DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG / Key word(s): Forecast SMA Solar Technology AG: SMA Managing Board expects considerable earnings increase with sales of EUR950 million to EUR1,050 million in 2016 29.01.2016 / 09:07 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SMA Solar Technology AG - Corporate News SMA Managing Board expects considerable earnings increase with sales of EUR950 million to EUR1,050 million in 2016 and considers the Company ideally positioned for the digitalization of the energy industry Niestetal, January 29, 2016 - The Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA/FWB: S92) is forecasting a considerable increase in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to between EUR80 million and EUR120 million in the current fiscal year with sales of between EUR950 million and EUR1,050 million. Other topics at today's Capital Markets Day include the market and competitive situation in the PV inverter sector and SMA's strategic focus and technological unique selling propositions. "With our complete product and service portfolio and our international positioning, SMA can participate in further development in the energy supply sector in all market segments and regions," explained SMA Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Pascal Urbon. "The digitalization of the energy industry will give rise to new business models, for which we have already developed new technological solutions and service offers. In addition to the provision of data to improve the predictability of solar power generation and consumption, the integration of battery-storage systems is also an important topic of the future. Here, SMA has positioned itself at an early stage. With the Sunny Boy Storage, the new storage solution for high-voltage batteries such as the Tesla Powerwall, which we are presenting to the public for the first time today, we can not only benefit from the expected new installations of battery-storage systems for residential PV systems but also serve the large market of existing systems." In 2016, the SMA Managing Board expects the global photovoltaic market to continue growing to 60 GW (2015: 51 GW). As the growth will mainly occur in the regions with the highest price pressure, the Managing Board expects a moderate increase in sales of PV inverter technology to EUR4.9 billion (2015: EUR4.7 billion). Against this backdrop, the SMA Managing Board forecasts sales of EUR950 million to EUR1,050 million for the SMA Group in 2016 (provisional sales 2015: around EUR1.0 billion). Through the Company's successful transformation, SMA has increased its financial and operational flexibility. The SMA Managing Board therefore expects earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to considerably increase to between EUR80 million and EUR120 million year on year (provisional EBIT 2015: EUR30 million to EUR33 million). About 40 analysts, investors and members of the press from Germany and abroad are expected to attend today's Capital Markets Day. Additional information and the presentation on Capital Markets Day can be found at http://www.sma.de/en/investor-relations/publications/presentations.html. About SMA The SMA Group with anticipated sales of about EUR1 billion in 2015 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 20 countries. The Group employs more than 3,500 people worldwide. SMA has an extensive range of products, which offers the right inverters for all module types and plant sizes; for small residential systems as well as large-scale plants, grid-connected photovoltaic systems as well as off-grid and hybrid systems. Moreover, SMA offers system technology for various battery technologies and system sizes and collaborates with renowned battery manufacturers and companies from the automotive industry. The SMA technology is protected by about 700 patents and utility models worldwide. 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 is currently the only company in the solar industry that is listed 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] 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29.01.2016 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 433053 29.01.2016