DGAP-News: Basler AG / Key word(s): Final Results Basler AG reports business figures for 2016: Company confirms good annual result and expects strong growth in 2017 31.03.2017 / 06:23 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Sales EUR 97.5 million (2015: EUR 85.4 million, +14 %) - Incoming orders EUR 105.4 million (2015: EUR 83.0 million, +27 %) - EBITDA EUR 18.8 million (2015: EUR 16.0 million, +17 %) - Pre-tax result EUR 11.4 million (2015: EUR 9.1 million, +25 %) - After-tax result 7.9 million (2015: EUR 6.2 million, +27 %) - Result per share EUR 2.45 (2015: EUR 1.94, +26 %) - Free cash flow EUR 8.1 million (2015: EUR 3.6 million, +125 %) - Guidance 2017: Sales EUR 120 - 130 million, pre-tax return rate 13 - 15 % Ahrensburg, March 31, 2017 - BASLER AG, the leading global manufacturers of industrial cameras, is presenting today its audited annual report 2016. In line with the the strategy, in fiscal year 2016, group's sales increased by 14 % to EUR 97.5 million (previous year: EUR 85.4 million). Basler AG grew by approximately 10 percentage points stronger than the German industry for image processing components that is statistically recorded by the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, German Engineering Federation) and thus represents a key indicator for the global market development. Therefore, in the elapsed fiscal year, Basler AG again gained market shares and expanded its market leadership. The pre-tax result amounted to EUR 11.4 million (previous year: EUR 9.1 million, +25 %) and the pre-tax rate of return to 12 % (previous year: 11 %). With these results, the upper end of the guidance previously communicated by the company has been achieved. The net result per share increased from EUR 1.94 to EUR 2.45. The cash flow from operational activity amounted to EUR 16.1 million (previous year: EUR 12.9 million, +25 %). The free cash flow, calculated as the sum of cash flows from operational activity and investment, reached a value of EUR 8.1 million (previous year: EUR 3.6 million, +125 %). In 2016, 21 new employees were hired building up staff on the planned moderate level. The focus, however, was on the integration of the numerous new employees hired in 2015 and on the increase in productivity. Against the background of a positive annual result 2016, the company will propose to this year's shareholders' meeting the distribution of a dividend of EUR 0.74 per share. This corresponds to a distribution ration of 30 % of the after-tax result. After strong incoming orders in the past months - in particular for factory applications in Asia - the Basler group expects sales revenues to increase to EUR 120 - 130 million in 2017. On the result side, the company plans with a pre-tax return rate of 13 - 15 % depending on the sales development. Given the very high momentum in the sales markets and the limited visibility of the business development in the second half-year, the current range of the sales corridor is relatively broad. The management strives for giving a more precise corridor in the course of the fiscal year. The complete annual report is available on the website of the company (www.baslerweb.com). Basler is a leading global manufacturer of digital cameras for industrial and retail applications, medical devices, and traffic systems. Product designs are driven by industry requirements and offer easy integration, compact size, excellent image quality, and a very strong price/performance ratio. Basler has more than 25 years of experience in vision technologies. The company employs 500 people at its headquarters in Ahrensburg, Germany, as well as in international subsidiaries and offices in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Basler AG, Hardy Mehl (CFO/COO), An der Strusbek 60 - 62, D-22926 Ahrensburg, Tel. +49 - 4102-463 101, ir/baslerweb.com, www.baslerweb.com, ISIN DE 0005102008 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31.03.2017 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. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Basler AG An der Strusbek 60-62 22926 Ahrensburg Germany Phone: 04102-463 0 Fax: 04102-463 109 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.baslerweb.com ISIN: DE0005102008 WKN: 510200 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 560531 31.03.2017