OREANDA-NEWS. The Burkhalter Group achieved its objective of again improving earnings per share, in financial year 2015 as well, with an increase of 10.5%. This success provides affirmation of the strategy of accepting orders on a selective basis and focusing on quality sales. Should acquisitions be made again, which would, as previously, depend on the situation at the time, sales growth is also possible. Earnings per share came to CHF 5.80 (previous year CHF 5.25), the operating result (EBIT) was CHF 42.3 million (previous year CHF 38.7 million, up by 9.2 %), Group profit was CHF 34.8 million (previous year CHF 31.5 million, up by 10.5 %), and sales came in at CHF 509.7 million (previous year CHF 519.5 million, down by 1.9 %).

Growth through acquisition

16 acquisitions have been made since the IPO in 2008. The latest member of the Group is the Kolb Group's electrical division in the Rheintal, which consists of four independent companies: Kolb Elektro AG, Kolb Elektro SBW AG, Kolb Elektro SBW Aktiengesellschaft in Schaan (FL) and Kolb el-consult AG. The Burkhalter Group made the purchase on 3 February 2015; the signed purchase contract was executed on 3 July 2015. Growth through the targeted purchase of other electrical engineering companies will also remain part of the strategy in future.

Proposed dividend and authorised capital

The financial success of the Burkhalter Group will allow the Board of Directors to ask the Shareholders' Meeting on 20 May 2016 to approve a dividend of CHF 5.25 per share. The Board of Directors will also ask the Shareholders' Meeting to create authorised capital of a maximum of 350,000 shares.

Outlook optimistic

As in previous years, the objective of the Burkhalter Group's management is to increase earnings per share in the current financial year. However, as things currently stand, the increase is not expected to be as high as in 2015.

Information about the Burkhalter Group:

As the leading provider of electrical engineering services in and on buildings, the Burkhalter Group currently has 43 operating companies at 99 locations in all of Switzerland. On 31 December 2015 it posted an operating result (EBIT) of CHF 42.3 million, Group profit of CHF 34.8 million and sales of CHF 509.7 million, and employed 3,007 people (FTEs, of which 677 apprentices). The Group is headquartered in Zurich. Burkhalter Holding Ltd is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol BRKN, security number 21225580, ISIN CH0212255803).

The Burkhalter Group's range of services commences at the site where power is required. We concentrate on providing electrical engineering services in and on buildings (including infrastructure facilities) and offer a full range of services that confirm the Swiss reputation for quality and precision: installations, switchboards, services, telematics, automation and security. In other words: 360° Swiss electrotechnics.