DGAP-News

SAF-HOLLAND's sales and earnings surge in the first nine months of 2015 - Seite 2

loans of a net amount of EUR 4.8 million, compared with net foreign
exchange losses of EUR 0.4 million in the third quarter of 2015.

Higher operating earnings in combination with a better finance result led
to a year-over-year surge in earnings before taxes of 48.4% to EUR 63.2
million in the first nine months of 2015 (previous year: EUR 42.6
million).The result for the period jumped to EUR 42.1 million (previous
year: EUR 28.7 million). This amount corresponds to undiluted earnings per
share of EUR 0.93 (previous year: EUR 0.63) and diluted earnings per share
of EUR 0.80 for the first nine months of 2015 (previous year: EUR 0.63).
The calculation of diluted earnings per share takes into account the
potentially higher number of shares from the convertible bond issued in
2014.

Adjusted EBIT margin in third quarter at 9.3%
Adjusted EBIT in the third quarter of 2015 gained 26.2% to EUR 24.1 million
(previous year: EUR 19.1 million) placing the Company's adjusted EBIT
margin in the third quarter once again within the target range of 9 to 10%
despite sequentially seasonally weaker sales. The adjusted EBIT margin
stood at 9.3% (previous year: 7.9%). Earnings before taxes in the third
quarter of 2015 grew moderately due to the weaker finance result and
amounted to EUR 17.3 million (previous year: EUR 17.2 million). The result
for the period rose 4.4% to EUR 11.7 million (previous year: EUR 11.2
million), which is equivalent to undiluted earnings per share in the third
quarter of 2015 of EUR 0.26 (previous year: EUR 0.24) and diluted earnings
per share of EUR 0.22 (previous year: EUR 0.24).

Sales growth in all reporting regions
In Europe, SAF-HOLLAND's strongest sales region, sales in the first nine
months of 2015 grew by 4.0% to EUR 394.8 million (previous year: EUR 379.7
million). Positive business developments in Western Europe were somewhat
offset by the continued and very difficult market environment in Russia.
Sales in North America enjoyed support from favorable currency effects and
climbed 21.8% to EUR 329.1 million (previous year: EUR 270.1 million)
albeit customer orders showed signals of a normalizing demand especially in
the truck market. In other regions, SAF-HOLLAND recorded a sharp rise in
sales of an overall 27.0% to EUR 93.6 million (previous year: EUR 73.7
million). Business flourished in the ASEAN countries as well as in China.
The expanded activities in Dubai and Mexico, particularly in the
Aftermarket business, made a substantial contribution to sales growth.
There is continued weakness, however, in the Brazilian market and in the