OREANDA-NEWS. The EQS Group AG (ISIN: DE0005494165) continues its course of growth in the first half of 2016. The group achieved sales revenues of EUR10.337 million. This is equivalent to an increase of 15% in comparison with the same period last year. In line with expectations, the EBIT before scheduled amortisations on acquired customer bases and before acquisition costs (non-IFRS) fell due to the global expansion by 25% to EUR.942 million. Adjusted Group earnings totalled EUR.321 million with adjusted earnings per share at EUR.27.

This results in the following picture for the second quarter: revenue amounts to EUR5.721 million (+19%), the adjusted EBIT has increased by 1% to EUR.779 million, and the adjusted Group earnings amounts to EUR.392 million (+1%). From April to June, the adjusted earnings per share were EUR.36 (previous year EUR.33).

At the end of the first half of the year, the share of revenue accounted for by foreign business totalled 28% and increased again clearly in comparison with the same period in the previous year (22%). All of the foreign subsidiaries contributed to this development. The revenues of the foreign companies increased by 52% to EUR2.944 million. The domestic business developed just as pleasingly. While the impact of the changed regulation of voting rights notifications and quarterly reports arising from the EU Transparency Directive led to lower revenue in the first quarter, the successful acquisitions in the course of the EU Market Abuse Regulation yielded their first revenues in June. The newly introduced INSIDER MANAGER and the stronger media business resulted in a 5% increase in revenue, to EUR7.394 million, in comparison with the same period in the previous year.

Achim Weick, founder and CEO of the EQS Group AG: "The dynamic development of our revenue abroad with double-digit rates of growth has encouraged us to push ahead with our global expansion. At the same time, we are also using opportunities to develop our domestic business. The best example of this is our newly developed INSIDER MANAGER, which supports our customers in complying with the wide range of regulations governing insider trading in the European Market Abuse Regulation."

The INSIDER MANAGER is a workplace-independent, internet-based SaaS solution which completes the management of insider lists, the documentation of projects and the instruction of insiders according to the requirements of the EU Market Abuse Regulation, and also automates these sophisticated processes. The directive entered into force on 3rd July. In Germany, more than 300 issuers are now using the new workflow tool in the EQS COCKPIT. There is also further potential for an increase in revenue at the domestic level in the second half of the year due to the extension of the ad-hoc notification obligation to a significantly larger number of issuers.

Positive outlook confirmed

In the scope of the international growth strategy for 2016, the management board of EQS Group AG is forecasting the achievement double-digit growth of 25% - 30% to EUR23 million to EUR23.9 million. At the same time, further organizational and expansion expenses totalling approximately EUR1.1 million Euros is intended for 2016. The adjusted EBIT is forecast to increase by 15% - 20%, from EUR3.4 million to EUR3.6 million Euros.

The outlook was adjusted for the projected figures of ARIVA.DE AG on 15th June 2016 in the scope of the assumption of a majority holding in ARIVA.DE AG. ARIVA.DE AG will be consolidated in the financial statement of the EQS Group AG from the second half of the year onwards.

 

Key figures (IFRS)     

HY1 2016

HY1 2015

+/-

Revenues (EUR '000)

10,337

8,995

+15%

Non-IFRS* EBIT (EUR '000)

942

1,251

-25%

EBIT (EUR '000)

662

1,078

-39%

Non-IFRS* Group Earnings (EUR '000)

321

757

-58%

Group Earnings (EUR '000)

210

657

-68%

Non-IFRS Earnings per Share (EUR)*

0.27

0.65

-58%

Earnings per Share (EUR)

0.18

0.56

-68%

Operating Cash Flow (EUR '000)

1,604

2,457

-35%

Liquid funds (EUR '000)

1,831

3,607

-49%

Employees (average of the reporting period)

215

175

+23%

 

* Non-IFRS key figures before amortisation of acquired customer bases and acquisition expenses

 

About EQS Group

The EQS Group is a leading international technology provider for Digital Investor Relations. More than 8,000 companies worldwide trust EQS's products and services to securely, efficiently, and simultaneously fulfil complex national and international information obligations to the global investment community.

The heart of the technology is the COCKPIT, a Software as a Service (Saas), which digitally maps the work processes of IR managers, streamlining them for maximum efficiency. Special modules maintain IR websites contents (CMS), contact data (CRM) and insider data as well as access to global investor data and proprietary monitory and analytics functions. The COCKPIT platform is connected to the company website in order to guarantee integrated workflows.