EOP Biodiesel AG
EOP Biodiesel AG posts 84% increase in gross operating result in the first half of 2009/2010
EOP Biodiesel AG / Half Year Results 31.03.2010 08:22 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- EOP Biodiesel AG posts 84% increase in gross operating result in the first half of 2009/2010 Sales figures fall due to lower selling prices - Commodity prices also down - Stable gross profit margin planned as the financial year progresses Pritzwalk, Germany, 31 March 2010 - In the first half of the financial year 2009/2010 (1 July 2009 to 31 December 2009), the EOP Biodiesel Group grew its gross operating result to EUR8.8 million - an 84% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. This is despite a 35% drop in sales to EUR45.6 million. In the first half of the previous year, the Group posted sales of EUR70.2 million and a gross operating result of EUR4.8 million. The prime reasons for the slump in sales were the partial transition from own production to paid esterification at one of the foreign subsidiaries and falling prices on the sales side. Prices on the procurement side developed in line with this trend. The pleasing improvement in gross profit was achieved thanks to market forces and higher capacity utilisation. 'The market is once again moving in a more favourable direction. If we also start to feel the effects of restructuring in the second half of the year, the margin should continue to develop steadily,' says CEO Jörg Jacob. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) came in at EUR-0.8 million (previous year: EUR-5.0 million). This improvement was due to a 43% reduction in the cost of materials to EUR37.4 million and lower net financial costs of EUR1.1 million (previous year: EUR3.3 million). However, one-off restructuring expenses of approximately EUR1 million still impacted on the EBIT. Terminating the Group's high-loss foreign operations was a priority in the first half of 2009/2010. On 21 December 2009, EOP Biodiesel AG sold its shareholding in the Austrian company ABID Biotreibstoffe AG. In addition to eliminating an ongoing draw on earnings, this move freed the Group from an impending claim relating to counter-guarantees worth over EUR2.5 million. The Romanian subsidiary EOP Siloz S.R.L. and the Serbian company EOP Eco Oil Products D.O.O. were liquidated in the course of the first half of 2009/2010 and deleted from the Commercial Register. There are plans to close the Romanian company EOP Farms S.R.L. in the second half of the current financial year. Furthermore, the Latvian shareholding AS Baltic Holding Company is due to be sold. The Polish subsidiary will be retained as a trading office. The EOP Biodiesel Group's total assets fell by EUR20.2 million to EUR42.6 million. This was primarily due to the deconsolidation of ABID Biotreibstoffe AG. Equity remains negative, coming in at EUR-10.6 million on 31 December 2009. As at 31 December 2009, the EOP Biodiesel Group employed 75 members of staff (30 June 2009: 98 staff). This also reflects the sale of ABID Biotreibstoffe AG. EOP Biodiesel AG expects its gross profit margin to develop steadily in the current year in conjunction with a slight increase in its sales volume. Selling agreements for 120,000 tonnes of biodiesel have already been concluded for the 2010 calendar year. This is largely thanks to EOP adding a further mineral oil producer to its customer base. These orders mean that both the oil mill, with a capacity of 42,000 tonnes per annum, and the third biodiesel plant, with a capacity of 100,000 tonnes, will operate at full capacity. It is expected that the second biodiesel plant, whose potential output is 30,000 tonnes, will run at two-thirds capacity. Working capital financing has been secured until 30 November 2010. In addition to this, the Group is still engaged in talks with the banks regarding additional funds for hedging instruments. The management continues to work on cutting costs, optimising processes and strengthening margins by improving the way in which sales and procurement are coordinated. These efforts are already having a positive effect on results. Media contact: EOP Biodiesel AG Philip Rosengarten Tel.: +49 (0) 33 98 6 5050 E-Mail: rosengarten@eopag.de www.eopbiodieselag.de This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor an invitation to make an offer to purchase or subscribe to shares. There is no public offering of shares in EOP Biodiesel AG in connection with the share listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. This communication does not constitute a share prospectus. It and the information that it contains are not intended for direct or indirect circulation to or within the United States of America, Canada, Australia or Japan. 31.03.2010 Ad hoc announcement, Financial News and Media Release distributed by DGAP. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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