DGAP-News: Klöckner & Co SE announces best quarterly earnings for over seven years

- Operating income (EBITDA), at EUR82 million, or EUR85 million before non-recurring items, significantly above the original guidance range of EUR65 million to EUR75 million
- Proportion of Group sales generated via digital channels exceeds 20% mark
- Positive earnings trend expected to continue in third quarter and full year

Duisburg, Germany, July 24, 2018 - Klöckner & Co SE sustained its positive earnings trend in the second quarter of 2018. Benefiting from market developments in the USA, the Company generated its best quarterly earnings in over seven years with operating income (EBITDA) of EUR82 million (EUR85 million before non-recurring items), compared with EUR63 million in the prior-year period. Net income rose from EUR24 million in the prior-year quarter to EUR33 million. Earnings per share consequently came to EUR0.33 (Q2 2017: EUR0.23).

Klöckner & Co notably attained further milestones in its digital transformation. The proportion of sales generated through digital channels increased to 21% at the end of the quarter, having more than doubled in the last 24 months. The recently launched online shop in Belgium will contribute to a further significant increase. The XOM Materials open industry platform launched by Klöckner & Co likewise made dynamic progress. In the second quarter, another metal distributor and, for the first time, a large international processor of engineering plastics joined the platform.

Gisbert Rühl, Chairman of the Management Board of Klöckner & Co SE: "Thanks to the strong growth in our online business, we have now, for the first time, generated more than 20% of Group sales via digital channels. This once again confirms our digital leadership in the steel and metals industry."

In view of the ongoing positive market environment, Klöckner & Co anticipates another sharp year-on-year rise in operating income (EBITDA) in the third quarter, with EBITDA of EUR55 million to EUR65 million and correspondingly positive net income. The expectation for the full year is consequently now at least a slight increase in EBITDA compared with the EUR220 million prior-year figure. In light of this, net income, too, is projected to be clearly positive again.

About Klöckner & Co:
Klöckner & Co is one of the largest producer-independent distributors of steel and metal products and one of the leading steel service center companies worldwide. Based on its distribution and service network of around 170 locations in 13 countries, the Group supplies around 120,000 customers. As a pioneer of the digital transformation in the steel industry, Klöckner & Co's target is to fully digitalize its supply and service chain and to support the launch of an independent open industry platform, which shall become the dominant vertical platform of the steel and metals industry. Currently Klöckner & Co has around 8,600 employees. The Group had sales of around EUR6.3 billion in fiscal 2017.

The shares of Klöckner & Co SE are admitted to trading on the regulated market segment (Regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse) with further post-admission obligations (Prime Standard). Klöckner & Co shares are listed in the SDAX^(R)-Index of Deutsche Börse.

ISIN: DE000KC01000; WKN: KC0100; Common Code: 025808576.

Contact person Klöckner & Co SE:

Press
Christian Pokropp - Press Spokesperson
Head of Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 (0)203 307 2050
Email: christian.pokropp@kloeckner.com

Investors
Christina Kolbeck
Head of Investor Relations & Sustainability
Phone: +49 (0)203 307 2122
Email: christina.kolbeck@kloeckner.com