DGAP-News: HAWESKO Holding AG

Hamburg, 2 August 2017. Today the wine-trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW GR, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) published its report on the second quarter and the first six months of fiscal year 2017. Thorsten Hermelink, CEO of the Hawesko Group, gave a positive report, saying, "We can be satisfied with the quarter and the first six months. Each brand unit grew sales in a range of 4-11% in the second quarter. We are consistently working to make our product and service offer more attractive to the next generation of sophisticated wine connoisseurs. We are adapting to customers' changing habits of getting information, consuming and buying. And we're on course to achieve our targets for the year."

In the second quarter (1 April to 30 June), consolidated sales rose to EUR 121.5 million, corresponding to sales growth of 7.5% compared to the same quarter in the previous year (EUR 113.0 million). Excluding acquisitions, the Group grew by 4.4%. At EUR 36.4 million, the omnichannel brand unit (Jacques' Wein-Depot) achieved a 4.0% increase in quarterly sales from the previous year. Sales at the digital brand unit (distance selling) amounted to EUR 42.0 million, corresponding to an increase of 10.8% over the same quarter of the previous year (EUR 37.9 million). The B2B brand unit (wholesale) posted sales of EUR 43.1 million, an increase of 7.4% over the same quarter of the previous year (EUR 40.1 million) and was able to continue its strong performance in the first quarter.

The consolidated operating result (EBIT) in the second quarter of 2017 was EUR 6.6 million, compared to EUR 6.2 million on a comparable basis in the previous year. Despite the investments in digitalisation and the accelerated expansion of the Group, a high figure was again achieved in a long-term comparison. Due to the aforementioned investment in the company's future, the EBIT margin declined slightly to 5.4% (previous year on a comparable basis: 5.5%).

In the first six months of fiscal year 2017 (1 January to 30 June), sales rose by 6.1% to EUR 231.2 million (first six months of 2016: EUR 217.8 million). The operating result (EBIT) amounted to EUR 11.4 million, corresponding to 5.0% of sales; in the previous year these figures were EUR 11.0 million and 5.0% of sales respectively on a comparable basis. Consolidated net income attributable to the shareholders of Hawesko Holding AG for the first six months amounted to EUR 7.3 million and EUR 0.82 per share. The net income in the previous year included non-recurring extraordinary income from the reversal of personnel provisions and was reported at EUR 8.4 million and EUR 0.94 per share; adjusted for the non-recurring effect, it amounted to EUR 7.1 million and EUR 0.80 per share.

The Hawesko management board expects sales growth of approximately 5% for fiscal year 2017, with consolidated EBIT of just over EUR 30 million and an unchanged EBIT margin despite extensive investments in the growth potential of the Group. With regard to the other important financial indicators such as the net result, return on capital employed and free cash flow, we likewise expect figures at the respective levels of the previous year for 2017.

Thorsten Hermelink commented, "The Hawesko Group is on the right course towards sustainable, profitable growth. We expect to achieve an average of 5% growth per year and an EBIT margin of 7% in the medium term."

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Hawesko Holding AG is a leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes. In fiscal year 2016, the Group achieved sales of EUR 481 million and employed 940 persons in the company's three sales channels: omnichannel (Jacques' Wein-Depot), B2B (Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner- und Wein-Distributionsgesellschaft) and digital (especially Hawesko.de and Vinos.de). The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Publisher: Hawesko Holding AG
Elbkaihaus
Grosse Elbstrasse 145d
22767 Hamburg

hawesko-holding.com (Company information)
hawesko.de (Online shop)
jacques.de (Jacques' Wein-Depot information and online shop)
vinos.de (Spanish wines sold through Wein & Vinos)
wirwinzer.de (German wines directly from the producers)

Press and Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson
Phone: +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax +49 (0)40 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko-holding.com