Basler AG: Business figures for the first three months of 2018: Basler starts the fiscal year with significant sales growth and high profitabiltiy

Corporate News
Business Figures / Three-Month Report

Business figures for the first three months of 2018:
Basler starts the fiscal year with significant sales growth and high profitability

- Incoming orders: Euro 46.1 million (previous year: Euro 60.4 million, -24 %)

- Sales: Euro 44.9 million (previous year: Euro 36.3 million, +24 %)

- EBIT: Euro 10.8 million (previous year: Euro 8.0 million, +35 %)

- Pre-tax result: Euro 10.8 million (previous year: Euro 7.9 million, +37 %)

- Pre-tax return rate: 24 % (previous year: 22 %)

- Free cash flow: Euro -4.2 million (previous year: Euro 1.7 million)

Ahrensburg, May 2, 2018 - BASLER AG, the leading global manufacturer of industrial cameras, is presenting today final figures for the first three months of 2018.

In the first three months of 2018, the group's incoming orders amounted to Euro 46.1 million (previous year: Euro 60.4 million, -24 %). The group's sales of Euro 44.9 million were 24 % above the previous year's level (Euro 36.3 million) at a slightly increased gross profit margin of 50.6 % (previous year: 49.6 %). The earnings before taxes (EBT) for the group increased by 37 % to Euro 10.8 million (previous year: Euro 7.9 million). The pre-tax return rate amounted to 24 % (previous year: 22 %). Due to the significant increase in sales and receivables, the free cash flow amounted to Euro -4.2 million (previous year: Euro 1.7 million).

In an as expected more quiet market environment than last year, Basler group had a positive start into the first three months of the new fiscal year 2018. A good level of incoming orders and strong sales led to a further expansion of the market position as well as to high profitability.

As foreseen, the previous quarter's extraordinarily strong momentum of the capital goods markets for the electronics industry was not repeated. Moreover, the successfully implemented measures for a capacity expansion led to a high delivery capacity and subsequently to a balanced ratio between incoming orders and sales. In total, incoming orders were on a good level, however, clearly below the previous year's.

So far, as expected, the fiscal year 2018 has developed positively along the forecast communicated to the capital market. The growth targets were achieved. In the first three months, profitability was higher than expected due to a positive development of the gross margin and an employee recruiting program slower than planned. The management is positive about the coming months of the fiscal year and confirms the current forecast according to which the group's sales 2018 will be within a corridor of Euro 145 - 160 million at a pre-tax return margin of 13 - 15 %. Based on positive results and positive outlook the management will continue to go ahead with the recruiting program in the coming months.

The full three-month report 2018 can be seen on the company's website (www.baslerweb.com).

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Basler is a leading manufacturer of high-quality digital cameras and accessories for industry, medicine, traffic and a variety of other markets. The company's product portfolio encompasses area scan and line scan cameras in compact housing dimensions, camera modules in board level variants for embedded solutions, and 3D cameras. Basler has 30 years of experience in computer vision. The company is home to approximately 500 employees at its headquarters in Ahrensburg, Germany, and its subsidiaries and sales offices in Europe, Asia, and North America.

Basler AG, Hardy Mehl (CFO/COO), An der Strusbek 60 - 62, D-22926 Ahrensburg, Tel. +49 - 4102-463 101, ir/baslerweb.com, www.baslerweb.com, ISIN DE 0005102008