DGAP-News

Wacker Neuson SE: Wacker Neuson Group continues on growth path - Seite 2

prior year.

Profit higher than H1 2014
Profit before interest and tax (EBIT) for the first half of 2015 rose 4
percent relative to the prior year to reach a new record high of EUR 65.7
million. The EBIT margin amounted to 9.3 percent (H1/14: EUR 63.4 million;
10.2 percent). Profit for the period came to EUR 45.2 million (H1/14: EUR
42.5 million). This corresponds to earnings per share of EUR 0.64, which is
an increase of 6 percent relative to the previous year (H1/14: EUR 0.61).

Profit was affected by changes in the regional and sales mix relative to
the previous year. The compact equipment segment's share of Group revenue
exceeded 51 percent while the light equipment's share fell to just under 30
percent. The services segment accounted for 19 percent of revenue.

The Group intensified its production, R&D and sales activities in response
to the strong rise in revenue. "We are strengthening our foundation for
future success by making carefully managed investments in our international
organization," summarizes Peksaglam.

Revenue for second quarter of 2015 rises while profit falls below the
prior-year quarter
Group revenue for the second quarter of 2015 amounted to EUR 382.1 million
and is thus 16 percent higher than the record figure from the previous year
(Q2 2014: EUR 328.4 million). When adjusted to discount currency effects,
revenue for the quarter increased by 11 percent.

Profit before interest and tax (EBIT) for the second quarter of 2015
amounted to EUR 34.0 million and was thus 18 percent below the prior-year
quarter, which was an unusually strong period for the Group (Q2 2014: EUR
41.3 million). The EBIT margin amounted to 8.9 percent while the EBITDA
margin was posted at 13.3 percent (Q2/14: 12.6 percent and 17.3 percent).

Positive free cash flow expected for the year as a whole
At EUR 11.5 million, cash flow from operating activities for the first half
of the year was positive (H1/14: EUR 52.9 million). However, investment in
inventories had a key impact here. Discounting investments in working
capital, cash flow from operating activities amounted to EUR 87.4 million
(H1/14: EUR 84.2 million). The 19-percent increase in working capital since
the start of the year was attributable to rising demand and currency
effects. The investments in inventories were made to secure the Group's
delivery capabilities and to support its international expansion; the H1
level marks a working capital high and is forecasted to fall until end of
the year. Free cash flow came to EUR -43.2 million (H1/14: EUR 1.0