EQS-Adhoc

Burkhalter Group closed 2020 slightly up on expectations

EQS Group-Ad-hoc: Burkhalter Holding AG / Key word(s): Annual Results Burkhalter Group closed 2020 slightly up on expectations 12-Apr-2021 / 07:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 KR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The results for the 2020 financial year are as follows: Earnings per share amounted to CHF 2.43 (previous year CHF 3.72, -34.7%), the operating result (EBIT) was CHF 18.7 million (previous year CHF 27.3 million, -31.5%), while the Group profit came to CHF 14.6 million (previous year CHF 22.3 million, -34.5%). Sales were CHF 497.6 million (previous year CHF 505.9 million, -1.6%).

Around 200 new employees welcomed
On 6 January 2020, the Burkhalter Group acquired Elektro Christoffel, Inhaber Andrea Stiffler AG, in Davos Platz in the canton of Grisons. The company has 20 employees. Burkhalter Holding Ltd also set up Elektrotechnik AG EAGB in Basel on 4 December 2020 and transferred 175 employees and a large portion of the orders held by Elektrizitäts AG EAGB, which was subject to insolvency proceedings, to the company. The Burkhalter Group therefore currently consists of 47 operating companies at 103 locations. Growth through the targeted purchase of other electrical engineering companies will also remain part of the strategy in future.

Proposal to pay a dividend planned
The Board of Directors plans to ask the Shareholders' Meeting taking place on 25 May 2021 to approve a dividend of CHF 2.40 (previous year: CHF 3.70) per share. Because of the coronavirus crisis, the Board of Directors decided on 20 November 2020 to only permit voting for the Shareholders' Meeting by way of independent proxy. Shareholders cannot attend the Shareholders' Meeting in person.

Changes in the Board of Directors
Peter Weigelt, who has been a member of the Board of Directors of Burkhalter Holding Ltd for 17 years, will not stand for re-election at the Shareholders' Meeting on 25 May 2021. During his time in office, the Burkhalter Group has become the market leader for electrical engineering services in Switzerland; the company's profitability has increased significantly. The Board of Directors and the Management Board would like to thank Peter Weigelt for his many years of dedicated service.