BWT AG: BWT - Annual Results 2013

Revenues again exceed Eur500 million

Mondsee (pta006/17.03.2014/08:00 UTC+1) The BWT Group announces its final results for the 2013 financial year. "In 2013, with our advertising strategy 'BWT does that for me!' involving thousands of our installation partners, we launched the biggest ever advertising campaign in the German and Austrian water treatment market, significantly raising the profile of our BWT brand among end-consumers", says CEO Andreas Weißenbacher, speaking about the ongoing marketing initiative.

In the 2013 financial year, the Eur500 million revenues threshold was surpassed again. At Eur507.7 million, revenues were up by Eur5.4 million (+1.1%). The intense efforts to further expand the strategically important Point of Use business were again successful in 2013. At Eur49.1 million, the previous year's revenues were exceeded by 17.4%, increasing the percentage of total revenues to 9.7% (previous year: 8.3%).

Ongoing and substantial expenditure associated with the development of the BWT brand, a high level of capital expenditure at the Austrian and German sites and costs related to the streamlining of the product portfolio had a dampening effect on the income situation. Even so, consolidated EBIT increased slightly to Eur23.1 million (+4.1%). The Group's consolidated net earnings before minority interests suffered from a financial result affected by additional costs as a result of company disposals as well as a higher tax result and thus amounted to Eur10.8 million (-25.1%). Earnings per share declined to Eur0.64 (previous year: Eur0.87).

In spite of the substantial capital expenditure of Eur34.7 million, the balance sheet position remains solid. Gearing increased only slightly to 16.2% (2012: 13.7%) and the equity ratio was 47.9%.

The Management Board will submit a proposal to the next Annual General Meeting to keep the dividend payment unchanged at Eur0.28 per share.

Outlook

The investment programme at the Mondsee site will be completed in the first half of 2014 with the new production and logistics facilities. The new Fumatech membrane production plant will go into operation in Germany in the course of 2014.

The efforts to expand the BWT brand will be stepped up even further in 2014. The increased advertising expenditure associated with this means that little to no increase in earnings is expected.

The annual financial report is available immediately at http://www.bwt-group.com/en/investors/download/Pages/annual-financial-reports.aspx. As announced, the annual report will be available to download on the homepage under the Investor Relations section from 4 April 2014.

Released for publication.

About BWT
The Best Water Technology Group is Europe's leading water technology company. BWT's 2,700 employees work to provide clients in private households, industries, commerce, hotels and municipalities with innovative, economic and ecological water treatment and technologies that ensure the highest standards of safety, hygiene and health in their daily contact with water. BWT offers modern treatment systems and services for drinking water, pharmaceutical and process water, water for heating, boilers and cooling, and water for air conditioning systems and swimming pools. BWT's R&D department uses state-of-the-art methods and the latest processes and materials to develop environmentally-friendly, cost-effective products. A crucial focus is on minimising the products' resource and energy consumption, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. For more information on the Group, please visit: www.bwt-group.com.

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Emitter:	BWT AG Walter-Simmer-Straße 4 5310 Mondsee Austria
Contact Person:	Josef Nußdorfer
Phone:	+43 6232 5011-1113
E-Mail:	josef.nussdorfer@bwt-group.com
Website:	www.bwt-group.com
ISIN(s):	AT0000737705 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s):	Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Trade)