DGAP-News: Sixt Leasing raises forecast for online business in 2017 significantly after most successful year in the company's history

Sixt Leasing raises forecast for online business in 2017 significantly after most successful year in the company's history

• Annual Report 2016 published: Sixt Leasing records most successful fiscal year in corporate history
• Attractive dividend policy: Increase of dividend per share by 20 per cent to EUR 0.48 and expansion of target distribution range to 30-60 per cent of consolidated net profit
• Higher contract portfolio expected: Forecast for Online Retail contract portfolio upgraded to significantly more than 40,000 contracts by the end of 2017
• Outlook confirmed: Managing Board expects dynamic growth to continue in fiscal year 2017

Pullach, 24 April 2017 - Sixt Leasing SE, one of the largest bank- and manufacturer-independent full-service leasing providers in Germany today published its Annual Report 2016 and after the record year 2016 looks equally positively ahead to the current fiscal year 2017. To let shareholders participate via dividends even more in the ongoing dynamic and profitable growth in the future, the Managing Board is extending the target distribution range from 30-40 per cent to 30-60 per cent of consolidated net profit beginning from fiscal year 2017. In addition, in view of the developments of the last few weeks, the Managing Board is also increasing its outlook for the Online Retail business field's contract portfolio, up from 36,000 to significantly more than 40,000 contracts by the end of 2017.

Rudolf Rizzolli, CEO of Sixt Leasing SE: "We are delighted to hold out the prospect of a higher share in earnings to our shareholders. The extended distribution range reflects not only our shareholder-friendly dividend policy but also our continued dynamic and above all profitable growth. This is evident especially in our Online Retail business field where we expect to see a significantly higher volume of contracts by the end of 2017 than previously planned. Demand over the last weeks exceeded our expectations and confirms that our strategy is on the right track. In future we will shift the focus of our activities on to the sale of new leasing vehicles via the internet. The future of mobility is digital. This is clearly borne out by the success of our product innovation, the 'flat rate for the road'."

The positive outlook is based on the full-year figures from the Annual Report 2016, which Sixt Leasing SE published today. According to these, there were no changes from the preliminary figures already announced in March.

The Group's contract portfolio at home and abroad (not including franchise and cooperation partners) posted an increase of 10.1 per cent to 113,600 contracts. Consolidated revenue went up in comparison to the prior year by 7.3 per cent to an all-time high of EUR 713.9 million. Group earnings before taxes (EBT) increased by 4.3 per cent to EUR 31.6 million despite significantly higher growth investments. The operating return on revenue improved by 0.3 percentage points to 7.3 per cent and thus continued to be noticeably above the target of 6.0 per cent. Likewise, the equity ratio with an increase of 0.6 percentage points to 16.6 per cent significantly exceeded the targeted 14.0 per cent. The consolidated net profit rose by 9.3 per cent to EUR 24.6 million. The dividend per share shall be raised by 20 per cent to EUR 0.48.

Due to the ongoing dynamic growth, the Managing Board expects to see an increase in earnings before taxes (EBT) in the high single-digit percentage range as well as slight growth in operating revenue for fiscal year 2017. Moreover, the Managing Board anticipates that the equity ratio will again reach a value above the minimum target figure of 14 per cent.
 

About Sixt Leasing:
Sixt Leasing SE (WKN: A0DPRE / ISIN: DE000A0DPRE6) based in Pullach near Munich is one of Germany's leading independent vehicle leasing service providers and is also involved in fleet leasing and fleet management, both in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. With its full-service portfolio, the company enables the mobility of its private and corporate customers.

Private and commercial customers use the online platform sixt-neuwagen.de to lease new vehicles affordably. Corporate customers benefit from the cost-saving leasing of their vehicle fleet and from efficient fleet management.

Sixt Leasing SE has been listed in the Regulated Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) since 7 May 2015. In 2016 the Group generated consolidated revenues of EUR 714 million.

www.sixt-leasing.com
 

Contact:
Sixt Leasing SE
Corporate Communications
Stefan Kraus
+49 89 74444 - 4518
[email protected]