LPKF Laser & Electronics : enters the final spurt with a strong third quarter

Garbsen, 10 October 2017 - According to preliminary figures, LPKF Laser & Electronics AG achieved revenue of EUR 27 million in the third quarter of 2017. This corresponds to an increase of 25% compared to Q3 2016. After nine months, Group revenue thus totaled EUR 71 million (+ 17% compared to the previous year) and was fully in line with the company's own expectations.

The order situation also developed well. At EUR 47 million, the orders on hand for the first nine months were 64% higher than in the previous year. Incoming orders reached EUR 91 million, an increase of 19% over the previous year. The book-to-bill ratio is thus 1.3.

The strong order intake in the third quarter is characterized by further orders from the solar industry. As the world's leading specialist for the structuring of thin-film solar cells, LPKF has been supplying laser systems to a major international solar cell manufacturer for several years. The new orders will have an impact on revenue in 2018 and 2019.

Dr. Ingo Bretthauer, Chairman of the Management Board, is confident that LPKF will achieve the turnaround in the current financial year and return to profitability in 2017. "As part of the restructuring process, we have exploited considerable savings potential and realigned ourselves in terms of costs. The strong revenue development in the third quarter is very encouraging. However, significant sales are planned for December. We are working hard to complete all deliveries on schedule by 31 December." 

The Management Board is confirming its forecast for the 2017 financial year. If the global economy remains stable, this means it expects to generate revenue of between EUR 92 million and EUR 100 million and an EBIT margin of between 1% and 5% for the year as a whole. Revenue is set to continue to grow in the coming years. LPKF intends to return to generating EBIT margins of at least 10% in the medium term.

The full quarterly report will be published on November 14^th, 2017.
 
About LPKF
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG is a specialist for the manufacturing of laser systems for micro material processing and is a global leader in numerous fields. Formed in 1976, the Company has its head office in Garbsen near Hanover and is globally active via subsidiaries and representative offices. The shares of LPKF Laser & Electronics AG are listed on the Prime Standard segment of Deutsche Börse (ISIN 0006450000).


Contact:
Bettina Schäfer, Department Manager Group Communication & Investor Relations