DGAP-News

Highlight Group publishes its 2013 annual financial statements

DGAP-News: Highlight Communications AG / Key word(s): Final Results
Highlight Group publishes its 2013 annual financial statements

26.03.2014 / 18:29

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- Consolidated sales of CHF 386.2 million in the top third of the sales
forecast

- Consolidated net profit for the period at CHF 10.3 million considerably
lower than the previous year; earnings per share of CHF 0.21

- Constantin Film production "Fack ju Göhte" the best-visited film in the
German movie theaters in 2013

- Business activities in Sports-and Event-Marketing in line with
expectations

- For 2014, consolidated net profit attributable to shareholders of CHF
9 million to CHF 11 million expected

The economic development of the Highlight Group in fiscal year 2013 was
characterized by successes and some disappointments.
The Highlight Group today publishes its annual financial statements for the
past fiscal year.

Group development fiscal year 2013

- At CHF 386.2 million, consolidated sales were in the top third of the
forecast of CHF 350 million to 400 million. In comparison to the
previous year, this represents a decline of CHF 46.6 million or 10.8%.

- Partly due to the change in the business relationship with UEFA,
consolidated net profit at CHF 10.3 million was considerably lower than
in the previous year (CHF 26.3 million) as expected. This corresponds
to earnings per share of CHF 0.21 for fiscal year 2013 (previous year's
period: CHF 0.56).

- At CHF 107.2 million, consolidated equity (including non-controlling
interests) was slightly down on the previous year (December 31, 2012:
CHF 111.3 million), due particularly to the lower earnings and the
purchase of treasury shares.

- Due to the higher production volume, net debt increased to CHF 107.7
million (December 31, 2012: CHF 63.5 million).

Development of the operating segments in 2013

- In the Film segment, "Fack ju Göhte", the comedy launched at the
beginning of November, was received enthusiastically by 5.6 million
moviegoers in Germany by the end of 2013, thus making it the film with
the highest audience figures of the year. The Constantin Film
production has now been seen by more than 7 million moviegoers, making
it the third most successful German film since the German reunification
in terms of box office takings. Despite this, in 2013 theatrical
distribution was at the lower end of planning, due largely to the fact
that some international licensed films did not live up to expectations.