DGAP-Ad-hoc: NORMA Group SE / Key word(s): Development of Sales/Change in Forecast NORMA Group SE: NORMA Group SE increases its sales forecast for financial year 2018 07-May-2018 / 12:59 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maintal, May 07, 2018 - NORMA Group SE (ISIN DE 000A1H8BV3 / WKN A1H8BV, 'NORMA Group'), a global market leader in engineered joining technology, increases its full year sales forecast for the financial year 2018, on the basis of group sales from January until April 2018 as well as the expected group sales until year end. The management board of NORMA Group SE now expects organic sales growth, excluding currency and acquisition-related effects, of around 5% to 8% in 2018 compared to 2017 (previous forecast: 'solid organic growth of around 3% to 5%'). For the regions Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA the following organic growth is now expected: In the Americas region the management board now expects a strong organic growth (previous forecast: 'solid organic growth'). The market for commercial and agricultural machinery develops stronger than expected. In the area of water management, among others, catch-up effects, which are higher than previously assumed, provide for increased demand. In the Asia-Pacific region, demand for advanced engineered joining technology is driven more strongly than originally forecast by the increased emission requirements of OEM customers, particularly in China and India. In this respect, the management board expects a higher than originally assumed organic growth in the double-digit range. In the EMEA region, the management expects an unchanged solid organic growth. For the two distribution channels of NORMA Group the following growth is now expected: DS: solid growth (unchanged forecast) EJT: strong growth (previous forecast: 'solid growth'). The remaining components of the forecast made in the 2017 Annual Report for the full year 2018 (including the adjusted EBITA margin) remain unchanged. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Information and Explanation of the Issuer to this News: On the basis of preliminary, unaudited figures, NORMA Group generated revenues of EUR 272.6 million in the first quarter of 2018. This represents an increase of 6.9% compared to the same quarter of the previous year (Q1 2017: EUR 254.9 million). This includes organic growth of 13.6% and an acquisitive growth of 1.0%. Currency effects had a negative impact of 7.6%. In addition, NORMA Group achieved an adjusted EBITA of EUR 45.7 million in the past quarter (Q1 2017: EUR 45.0 million). This resulted in an adjusted EBITA margin of 16.8% (Q1 2017: 17.7%). The development is due in large part to the high prices of critical raw materials. This applies especially to alloy surcharges and price increases for engineering plastics. Net operating cash flow in the first quarter was EUR -13.8 million (Q1 2017: EUR 4.5 million). This was mainly due to disproportionately changes in working capital as of the reporting date compared with the increase in adjusted EBITDA and the year on year increase in expenditures for investments from operating activities. Adjusted EBITA is defined as EBITA adjusted for material expenses in connection with the valuation of inventories carried out within the purchase price allocation of the recent acquisitions. In addition, expenses for acquisitions as well as depreciation of tangible assets from purchase price allocations were adjusted. The net operating cash flow is calculated on the basis of the adjusted EBITDA plus changes in working capital minus capital expenditures. Contact person: Andreas Trösch Vice President Investor Relations Phone: +49 6181 6102 741 E-mail: [email protected] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 07-May-2018 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: NORMA Group SE Edisonstr. 4 63477 Maintal Germany Phone: +49 6181 6102 741 Fax: +49 6181 6102 7641 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.normagroup.com ISIN: DE000A1H8BV3 WKN: A1H8BV Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange End of Announcement DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 683015 07-May-2018 CET/CEST