Roth & Rau AG / Key word(s): Quarter Results15.11.2010 09:15---------------------------------------------------------------------------Roth & Rau AG confirms preliminary figures- Nine-month sales rise to EUR 189,238k - EBIT of EUR 3,004k - Further increase in orders on hand to EUR 364,599kHohenstein-Ernstthal, 15 November 2010 - With the presentation of itsquarterly report, Roth & Rau AG has confirmed the provisional key figurespreviously announced. Accordingly, sales for the third quarter alone surgedyear-on-year by 65.8 % from EUR 42,469k to EUR 70,414k. For the nine-monthperiod under report, sales therefore grew by 18.6 % to EUR 189,238k (2009:EUR 159,514k). The international share increased from 81.8 % to 92.9 %,with Asia accounting for 79.2 %, and thus once again the great majority ofsales.Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for the first nine monthsamounted to EUR 3,004k (2009: EUR 13,127k), equivalent to an EBIT margin of1.6 % (2009: 8.2 %). Consolidated net income for the first nine monthsamounted to EUR 2,776k (2009: EUR 10,571k), resulting in earnings per shareof EUR 0.18 (2009: EUR 0.77). This development is mainly due to theexpected loss of a turnkey project in India, as a result of which theprorated sales already generated had to be reclassified to own-account andwritten down in the third quarter. Further charges on earnings resultedfrom delays in the handling of two turnkey projects in Spain and theresultant write-down of current assets. These one-off factors had asignificant negative impact on the Group's nine-month EBIT. The cash flowfrom operating activities for the first nine months, by contrast, showed asharp year-on-year improvement, rising from EUR -1,361k to EUR 19,621k.The marked revival in the business climate in the solar industry gainedfurther momentum in the third quarter, leading to further strong new ordergrowth. At EUR 392,068k, as against EUR 83,453k in the previous year'speriod, new orders have reached a new record level. 'We are of course alsoextremely dissatisfied with our current key earnings figures. However,closer inspection of our order figures reveals a further shift in orderstowards our equipment business. What's more, the sale of the first massproduction system based on heterojunction technology in September confirmsour development strategy, with its focus on producing more efficient solarcells. We continue to see strong demand and increasing growth potential inthis area in the coming years as well', commented Dr. Dietmar Roth, CEO ofRoth & Rau AG. 'Together, these two developments will also significantlyimprove margins in our operating business from 2011 onwards.'For the 2010 financial year as a whole, Roth & Rau AG expects its strongsales performance to continue and to generate sales of around EUR 285million. Due to the aforementioned factors, EBIT will amount to between EUR9 million and EUR 9.5 million. 'In view of the further dynamic developmentin sales in 2011, we are now channelling all of our energies intoincreasing our EBIT once again in the coming year. The discontinuation ofone-off items, changes in the sales mix, increased margins in the turnkeybusiness and a cost and structure optimization programme will enable us toreturn to a substantially and sustainably improved earnings position',added company CFO Carsten Bovenschen.The extensive nine-month report is available for downloading from theInvestor Relations section of the company's website at www.roth-rau.de.About Roth & Rau AG:Roth & Rau AG, based in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, has been one of the world'sleading suppliers of production equipment and innovative productiontechnologies for the photovoltaics industry for more than 10 years now. Inits photovoltaics segment, Roth & Rau focuses on providing antireflectivecoating systems and turnkey production lines for use in the manufacture ofcrystalline silicon solar cells. Further products include thermalprocessing systems also used in the manufacture of crystalline siliconsolar cells, as well as coating systems and turnkey production lines forthe manufacture of thin film solar modules. Roth & Rau MicroSystems, asubsidiary located in the Wüstenbrand district, develops and producesprocess systems for plasma and ion beam enhanced thin film and surfaceprocessing methods tailored to customers' specific needs. The customersserved by this division particularly include companies in the semiconductorindustry, R&D departments in various other industrial sectors, researchinstitutes and universities. The portfolio of the Roth & Rau Group issupplemented by software products in the field of systems management,production monitoring and maintenance and service offerings.Contact:Roth & Rau AGProf. Dr. Silvia Roth Tel.: +49 (0) 3723/6685-333E-Mail: investor@roth-rau.de Haubrok Investor Relations GmbHSimone CujaiTel.: +49 (0) 211/17183537E-Mail: s.cujai@haubrok.de15.11.2010 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: EnglishCompany: Roth & Rau AG An der Baumschule 6-8 09337 Hohenstein-Ernstthal DeutschlandPhone: 03723 6685-0Fax: 03723 6685-100E-mail: info@roth-rau.deInternet: www.roth-rau.deISIN: DE000A0JCZ51WKN: A0JCZ5Indices: TecDAXListed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in München, Düsseldorf, Berlin, Stuttgart End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
