DGAP-News: Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Final Results Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft publishes Annual Report 2017: Profitable 2017 financial year despite challenges 15.03.2018 / 06:59 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- P R E S S R E L E A S E No. 8/2018 Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft publishes Annual Report 2017 Profitable 2017 financial year despite challenges - Preliminary business results confirmed: slight year-on-year revenue growth; consolidated operating profit still significantly positive, but down on previous year - Proposed dividend of EUR 0.22 per share - Considerable sales growth once again with core brands Berentzen, Puschkin and Mio Mio - First Sustainability Report published - Positive outlook for the 2018 financial year Haselünne, March 15, 2018 - Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft, which is listed on the regulated market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE0005201602), today published its Annual Report for the 2017 financial year. In the report, the Group confirms its preliminary business results published on February 1, 2018 for the previous financial year. Based on those figures, the corporate group recorded consolidated revenues of EUR 172.1 million, which constitutes an increase of 1.2% on the 2016 financial year (EUR 170.0 million). Consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (consolidated EBIT) amounted to EUR 9.2 million in the 2017 financial year (2016: EUR 10.5 million), while consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (consolidated EBITDA) totalled EUR 16.4 million (2016: EUR 17.5 million). Against this backdrop, the Executive Board and Supervisory Board will propose a dividend of EUR 0.22 per share to the annual general meeting to be held on May 3, 2018. Different development in the individual segments "The 2017 financial year was a year of contrasts. For example, the Spirits segment developed extremely positively with a contribution to earnings that was significantly higher than expected. At the same time, we faced some challenges in the Non-alcoholic Beverages and Fresh Juice Systems segments", explains Oliver Schwegmann, member of the Executive Board of Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft. One pleasing development in the Spirits segment is the strong increase in sales of around 6% in total for the core brands Berentzen and Puschkin, he says. In the Non-alcoholic Beverages segment, he considers the pace of growth of the Mio Mio brand to be particularly impressive. "We were bowled over by the continued excellent development of Mio Mio, with sales growth of roughly fifty percent", explains Schwegmann. "Propelled by this tailwind, we are working intensively on expanding the Mio Mio brand further." "We succeeded in improving the revenue and segment earnings indicators of the Non-alcoholic Beverages segment. Nevertheless we are not satisfied with the development, and had originally expected better figures", according to Schwegmann. The business performance of the Fresh Juice Systems segment likewise did not go as planned, he explains. Instead of growth, the segment's earnings contribution in the 2017 financial year were down considerably on the previous year. Schwegmann explains: "In addition to the external factors that impacted on our business activities in the 2017 financial year, there is also internal potential for improvement that we need to leverage". For this reason, he says, a comprehensive transformation programme was initiated in the corporate group in the summer of 2017. "Our aim is very clear: We want to transform from the loosely organised beverages holding company that we are today into a modern, innovative and integrated drinks incubator. All of our segments are equally important to us in this regard", assures Schwegmann. He explains that the development of a matrix structure is already under way in the Group. Work has also commenced, he says, on a range of efficiency-enhancing projects with a larger investment volume in the Non-alcoholic Beverages segment. In the Fresh Juice Systems segment, he explains that efforts are ongoing to accelerate the new development cycles for fruit juicers and to achieve greater security of supply for oranges. Positive outlook for the 2018 financial year "For the 2018 financial year, we are confident that the measures commenced will take effect, especially in the second half of the year", Schwegmann emphasises. He says that management is optimistic about the future in view of these developments. Correspondingly, the Executive Board is anticipating a rise in revenue and earnings in comparison to the 2017 financial year, according to Schwegmann. Consolidated revenues are set to rise by between EUR 9.6 million and EUR 18.8 million, reaching somewhere in the region of EUR 170.1 million to EUR 178.9 million. This revenue forecast already takes into account the new financial reporting standard on revenue recognition (IFRS 15), which is subject to mandatory application for the first time in the 2018 financial year. Applying this standard will reduce the forecast consolidated revenues by approximately EUR 12.0 million without affecting income. Consolidated EBIT and consolidated EBITDA are expected to range from EUR 9.6 million to EUR 10.6 million and from EUR 17.2 million to EUR 19.0 million respectively. First Sustainability Report published Together with the Annual Report, Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft today published its first Sustainability Report. "Social and ecological topics are becoming more and more important. As a company, we feel an obligation to society, the environment and our employees to incorporate these topics in our corporate actions and to increase our focus on them even more in future", explains Ralf Brühöfner, member of the Executive Board of Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft. He adds that the Sustainability Report, which was prepared voluntarily, on the one hand reflects the measures relating to sustainability that have already been implemented and on the other defines further objectives. "We are convinced that a company's economic success will in future also be inextricably linked to social and ecological matters", concludes Brühöfner. The Annual Report 2017 is published at: https://www.berentzen-gruppe.de/en/investors/ad-hoc-announcements/financial-reports/ The Sustainability Report 2017 is published at: www.berentzen-gruppe.de/en/responsibility/sustainability-report/ About the Berentzen Group: The Berentzen Group is a broad-based beverage company operating in the following three segments: Spirits, Non-alcoholic Beverages and Fresh Juice Systems. The Berentzen Group is one of the oldest producers of spirits in Germany with a corporate history going back over 250 years. Today, it has a presence in more than 60 countries around the world with well-known brands like Berentzen and Puschkin and attractively priced private-label products. In its Non-alcoholic Beverages segment, the corporate group produces mineral waters, carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks under its own brands and also boasts more than 50 years of experience in the franchise business for soft drinks, currently acting as franchisee for the Sinalco brand. In addition, the Berentzen Group markets innovative fresh juice systems under the Citrocasa brand in its third segment, thus serving the fast-growing market for modern, health-oriented drinks. The Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft share (ISIN DE0005201602) is listed on the regulated market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Further information is available at www.berentzen-gruppe.de www.berentzen.de Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft Thorsten Schmitt Press and Public Relations Phone +49 (0) 5961 502 215 [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15.03.2018 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: Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft Ritterstraße 7 49740 Haselünne Germany Phone: +49 (0)5961 502-0 Fax: +49 (0)5961 502-550 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.berentzen-gruppe.de ISIN: DE0005201602, , WKN: 520160 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (General Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 664313 15.03.2018