Viscom AG / Final Results

Release of a Corporate-announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Viscom AG with Successful Year 2006

- Revenue increase of 5.6% year over year – revenues of € 53.3 million
- Continued high profitability – 19.2% EBIT margin
- Preparation for expansion: 346 employees – plus 30%
- Executive Board and Company Board propose dividend of € 0.50 per share
Hanover, 28 March 2007 – The Viscom AG, European market leader for automatic optical inspection systems in the electronics industry, increased company revenues for 2006 to €53.3 million – an improvement of 5.6% compared to the previous year. With 19.2%, the EBIT margin especially reached a convincing level, which underscores the raised efficiency within the company. Viscom earned an EBIT of € 10.2 million despite increased expenses for the regional expansion of the company.
Viscom invested especially heavily in strengthening its personnel base, raising the number of employees by 30% to 346 persons. With this, Viscom has boosted service and consultation capacity worldwide. This heightened global presence is increasingly shaping up to be a competitive advantage. ‘When our customers face a purchase decision, they evaluate not only the quality of the machine, but also the service and support we can offer,’ states Volker Pape, Executive Board member and company founder of the Viscom AG. ‘With the new application centers in Asia and the USA, we will meet this demand and be able to serve our customers optimally, worldwide.’ Viscom has also further expanded its capacity for research and development; during the past year the company increased employment by 60 new positions at its headquarters in Hanover alone.

With 12.1%, earnings after taxes showed a strong increase, to € 8.4 million. ‘A very satisfying result, especially for our shareholders,’ say Ulrich Mohr, Executive Board member for finance. 'The Executive and Supervisory boards will propose a dividend of € 0.50 per share to the Shareholders' Meeting – a dividend ratio of more than 50%.
The order situation at the end of 2006 corresponds to expectations: while order intake reached € 53.4 million during the report period, 12.7% higher than in the previous year, order backlog at the end of the year was € 8.5 million, just over the previous year's € 8.4 million.
‘We know, that from a short-term view, not all the expectations have been fully met,’ comments Dr. Martin Heuser, Executive Board member and company founder of the Viscom AG. ‘Yet that may not be permitted to obscure the overall very positive developments of the Viscom Group during the last year.’ Company revenue development in Europe during the last year was exceptionally positive – here, Viscom posted a 9.6% increase to € 38.0 million. With a good 70% of overall revenues, this region remains the most significant market of the Viscom AG. Also, Viscom achieved a light revenue increase in America: in 2006, revenues reached € 8.6 million – an improvement of 3.6%. The region Asia remained behind expectations with a revenue decrease of 10.6%, to € 6.7 million. ‘We have learned, that the decision process requires quite a lot of time in Asia,’ explains Volker Pape regarding the decline. ’However, with its stock market entry Viscom has gained the capital required to invest heavily in this market and also the breath, to assert itself there permanently.’
Viscom also remains in constant motion for its customers from a technological view: the absolute highlight of the year is the development of the X7056. ‘With this combined AOI/AXI system, we have developed a machine for which there is no similar product on the market,’ emphasizes Dr. Martin Heuser. ‘The market has been waiting for this machine. Its serial production has begun and there are already numerous orders.’ Viscom not only continually pushes research and development of systems, but the system components themselves are also constantly redeveloped: the VM Module, for example, brings a completely revised sensor head to the market, which is significantly higher-performance, more versatile and faster than its predecessor module. Thus, the Viscom Group is well positioned for further positive development, from a technological as well as from a financial standpoint.

Insofar as this notice contains prognoses or expectations regarding the future, these statements might be marked by risk and uncertainty. Thus we cannot guarantee that the expectations will prove themselves correct. Actual events may differ markedly from any expressed expectations and claims. Among the factors which may cause them to differ are changes in the general economic situation, the competitive situation, exchange rates, interest rates and changes in national and international laws, among others.

 

Key Figures of Viscom AG

Consolidated Information

FY 2006


 Key Figures of Viscom AG

Segment Information

FY 2006




Contact:
Viscom AG
Investor Relations
Katharina Blanke
Carl-Buderus-Str. 9-15
30455 Hannover
Tel.: +49-511-94996-861
Fax:  +49-511-94996-501
katharina.blanke@viscom.de


DGAP 28.03.2007 

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Language:     English
Issuer:       Viscom AG
              Carl-Buderus-Strasse 9-15
              30455 Hannover Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0) 511 94 996 861
Fax:          +49 (0) 511 94 996 501
E-mail:       katharina.blanke@viscom.de
www:          www.viscom.de
ISIN:         DE0007846867
WKN:          784686
Indices:      
Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hannover; Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart  
End of News DGAP News-Service  

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