted to EUR 4.9 million (previous year: EUR 4.8 million). Despite the investments in digitalisation and the accelerated expansion of the Group as well as the seasonal shift of the Easter business to the second quarter, a very high figure was again achieved in a long-term comparison. For the aforementioned reasons, the EBIT margin declined slightly to 4.4% (previous year: 4.6%).

Hermelink stated that the Hawesko Group is on the right course, saying "The measures we implemented are taking effect. We will continue to pursue our current strategy and want to achieve sustainable growth throughout the entire group - organic as well as acquisitional - over the long term."

The Hawesko management board expects sales growth of approximately 5% in fiscal year 2017, with consolidated EBIT of just over EUR 30 million and an unchanged EBIT margin. With regard to the other important financial indicators such as the net result, return on capital employed and free cash flow, we likewise expect figures at the respective levels of the previous year for 2017.

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Hawesko Holding AG is a leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes. In fiscal year 2016, the Group achieved sales of EUR 481 million and employed 940 persons in the company's three sales channels: omnichannel (Jacques' Wein-Depot), B2B (Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner- und Wein-Distributionsgesellschaft) and digital (especially Hawesko.de and Vinos.de). The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Publisher: Hawesko Holding AG
Elbkaihaus
Grosse Elbstrasse 145d
22767 Hamburg

Internet: hawesko-holding.com (Company information)
hawesko.de (Online shop)
jacques.de (Jacques' Wein-Depot information and online shop)
vinos.de (Spanish wines sold through Wein & Vinos)
wirwinzer.de (German wines directly from the producers)

Press and Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson
Phone: +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax: +49 (0)40 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko-holding.com