DGAP-News

AURELIUS Equity Opportunities publishes results for the first quarter of 2021: Very good start to the 2021 financial year - Seite 2

The EBITDA of the combined Group reached EUR 74.2 million in the first quarter of 2021 (Q1 2020: EUR 122.7 million). This figure does not include gains on bargain purchases (Q1 2020: EUR 71.6 million). At EUR 19.3 million, restructuring and non-recurring expenses were well below the year-ago comparison figure of EUR 25.7 million. Gains on exits amounted to EUR 37.8 million (Q1 2020: EUR 52.0 million). This figure also includes the gain on the sale of Office Depot Italy, which was completed in the first quarter of 2021.

Net asset value rises further by 7% to EUR 1,076.7 million
At March 31, 2021, the net asset value of the Group companies amounted to EUR 1,076.7 million, indicative of a renewed 7% increase (December 31, 2020: EUR 1,002.5 million). The NAV per share came to EUR 36.17.* The development of net asset values reflects the positive operating performance of the Group companies and the accordingly positive company outlooks.

Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 359.5 million at March 31, 2021 (December 31, 2020: EUR 422.9 million) and the equity ratio came to 24.3 percent (December 31, 2020: 21.3%).

Already eight transactions in the current financial year

With one platform investment, already three add-on transactions, one partial company sale and three co-investments, 2021 is already shaping up to be a transaction-intensive year for AURELIUS Equity Opportunities. In addition to platform investments and add-on acquisitions for the current portfolio, AURELIUS Equity Opportunities plans to broaden the investment spectrum with larger transactions with the aid of co-investments with the fund AURELIUS European Opportunities IV in the future.

Eight transactions were completed in the first quarter of 2021. In March 2021, the Group acquired Hüppe GmbH, a leading European supplier of bathroom equipment, as a platform investment. The Conaxess Trade Group acquired the Movement Group in February, and the BPG Building Partners Group acquired GSB Gerüstbau in March as add-on acquisitions to strengthen existing Group companies. Also in March, AutoRestore was acquired as the affiliate of the British Rivus Fleet Solutions. By way of co-investments, the Group invested in the acquisitions of the European consumer battery business from Panasonic, the temperature-controlled logistics specialist Bring Frigo from the Norwegian Post, and SSE Contracting Limited, a leading contracting company for mechanical and electrical engineering services in the United Kingdom, from SSE plc.