DGAP-News

STRATEC achieves higher sales and improved profitability in 2015 - Seite 2

million, and earnings per share increased by 11.3% to EUR 1.87.

Acquisition of Diatron
STRATEC announced the acquisition of the hematology system specialist
Diatron on March 23, 2016. The company designs and manufactures system
solutions for hematology applications and clinical chemistry, as well as
related consumables. With this acquisition, STRATEC is expanding its
portfolio of products and customers. Synergies are expected especially in
development and production.

Diatron supplies analyzer systems and complementary products such as
consumables and services for use in human and veterinary diagnostics to
more than 100 countries. Among its customers are well-known life science
companies with global operations. In 2015 the company generated sales
equivalent to around EUR 34 million with profitability comparable to that
of the STRATEC Group. The acquisition is expected to be make a positive
contribution to Group earnings in 2016.

Financial forecast
STRATEC will publish a new forecast with the 2016 half-year figures. This
will take into consideration the financial forecast published on March 15,
2016, (2014-2017 average annual growth rate [CAGR] of 6%) as well as the
most recent effects from the acquisition of Diatron.

Dividend proposal
Given the company's positive business performance in 2015 and its strong
long-term prospects, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board of
STRATEC Biomedical AG will be proposing the distribution of a dividend of
EUR 0.75 per share for the 2015 financial year for approval by the Annual
General Meeting on June 9, 2016. After a dividend payout of EUR 0.70 per
share in the previous year, this would represent an increase of 7.1%.This
reflects the continued good earnings position and business prospects, also
in respect of potential acquisitions.

Pending approval from the Annual General Meeting, shareholders can thus
anticipate an increase in the dividend for the twelfth consecutive time
since dividends were first paid in 2004. We thus intend to maintain our
continuity-based dividend policy, which provides for a distribution quota
of between 40 and 60%. STRATEC continues to focus on internal and external
growth opportunities. This may result in temporary deviations from the
distribution quota. These opportunities may take the form of acquisitions
or potential up-front financing for major projects.

Development in personnel
Including temporary employees and trainees, the STRATEC Group had a total
of 583 employees as of December 31, 2015 (previous year: 544).

In order to keep pace with the anticipated continued growth, production