DGAP-News: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG / Key word(s): Final Results/Dividend LPKF boosts revenue and earnings 24.03.2014 / 08:00 --------------------------------------------------------------------- LPKF announces figures for the 2013 financial year LPKF boosts revenue and earnings Garbsen, 24 March 2014 - Specialist mechanical engineering company LPKF looks back at a highly successful 2013. The Lower-Saxony-based Group boosted revenue year on year by 13%, from EUR 115.1 million to EUR 129.7 million. At EUR 23.2 million, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were also higher than the previous year's figure of EUR 20.4 million. This represents an increase of 14%. The EBIT margin was 17.9%, thus remaining at a very high level for the industry. This means that the LPKF Group fully met its targets for 2013, both in terms of revenue and EBIT. Growth in 2013 was mainly driven by the very strong business with systems for laser direct structuring (LDS). South Korea played an important role in this context. Demand in South Korea increased sharply in 2013 following the recent decision made by major electronics firms in that country to deploy LDS technology. "Almost all of the leading smartphone manufacturers worldwide now use LDS technology made in Lower Saxony," said Dr. Ingo Bretthauer, Chief Executive Officer of LPKF. Rapid prototyping and plastic welding also performed well and contributed to revenue growth. Revenue in the solar business declined in 2013 - as expected - because a major order placed in 2011 was completed according to schedule. A new order worth EUR 15 million that was received in the first quarter of 2014 is a positive sign for LPKF's solar business. Orders on hand at year's end amounted to EUR 17.7 million, which is significantly lower than the prior-year figure of EUR 34.3 million. In the previous year, the level of orders on hand was relatively high at year's end on account of several large orders. At EUR 113.1 million, the volume of incoming orders was almost comparable to that of the previous year (EUR 124.1 million). Despite a rather muted beginning of the current financial year, LPKF is optimistic about the future. The trend towards miniaturization and functional integration in electronic devices regularly offers new applications for the laser as a high-precision tool, and laser technology is developing rapidly. In the financial year ended, LPKF again invested about 10% of its revenue in the development of new laser technologies. This dynamic trend is powering success at LPKF. On the whole, the Management Board confirms its forecast and expects the LPKF Group to generate revenue of EUR 132 million to EUR 140 million for 2014, assuming stable performance by the global economy. The EBIT margin should be between 15% and 17% in 2014. Given a stable economic environment in both 2015 and 2016, the Management Board expects revenue to grow by an average of approximately 10% per year and the EBIT margin to come in between 15% and 17%. In view of the positive results for 2013 and the good prospects for the current financial year, the Management Board and the Supervisory Board intend to propose to the Annual General Meeting on 5 June 2014 that a dividend of EUR 0.25 per share be paid. Taking into account a capital increase that was implemented, this would exactly equal the dividend paid in the previous year. The full annual report is available in German at www.lpkf.de/investor-relations/finanzberichte/index.htm and in English at www.lpkf.com/investor-relations/financial-reports/index.htm. About LPKF LPKF Laser & Electronics AG specializes in the production of laser systems for micro material processing, a field in which it is the world leader in several sectors. Founded in 1976, the Group has its headquarters in Garbsen near Hannover in Germany and does business around the world together with its subsidiaries and representatives. LPKF has 750 employees globally. The shares in LPKF Laser & Electronics AG are traded on TecDAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN 0006450000). End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 24.03.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG Osteriede 7 30827 Garbsen Germany Phone: +49 (0) 5131 7095-0 Fax: +49 (0) 5131 7095-95 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.lpkf.com ISIN: DE0006450000 WKN: 645000 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 258957 24.03.2014