BIRKENFELD (dpa-AFX) - The diagnostics specialist Stratec intends to distribute significantly less to its shareholders. The management will propose a dividend of 55 cents per share for 2023 at the Annual General Meeting, the company announced in Birkenfeld on Thursday. In the previous year, the dividend was 97 cents. The diagnostics specialist justified the planned reduction in the payout with the financing requirements for internal and potential external growth opportunities as well as the financing of the 2023 acquisition of US injection molding specialist Natech Plastics.

The company confirmed its most recently announced targets for 2023. Accordingly, currency-adjusted sales are expected to fall slightly compared to the previous year. The margin based on earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is expected to be around ten to twelve percent. The company plans to publish the figures for the 2023 financial year and the outlook for 2024 on March 28./mne/jha/