DGAP-News

ZEAL Network SE: ZEAL delivers increased billings and strong profitability in first nine months of 2016

DGAP-News: ZEAL Network SE / Key word(s): 9-month figures
ZEAL Network SE: ZEAL delivers increased billings and strong profitability
in first nine months of 2016

11.11.2016 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Press release

ZEAL delivers increased billings and strong profitability in first nine
months of 2016

- Billings increased to EUR 204.1 million (prior year: EUR 195.2 million)

- Total operating performance in the first nine months amounted to EUR
101.2 million (EUR 91.9 million)

- EBIT increased to EUR 23.3 million (EUR 20.7 million)

- Earnings per share rose by 90% to EUR 1.84

- Pay-out of the third interim dividend for 2016 amounted to EUR 0.70 per
share

(London, 11 November 2016) ZEAL Group delivers a strong set of results for
the third quarter, continuing the positive performance achieved in the
first half of 2016. Through the period, ZEAL has delivered ongoing growth
in its business-to-consumer (B2C) segment, with high average levels of
customer spend. Meanwhile in the business-to-business (BBG) segment, the
BBG platform is now launch-ready and licence applications are progressing.

Billings, which comprises all stakes from customers, totalled EUR 204.1
million for the nine-month period ended 30 September 2016. This represents
an increase of EUR 8.9 million (5%) compared to the same period in 2015
(EUR 195.2 million), highlighting an underlying growth in the Group's B2C
segment. Total operating performance in the period amounted to EUR 101.2
million, representing an increase of EUR 9.3 million (10%). Besides
sustained growth, attributable to the roll out of seven new instant win
games throughout 2016, higher investments in marketing activities supported
total operating performance. The increased marketing investment of EUR 1.9
million relates to a multi-media campaign launched during Q2 2016 with the
objective of growing the Group's customer base.

Along with total operating performance, EBIT for the nine months increased
by 13% to EUR 23.3 million (EUR 20.7 million) despite adverse movements in
exchange rate differences of EUR 2.3 million due to the volatility of EUR
against GBP.

"Normalised" revenue[1] in the reporting period amounted to EUR 106.3
million (EUR 104.5 million), an increase of EUR 1.8 million despite this
year's Euro Championship, which usually causes a decrease in levels of
customer activity.

Earnings per share in the reporting period increased by 90% to EUR 1.84