DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG / Key word(s): Change in Forecast SMA Solar Technology AG: Managing Board Raises Forecast 09.07.2015 / 18:02 --------------------------------------------------------------------- SMA Solar Technology AG - Corporate News Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG Raises Forecast for Current Fiscal Year Niestetal, July 9, 2015 - The Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA/FWB: S92) has raised its sales and earnings forecast for 2015. The new forecast predicts sales of EUR800 million to EUR850 million (previously: EUR730 million to EUR770 million) and an operating result (EBIT) of EUR-25 million to EUR0 million (previously: EUR-30 million to EUR-60 million). As reasons for raising the forecast, the Managing Board cites the better-than-anticipated development of the global market for photovoltaic inverters, a significant improvement in SMA's competitiveness and an order backlog that remains high. "Global demand for photovoltaic inverters has developed better in 2015 than we had initially expected. This positive development is largely driven by the foreign markets, particularly North America. By contrast, the German photovoltaic market is of only minor significance due to the energy policy of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Thanks to our successful internationalization and the introduction of new product solutions, we have benefited from international market growth and increased our market share. The systematic implementation of the company transformation measures and the strategic alliances with Danfoss and Siemens will further enhance our competitiveness. In this context, and on the basis of the order backlog that remains high, we are raising our sales forecast for 2015 to between EUR800 million and EUR850 million and our earnings forecast to between EUR-25 million and EUR0 million," explains SMA Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Pierre-Pascal Urbon. According to Urbon, sales and earnings for the first half of the year are in line with the guidance, with sales expected to exceed EUR420 million (forecast: EUR400 million to EUR450 million) and EBIT of approximately EUR-15 million (forecast: EUR-15 million to EUR-25 million). Recent studies by IHS and GTM Research show that SMA is the global market leader for photovoltaic inverters in terms of sales. According to GTM Research, SMA is also the leader in the important US market with a share of 24%. "SMA's high market shares show that the company has met the structural change in the solar industry and is well positioned strategically in major growth markets," says Pierre-Pascal Urbon. Further information on the raised forecast can be found at http://www.sma.de/en/investor-relations/publications/presentations.html. SMA will publish its results for the first half of 2015 on August 13. About SMA The SMA Group with sales of more than EUR800 million in 2014 is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants and offers innovative key technologies for future power supply structures. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 21 countries. The Group employs more than 4,500 people worldwide. SMA's broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all PV system sizes. The repeatedly awarded product range includes system technologies for grid-connected photovoltaic systems as well as off-grid and hybrid systems. The technology is protected by more than 550 patents. The range of services is supplemented by comprehensive services and operational management of large-scale PV power plants. Since 2008, the Group's parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. SMA Solar Technology AG Sonnenallee 1 34266 Niestetal Germany Head of Corporate Communications: Anja Jasper Tel.: +49 561 9522-2805 [email protected] Press Contact: Susanne Henkel Manager Corporate Press Tel.: +49 561 9522-1124 Fax +49 561 9522-421400 [email protected] Investor Relations Contact: Tel. +49 561 9522-2222 Fax +49 561 9522-2223 [email protected] Disclaimer: This corporate news serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the "Company") or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the "SMA Group") nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This corporate news can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 09.07.2015 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP 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: SMA Solar Technology AG Sonnenallee 1 34266 Niestetal Germany Phone: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 0 Fax: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 100 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.sma.de ISIN: DE000A0DJ6J9 WKN: A0DJ6J Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 376833 09.07.2015