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zooplus AG: Total sales and earnings before taxes (EBT) significantly increased in 2014

DGAP-News: zooplus AG / Key word(s): Final Results
zooplus AG: Total sales and earnings before taxes (EBT) significantly
increased in 2014

25.03.2015 / 07:30

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zooplus AG: Total sales and earnings before taxes (EBT) significantly
increased in 2014

- Positive development in new and existing customer business leads to
34% increase in total sales to EUR 570.9 million
- Earnings before taxes (EBT) rise 132% to EUR 8.8 million (previous
year: EUR 3.8 million)
- Pre-tax return on total sales of 4% in existing customer business
- Further vigorous growth forecast for 2015: Total sales of around EUR
700 million, EBT between EUR 8 million and EUR 12 million

Munich, March 25, 2015 - zooplus AG (WKN 511170, ISIN DE0005111702, ticker
symbol ZO1), Europe's leading online retailer for pet supplies, has
confirmed its very positive sales and earnings performance in the past
financial year on the basis of the final figures for 2014. The sharp 34%
rise in total sales to EUR 570.9 million (previous year: EUR 426.9 million)
resulted from very positive development with new and existing customers in
all markets. At the same time, earnings before taxes (EBT) were increased
by 132% from EUR 3.8 million to EUR 8.8 million.

Further significant progress was achieved with regard to overall
efficiency. Total costs for marketing, logistics, personnel and
administration, depreciation and amortization, and interest were cut by 4
percentage points year on year to 29.6% of total sales (previous year:
33.6%) and thus fell below the 30% mark for the very first time in 2014.
This development was primarily due to the improved efficiency of marketing
and logistics and economies of scale in personnel and administrative costs.

Dr. Cornelius Patt, CEO of zooplus AG, explains further: "Our business grew
faster in 2014 than in the year before. The development of existing
customer business, which makes up around two thirds of our sales, was
particularly pleasing. It grew by 36% last year and reached customer
loyalty of 91% in terms of sales. Based on our internal figures we achieved
EBT of EUR 15 million with existing customer business in 2014, which
equates to a pre-tax return on total sales of 4%. At the same time, we
acquired a total of 1.8 million new customers in 2014, which generated
sales of EUR 174 million. We invested EUR 6 million in new customer