Germany's economic development is still intact despite the international finance crisis and is allowing companies to continue to follow upward trends. This particularly applies to the information technology sector, which is again growing at a markedly stronger rate than the national economy. Pironet NDH AG is also profiting from continuously high investor confidence as a provider of information and communication technology. As one of the most innovative and fastest-growing providers of products and services in the areas of digital content creation, synchronisation and distribution and ITK outsourcing, it managed to continue the two-digit growth of previous years in the first quarter of 2008.
Sales increased by a good 11% from EUR 12.3 million to EUR 13.7 million and reached a new all-time high for the first quarter. The sales mix however developed in an ambivalent manner. While the IT services area developed well, the software area stagnated. On the other hand, the EBIT decreased from EUR 0.6 million to EUR 0.3 million. Two reasons were responsible for this: as a result of the investment offensive (around EUR 30 million) in the last three years, depreciation, above all that felt on self-produced products, increased from EUR 0.7 million to EUR 1.0 million. As however the high-margin software business made no progress in the first quarter for seasonal reasons, the financial return reduced from EUR 0.28 million to EUR 0.21 million. An EBT of EUR 0.5 million on balance as against EUR 0.9 million in the previous year was consequently produced. Despite further high investment, liquid capital improved from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 23.8 million as against the last trading day of 2007 and therefore amounts to EUR 1.63 per share. Pironet NDH continues to operate without any bank liabilities.
The figures for the 1st quarter corresponded to our planning (sales figures for the 1st and 2nd half of the year were 45% and 55% respectively). For 2008, we are therefore confident of achieving the company guidance. Sales activities have been developing positively. In light of a record order volume of around EUR 45 million, our targets therefore still envisage double-digit growth with respect to sales and earnings. In 2007, Pironet NDH achieved an annual net profit of EUR 3.4 million (after third party shares) with sales of EUR 53.9 million, which corresponds to a return of EUR 0.23 per share.
Significant sales were made in the period under review in the ITK outsourcing area in the context of the implementation of the major Nordex project. The North-German company TecDax rolled out its company-wide SAP environment in Pironet NDH's data centre at the beginning of the year. Around 400 users at the various production locations in Germany and China are now using the Software as a Service (SaaS) concept on the SAP applications. In the course of the year, this figure will increase to over 750.
The American company Agentrics transferring its master data business to SINFOS GmbH was a significant occurrence at the beginning of the year. Since SINFOS has changed its name to SA2 Worldsync, the company has been providing master data services for more than 2,600 clients across 15 countries. SA2 Worldsync is therefore one of the largest master data pools in the world and it alone has around 30 of the 50 largest traders in the world as part of its clientele.
The fastest-growing entity in the Pironet NDH network in the period under review was once again our subsidiary nexum AG. The Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW) [The German Digital Industry Association] described it as a "shooting star" that established itself within the top 30 in the interactive industry for the first time. Remember that 2 years ago it was still at 121st place.
Sales increased by a good 11% from EUR 12.3 million to EUR 13.7 million and reached a new all-time high for the first quarter. The sales mix however developed in an ambivalent manner. While the IT services area developed well, the software area stagnated. On the other hand, the EBIT decreased from EUR 0.6 million to EUR 0.3 million. Two reasons were responsible for this: as a result of the investment offensive (around EUR 30 million) in the last three years, depreciation, above all that felt on self-produced products, increased from EUR 0.7 million to EUR 1.0 million. As however the high-margin software business made no progress in the first quarter for seasonal reasons, the financial return reduced from EUR 0.28 million to EUR 0.21 million. An EBT of EUR 0.5 million on balance as against EUR 0.9 million in the previous year was consequently produced. Despite further high investment, liquid capital improved from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 23.8 million as against the last trading day of 2007 and therefore amounts to EUR 1.63 per share. Pironet NDH continues to operate without any bank liabilities.
The figures for the 1st quarter corresponded to our planning (sales figures for the 1st and 2nd half of the year were 45% and 55% respectively). For 2008, we are therefore confident of achieving the company guidance. Sales activities have been developing positively. In light of a record order volume of around EUR 45 million, our targets therefore still envisage double-digit growth with respect to sales and earnings. In 2007, Pironet NDH achieved an annual net profit of EUR 3.4 million (after third party shares) with sales of EUR 53.9 million, which corresponds to a return of EUR 0.23 per share.
Significant sales were made in the period under review in the ITK outsourcing area in the context of the implementation of the major Nordex project. The North-German company TecDax rolled out its company-wide SAP environment in Pironet NDH's data centre at the beginning of the year. Around 400 users at the various production locations in Germany and China are now using the Software as a Service (SaaS) concept on the SAP applications. In the course of the year, this figure will increase to over 750.
The American company Agentrics transferring its master data business to SINFOS GmbH was a significant occurrence at the beginning of the year. Since SINFOS has changed its name to SA2 Worldsync, the company has been providing master data services for more than 2,600 clients across 15 countries. SA2 Worldsync is therefore one of the largest master data pools in the world and it alone has around 30 of the 50 largest traders in the world as part of its clientele.
The fastest-growing entity in the Pironet NDH network in the period under review was once again our subsidiary nexum AG. The Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW) [The German Digital Industry Association] described it as a "shooting star" that established itself within the top 30 in the interactive industry for the first time. Remember that 2 years ago it was still at 121st place.
