DGAP-News

STRATEC remains on track in first quarter of 2015 - Seite 2

2014 figure: 12.7%). Year-on-year, EBIT grew by 9.7% to EUR 5.8 million,
consolidated net income by 8.4% to EUR 4.7 million, and earnings per share
by 8.1% to EUR 0.40. The first-quarter tax rate in 2015 amounted to 19.8%.

The ongoing positive trend in the free cash flow, which grew from EUR 7.6
million in the first quarter of the previous year to EUR 9.0 million in Q1
2015, led cash and cash equivalents to rise to EUR 58.6 million at the
reporting date on March 31, 2015.

Dividend proposal
Given STRATEC's positive business performance in 2014 and its ongoing
strong long-term prospects, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board
of STRATEC Biomedical AG will propose the distribution of a dividend of EUR
0.70 per share with dividend rights for the 2014 financial year for
approval by the Annual General Meeting on May 22, 2015 (distribution in
previous year: EUR 0.60). Subject to approval by the Annual General
Meeting, shareholders can thus expect to benefit from the eleventh
consecutive dividend increase since payment of the first dividend in 2004.
We thus intend to uphold our continuity-based dividend policy, which
involves a distribution quota of 40 to 60 percent. STRATEC will continue to
focus on external and internal growth opportunities, which may result in
temporary deviations from this distribution quota. These opportunities may
take the form of acquisitions or potential up-front financing for major
projects.


Development in personnel
The STRATEC Group had a total of 546 employees as of March 31, 2015. This
total, which includes personnel hired from a temporary employment agency
and trainees, remains unchanged compared to the figure at the previous
year's reporting date. Savings generated from enhancing efficiency and
focusing production depth were offset by higher staff totals in the
development division in particular.

Given ongoing demand for a combination of analyzer system deliveries and
our research and development services, we continue to seek well-qualified
personnel, especially in the development division.


Projects and other developments
The data management business has signed a major contract with a leading
global diagnostics company for the development of a middleware software
solution.

STRATEC is continuing to focus on achieving further key development
milestones, further market launches, and finalizing negotiations for new