Wienerberger AG

Wienerberger with strong growth in the first half of 2018

Business news for the stock market

Vienna (pta007/16.08.2018/07:30) - Revenues up by 5% to Eur 1,606.9 million
- Adjusted EBITDA up by 18% to Eur 214.2 million
- Net profit increased by 28% to Eur 53.2 million

Strategy & Outlook for 2018:
- Target of LFL EBITDA between Eur 450 and 470 million confirmed
- Eur 200 million earmarked for growth investments in 2018
- Total value of Eur 150 million to be generated through disposals of operational and non- operational assets until 2020
- Operational Excellence target significantly increased from Eur 45 million to Eur 120 million until 2020

Wienerberger AG delivered a very strong operational performance in the first half of 2018.

Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger AG: "The performance of the Wienerberger Group during the first six months of 2018 was extremely satisfactory. We are clearly gaining momentum as we pursue our growth ambitions. We achieved profitability gains and recorded notable organic earnings growth in all Divisions. This confirms the success of our strategy: We will therefore continue to invest in growth projects, pursue the optimization of our portfolio and implement efficiency-enhancing measures. In this area, we intend to realize EBITDA improvements of around Eur 120 million by 2020, relative to 2017. This means that we plan to intensify all our optimization measures and with Eur 120 million, we are aiming significantly beyond our previously outlined target of Eur 45 million."

The dynamics of Wienerberger's excellent first quarter performance continued throughout the second quarter of 2018. From April to June, the Group recorded a 7% increase in revenues over the prior period's level to Eur 931.5 million and a 7% increase in EBITDA to Eur 154.8 million. As a result, Wienerberger's revenues at Group level grew by 5% to Eur 1,606.9 million in the first half of the year, despite unfavorable foreign exchange effects. Organic EBITDA (excluding one-off costs and income) grew by 18% to Eur 214.2 million. Irrespective of the costs of structural adjustments, the Group's net profit improved by 28% to Eur 53.2 million, up from Eur 41.7 million in the first half of 2017.