Eckert & Ziegler Q2 / 2017: Income Surges Following Sale of Cyclotron Unit

Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700), a Berlin-based company specializing in isotope technology for medical, scientific and industrial applications, nearly doubled its profit per share by 0.91 EUR to 1.83 EUR in the first half year compared with the prior year’s period. The improved financial performance is primarily the result of increased sales with profitable products and an extraordinary income from the sale of the Cyclotron unit in May 2017. Without discontinued operations and thereby according to regulations required under IFRS 5 profit per year increased by 0.34 EUR or 23% to 1.23 EUR compared with the prior year’s period.

Taking into account the adjustments required under IFRS5 the Group recorded total sales of € 64.8 million EUR in the first half of 2017 (+6%). Including discontinued operations the Group recorded total sales of € 71.0 million in the first half of 2017, compared with € 70.1 million in the prior year’s period. Organic, real sales growth – in other words, sales adjusted for currency effects and excluding the acquisitions and disposals made in 2016 and 2017 – came to € 0.8 million.

The Radiopharma segment was the growth driver. If the discontinued Cyclotron unit is excluded, year-on-year growth was € 3.2 million or 31 %. In the USA in particular, the company further increased its already strong sales. Sales in the Radiation Therapy segment rose by € 0.2 million or 2 % to € 12.3 million. The Isotope Products segment continued to increase, growing € 0.5 million or 1 % to € 40.6 million.

Cash flow increased faster than earnings, causing net liquidity – in other words, cash and cash equivalents less total liabilities to banks – to rise by € 12 million to € 40 million. The Group is now almost debt-free.

As a result of the extraordinary income from the sale of the Cyclotron unit, earnings of around € 2.80 per share are forecast for 2017, € 0.60 of which is due to extraordinary effects and discontinued operations. Sales of just under € 150 million are expected.

The complete financial statements can be viewed here: http://www.ezag.com/fileadmin/user_upload/ezag/investors-financial-reports/englisch/euz217e.pdf