DGAP-News: RATIONAL AG: Preliminary figures for fiscal year 2018

Press release

Rational AG: Preliminary figures for fiscal year 2018

Successful growth path continued

- Sales revenues up by around 11 percent - currency-adjusted: almost 13 percent

- EBIT margin of more than 26 percent expected

- Company remains well positioned for the future

Landsberg, 4 February 2019       According to preliminary calculations, Rational posted sales revenues of 778 million euros in fiscal year 2018. This equates to growth of 11 percent or 76 million euros compared to the previous year (2017: 702 million euros) and thus meets the Company's outlook, which was previously increased to a bandwith of 10 to 12 percent in the course of the year. All regions around the world contributed to this positive development. North America, which realised a sales revenue increase of 20 percent, was a key growth driver, while China also made an above-average revenue contribution to continued expansion. Sales revenue growth after adjustment for exchange rate movements was just under 13 percent.

Merger of the Rational brands successfully completed
Rational wrote a special success story in the last few decades and played a major role in shaping the combi-steamer market. The more recently launched VarioCookingCenter^(R) also has an expanding group of enthusiastic customers, especially in Europe. The integration of the two product groups therefore continued successfully in the past fiscal year: to take even greater advantage of the worldwide trust in the Rational brand, the VarioCookingCenter^(R) from now on will be distributed exclusively under the Rational brand through Rational sales companies, starting in 2019. The Frima operating segment grew considerably faster than the Group as a whole, with an increase in sales revenues of 14 percent, thus also making a significant contribution to earnings.

EBIT margin of more than 26 percent expected
In line with the positive sales revenue performance, Rational forecasts earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of around 205 million euros (2017: 188 million euros). This equates to an expected EBIT margin of 26.4 percent (2017: 26.7 percent).

Company's processes ready-shaped for the future, more than 220 new jobs created
Rational's investments in the Company's workforce and in various strategic programmes to ensure the future-oriented development of business processes continued in the past fiscal year. During the past year more than 220 new jobs were created worldwide, around half of them in Germany.

Well positioned for the future
The vast majority of customers are highly satisfied with our products and services. Moreover, the close association with a basic human need makes our business less dependent on economic conditions. For this reason, the Executive Board of Rational AG believes that, as before, the company is well positioned to keep on growing successfully in fiscal year 2019. The Company will publish a detailed outlook on expected business development, final Group earnings for 2018 and the proposed dividend on 14 March 2019.


Contact:
RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft
Stefan Arnold / Head of Investor Relations
Tel. +49 (0)8191 327-2209
Fax +49 (0)8191 327-72 2209
E-mail: [email protected]
www.rational-online.com

Editorial note:

The RATIONAL Group is the global market and technology leader for thermal preparation of food in professional kitchens. The company, founded in 1973, employs around 2,100 people, over 1,000 of whom are in Germany. RATIONAL was floated in the Prime Standard of the German stock market in 2000 and is currently represented in the SDAX.

The company's principal objective is to offer maximum customer benefit at all times. Internally, RATIONAL is committed to the principle of sustainability, which is expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership, job security and social responsibility. Numerous international awards bear witness to the high quality of the work done by Rational's employees year for year.