Aap Implantate : Q2/2015 sales and EBITDA above guidance; further continuous sales growth in Trauma business and with LOQTEQ® more

aap: Q2/2015 sales and EBITDA above guidance; further continuous sales growth in Trauma business and with LOQTEQ®

aap Implantate AG (XETRA: AAQ.DE) was able to exceed its financial targets in the second quarter of 2015 for both sales and earnings and further on realized continuous sales growth in the trauma business and especially with the LOQTEQ® product family. The company's sales in the reporting period totalled EUR 6.5 million (Q2/2014: EUR 8.1 million) and were thus above the EUR 5.0 million to EUR 6.1 million guidance issued in May. In the first half of 2015, aap Implantate AG reported sales of EUR 13.6 million (H1/2014: EUR 14.2 million).

EBITDA in the second quarter of 2015 amounted to EUR -0.8 million (Q2/2014: EUR 1.5 million), thereby also exceeding the forecast of EUR -1.5 million to EUR -1.0 million. In the first six months of the current financial year the company's EBITDA was at EUR -0.6 million (H1/2014: EUR 1.6 million).

Sales development in the second quarter of financial year 2015 was significantly influenced by the sales decline in the biomaterials business (Q2/2015: EUR 3.2 million vs. Q2/2014: EUR 4.9 million). This decline was merely a quarterly fluctuation primarily due to the ordering behaviour of the major customers in the area of bone cement and mixing systems. In contrast the company again reported continuous growth rates in the trauma business and with the LOQTEQ® portfolio on both a quarterly and a half-yearly basis.

On a comparable basis (without the one-time effects of share disposals, one-time costs incurred in connection with strategic measures, project earnings and related costs) normalised sales in the second quarter of 2015 totalled EUR 6.5 million (Q2/2014: EUR 8.0 million) and in the first half of the current financial year amounted to EUR 13.4 million (H1/2014: EUR 14.0 million). Adjusted for project and one-time effects EBITDA in the second quarter of 2015 totalled EUR -0.5 million (Q2/2014: EUR 0.3 million) and amounted to EUR -0.2 million in the first half of the current financial year (H1/2014: EUR 0.4 million). When comparing the normalised EBITDA figures it has to be stated that the sales decrease in the highly profitable biomaterials business led especially to the decline in normalised EBITDA in the second quarter.

The following highlights show the progress that aap Implantate AG achieved in the second quarter of 2015 with regard to the implementation of the 2015 Management Agenda:

• Financial targets achieved: EUR 6.5 million in sales and EUR -0.8 million in EBITDA were above the guidance provided in May
• Further continuous sales growth in the trauma business (+8% to EUR 3.2 million) and with the LOQTEQ® portfolio (+15% to EUR 2.0 million)
• US market development: Eight contracts signed with non-stocking distributors for the distribution of LOQTEQ® products
• Trauma: Scheduled expansion of the LOQTEQ® portfolio with a focus on, inter alia, the introduction of the radius system with a variable locking technology, the development of new foot and ankle joint plate systems and plates with polyaxial locking technology
• Silver coating technology: Approval-relevant animal studies and other work further running on schedule
• Biomaterials: Further targeted expansion of aap Biomaterials GmbH's business with a situation appraisal and deduction of specific action options in H2/2015

With a view to developing the US market the first eight contracts have been signed with non-stocking distributors. The next steps include the provision of necessary inventories and the execution of various product training courses and sessions for the distributors' sales employees. In order to reach an optimal geographic coverage as well as to extend the presence in this strategically important market, aap Implantate AG will further push the acquisition of distributors in the coming months and intensify distribution activities. For this purpose the US team will be strengthened again in a targeted manner in product management and distribution. Initial more significant sales are to be expected from the fourth quarter of 2015.

In the trauma business the LOQTEQ® portfolio is to be further expanded in the second half. In this connection the company plans, inter alia, the market launch of a periprosthetic LOQTEQ® plate for use in the area of the femur near the knee and the extension of the polyaxial locking technology to further LOQTEQ® plate systems.

In the silver coating technology area all approval-relevant work continues to go ahead on schedule. The company still aims to submit its CE approval application for the first silver coated products by the end of 2015.

For the third quarter of 2015, aap Implantate AG is expecting sales to range between EUR 7.5 million and EUR 9.0 million and an EBITDA of EUR 0.1 million to EUR 0.6 million. In this regard, it should be noted that the development of the most important key figures should be evaluated as an overall economic review on an annual basis rather than on a quarterly basis.