DGAP-News: Moody's upgrades HELLA rating to Baa1 with a stable outlook

Moody's upgrades HELLA rating to Baa1 with a stable outlook

• The improved rating reflects a positive development of key financial indicators
• The increase also takes into account the leadership of HELLA in the areas of lighting technology and electronics as well as the diversified business model

Lippstadt, September 06, 2018. Moody's Investors Services (Moody's) has upgraded the rating of the lighting and electronics specialist HELLA to Baa1 with a stable outlook. The decisive factor for the increased rating was, among other things, the positive development of key financial indicators. The increased rating also takes into account the company's leadership in the fields of automotive lighting technology and electronics as well as the diversified business model with the segments Aftermarket and Special Applications.

"The upgrade by Moody's affirms our solid, well-balanced financial strategy," says HELLA CFO Bernard Schäferbarthold. "It has provided us with the necessary conditions for continuing to invest in future technologies and the expansion of our global network, to further expand HELLA's position as one of the leading automotive suppliers."

In the past fiscal year 2017/2018, HELLA continued to improve its financial position. For instance, the company's net financial debt was reduced considerably to 187 million EUR (previous year: 278 million EUR). Accordingly, its ratio to the reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as at the balance sheet date, May 31, 2018, was 0.2 (previous year: 0.3).

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HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, Lippstadt: HELLA is a global, family-owned company, listed on the stock exchange, with more than 40,000 employees at over 125 locations in some 35 countries. The HELLA Group develops and manufactures products for lighting technology and electronics for the automotive industry and also has one of the largest retail organizations for automotive parts, accessories, diagnostics, and services within Europe. With more than 7,000 people working in research and development, HELLA is one of the most important innovation drivers on the market. Furthermore, with sales of EUR 7.1 billion in the fiscal year of 2017/2018, the HELLA Group is one of the top 40 automotive parts suppliers in the world and one of the 100 largest German industrial companies.

For additional information please contact:
Dr. Markus Richter
Company spokesman
HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
Rixbecker Strasse 75
59552 Lippstadt
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2941 38-7545
Fax: +49 (0)2941 38-477545
Markus.Richter@hella.com
www.hella.com