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ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE

ProSiebenSat.1 Group reports record earnings in fiscal 2006

Munich (ots)

  • EBITDA grows 16 percent to EUR 484 million
  • Pre-tax income increases 10 percent to EUR 387 million
  • Consolidated revenues climb 5.8 percent to EUR 2.105 billion
  • EBITDA margin hits new high of 23.0 percent
  • Consolidated profit up 9.0 percent to EUR 240.7 million
  • New lines of business accelerate Group growth
  • Outlook: Group revenue and earnings to increase again in 2007,
The ProSiebenSat.1 Group closed out fiscal 2006 with yet another 
record performance. EBITDA for the year grew 15.7 percent, to EUR 
484.3 million. Pre-tax profit rose 10.3 percent against the prior 
year, to EUR 386.7 million, the highest profit in corporate history. 
Based on preliminary figures, the Group generated revenues of EUR 
2.105 billion, outperforming the prior year by 5.8 percent and 
pushing the EBITDA margin up to 23.0 percent (2005: 21.0%), while 
return on revenues climbed to 18.4 percent (2005: 17.6%). The Group's
consolidated profit for the year was up 9.0 percent, to EUR 240.7 
million. Earnings per preferred share improved to EUR 1.11, compared 
to EUR 1.02 for 2005.
"The ProSiebenSat.1 Group had a very successful fiscal 2006. We 
increased our TV advertising revenues and enhanced our stations' 
profitability even further. Our new lines of business sped up the 
Group's growth even more," said Guillaume de Posch, CEO of 
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG. "Strategically, we accomplished a great deal
during the year. We ensured digital distribution of our programming, 
and we put new services on the market, like our two Pay TV channels. 
In Call TV, Mobile TV and video-on-demand, we are already the largest
provider in Germany. We've positioned the Group successfully for the 
digital future."
The Free TV segment's revenues for fiscal 2006 increased more than
had been expected at the beginning of the year. At the same time, the
Diversification unit grew stronger, by expanding existing activities,
by tapping new revenue potential, and through strategic investments. 
External revenues in the advertising-financed TV segment grew EUR 
55.4 million, or 3.1 percent, to EUR 1.866 billion. The contributions
to revenues from the Transaction TV and Other Diversification 
segments totaled EUR 238.1 million for 2006. This is equivalent to an
11.3 percent share of Group revenues. The contribution for fiscal 
2005 was 9.0 percent, or EUR 178.5 million.
Slight increase in total costs The ProSiebenSat.1 Group's 
operating costs rose EUR 52.1 million in fiscal 2006, to EUR 1.672 
billion. This moderate 3.2 percent cost increase is largely the 
result of the consolidation of 9Live for the full year. The Group 
acquired the station on June 1, 2005, and consolidated it only from 
that date onward. The station contributed EUR 24.6 million to 
operating costs in the first five months of fiscal 2006. Apart from 
these consolidation effects, higher expenses for personnel and 
materials also contributed to an increase of total costs. Personnel 
expenses grew in part because of new hires in fiscal 2006, and 
because of the second cycle of the stock option plan approved by the 
shareholders' meeting in August 2006.
Financial result dominated by one-off charges In fiscal 2006, 
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG redeemed a EUR 200 million bond issue at 
105.625 percent of the principal amount. In combination with the 
early retirement of the bond, the former EUR 325 million revolving 
credit facility was replaced with a new EUR 500 million revolving 
credit facility. Both of these changes had a significant impact on 
the financial result for the period. These one-off charges lead to an
increase of other financial expenses for the year by EUR 16.1 
million, to EUR 18.8 million. Consequently the financial result 
changed by minus EUR 33.0 million, to minus EUR 57.5 million.
Net financial debt down significantly Net financial debt as of 
December 31, 2006, was EUR 121.8 million, compared to EUR 227.2 
million a year earlier - a decrease of 46.4 percent. This significant
reduction in net financial debt is due to the positive development of
the cash-flows in 2006.
Expenditures for programming assets remain high Most of the 
ProSiebenSat.1 Group's capital expenditures are for programming 
assets. In 2006, the Group invested EUR 955.0 million in programming 
rights, compared to EUR 907.3 million in 2005.
With a share of 54.7 percent of total assets, programming assets 
are the ProSiebenSat.1 Group's most important asset item. As of 
December 31, 2006, programming assets amounted to EUR 1.056 billion, 
following on EUR 1.057 billion the year before.
Personnel In fiscal 2006 the ProSiebenSat.1 Group averaged a total
of 2,976 employees (2005: 2,788, as full-time equivalents). Most of 
the 6.7 percent increase came from larger staffing for the Free TV 
segment, especially at subsidiaries Producers at Work and 
ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion. The larger number of employees also 
reflects the expansion of the Diversification unit.
Personnel expenses came to EUR 235.5 million, up EUR 22.9 million,
or 10.8 percent, against the prior-year equivalent.
Free TV segment benefits from high advertising revenues Revenues 
and operating results were both up at the ProSiebenSat.1 Group's Free
TV segment. Higher advertising revenues were the main growth driver. 
The year's total revenues for the segment climbed to EUR 1.932 
billion, a gain of EUR 72.2 million, or 3.9 percent, against the same
period last year. External revenues gained 3.1 percent, to reach EUR 
1.866 billion. The operating profit came to EUR 401.3 million, 13.5 
percent above the prior year's level. EBITDA grew even faster in 
2006, to reach EUR 429.1 million - up 13.2 percent from the year 
before. As a consequence, the EBITDA margin rose from 20.4 percent to
22.2 percent.
Sports events affect audience shares In 2006 Sat.1, ProSieben, 
kabel eins and N24 earned a combined audience share of 29.4 percent 
(2005: 30.3%). TV ratings in 2006 were dominated by major sports 
events - the Winter Olympics in February and the Soccer World Cup in 
the summer. Since the broadcast rights for these events were held by 
ARD, ZDF and RTL, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group's ratings felt the impact,
as expected.
Sat.1: Joins the ranks of the most profitable TV stations Revenues
and earnings were both up again at Sat.1 for fiscal 2006. Revenues 
rose to EUR 855.5 million, up 3.0 percent from the prior-year figure.
Pre-tax profit was EUR 204.6 million, up 27.1 percent from the 
previous year's figure. The rise in EBITDA was comparable, to EUR 
205.4 million, a 27.3 percent gain. This vigorous rise in earnings 
results not only from positive revenue performance, but especially 
also from improved cost management. The increase in the station's 
EBITDA yielded a rise in EBITDA margin from 19.4 percent to 24.0 
percent. This now makes Sat.1 one of the most profitable TV stations 
in the German market.
ProSieben also among the most profitable in 2006 Revenues at 
ProSieben for fiscal 2006 were down slightly from the high level of 
the year before. Most of the 2.0 percent decrease to EUR 736.8 
million resulted from lower advertising revenues. At the beginning of
the year, especially in the first quarter, advertising revenues were 
still down as a consequence of the station's weak ratings in fiscal 
2005. But as its audience share grew, by the fourth quarter the 
station was able to generate substantially higher TV advertising 
revenues than in the comparable quarter a year earlier. Another 
reason for the decrease in revenues was lower internal programming 
sales. This figure was down EUR 9.5 million against the year before, 
to EUR 37.6 million. The slight decline in revenues for fiscal 2006 
also kept pre-tax profit and EBITDA below the prior-year figures. 
Pre-tax profit was EUR 147.9 million (2005: EUR 167.1 million) and 
EBITDA was EUR 147.6 million (2005: 165.6 million). Although the 
EBITDA margin changed accordingly, it still maintained the prior 
year's high quality. At an EBITDA margin of 20.0 percent (2005: 
22.0%), ProSieben was also in fiscal 2006 one of Germany's most 
profitable TV stations.
TV advertising revenues up substantially at kabel eins Revenue and
profitability continued to rise at kabel eins during 2006. The 
station's increasingly strong programming performance, along with its
quality image, yielded a substantial increase in advertising revenues
in fiscal 2006. Revenues were up 14.3 percent from a year earlier, 
totaling EUR 255.2 million. Pre-tax profit was up to EUR 69.7 
million, a 48.3 percent gain against the year before. Although costs 
increased so as to improve programming quality, EBITDA grew more than
proportionately, rising to EUR 69.7 million - an outperformance of 
49.6 percent beyond the previous year's figure. The profitable growth
of kabel eins is reflected in the EBITDA margin, which rose from an 
already high 20.9 percent to 27.3 percent.
N24 still on successful course N24, Germany's leading news 
station, closed 2006 very successfully. The station's revenues 
reached EUR 89.4 million, up 7.7 percent above the prior- year 
figure. Higher advertising revenues provided the main impetus for 
growth. The earnings situation also improved at the same time. 
Pre-tax profit grew a vigorous 39.4 percent, to EUR 13.1 million. 
EBITDA increased 33.0 percent, to EUR 13.3 million. The EBITDA margin
increased from 12.0 percent to 14.9 percent.
9Live: The leading brand for interactive TV The Transaction TV 
segment consists of quiz station 9Live, which generates its revenues 
mainly through telephone calls. The station also earns revenues by 
producing Call TV programming on contract, and by providing services 
in organizing game shows.
The ProSiebenSat.1 Group took over full ownership of 9Live on June
1, 2005, when the station was consolidated into the Group. In 2006, 
the station moved to Unterföhring, where the Group is headquartered. 
This direct presence makes it possible to take even greater advantage
of the potential to use resources Group-wide more efficiently.
The Transaction TV segment generated total revenues of EUR 95.8 
million in fiscal 2006, compared to EUR 54.9 million a year earlier. 
Most of the substantial rise in revenues resulted from effects of the
full consolidation of 9Live for the full year. In 2005, the station 
was consolidated only for June through December. In fiscal 2006, 
9Live's contribution to external Group revenues was EUR 94.1 million,
compared to EUR 54.0 million the year before (June through December).
The consolidation of 9Live for the full fiscal year 2006 is also the 
major factor in the development of earnings. The segment's operating 
profit grew to EUR 17.9 million in 2006 (June through December 2005: 
EUR 8.0 million). EBITDA increased to EUR 26.5 million (June- 
December 2005: EUR 14.0 million). The EBITDA margin was 27.7 percent,
compared to 25.5 percent a year earlier.
Other Diversification, a growth field Both revenues and earnings 
grew very well in the Other Diversification segment in fiscal 2006. 
The segment's total revenues were up 22.7 percent, to EUR 165.7 
million. External revenues also registered a significant increase. In
fiscal 2006 the segment contributed EUR 144.0 million to Group 
revenues, up 15.7 percent against the prior-year figure. The rapid 
increase in revenues had a positive effect on earnings. The operating
profit increased 17.2 percent to EUR 25.2 million. EBITDA was up 15.9
percent against the prior year, to EUR 29.1 million, while the EBITDA
margin, at 17.6 percent, was slightly below the prior year (2005: 
18.6%).
Most of the growth in the Other Diversification segment was driven
by the established multimedia services of SevenOne Intermedia. Other 
major contributors to the positive revenue development were the 
international programming marketer SevenOne International and, in the
second half, the new digital services offered by SevenSenses. These 
include the Pay TV stations kabel eins classics and Sat.1 Comedy, 
which went on the air in June 2006, as well as the maxdome 
video-on-demand portal, which was successfully launched in June 2006.
Alongside organic growth, strong external growth through acquisitions
and equity investments strengthened the segment. During the year the 
ProSiebenSat.1 Group increased its stake in wetter.com AG, and 
expanded its Internet services with investments in the online portals
MyVideo and lokalisten.de. MyVideo and lokalisten.de are Internet 
portals for user-generated content, and are among the most heavily 
visited interactive platforms on the German-speaking Internet.
Outlook The German economic research institutes assume that the 
upswing in the German economy will continue during the year. They 
project that gross domestic product will gain between 1.4 and 2.1 
percent in 2007. The economic experts cite rising domestic demand as 
one reason for growth. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group assumes that this 
expansion will have a positive impact on the TV advertising market, 
and currently views 2 to 3 percent as a realistic expectation for net
growth in the German TV advertising market for 2007. Given 
advertising clients' habit of booking on short notice, long-term 
projections for the TV advertising market are always subject to 
reservations. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group projects that it can achieve 
above-average growth in TV advertising revenues, and can thus expand 
its lead in the German TV market, given that the family of stations 
will achieve the planned ratings. In the future, profitable growth at
the ProSiebenSat.1 Group will continue to be supported primarily by 
the main line of business, advertising-financed television.
"The ProSiebenSat.1 Group will continue emphatically pursuing its 
strategic goals in the current year. We will strengthen our core 
business in Free TV with a whole line of new programming. Our 
stations have many new programs that will debut in the spring. At the
same time, we will expand our new lines of business," said CEO 
Guillaume de Posch. "Our Diversification revenues will grow both 
organically and through acquisitions. With our investment in Solute 
we have just acquired another innovative Internet company. We are 
thus further expanding our position as one of the largest providers 
on the Internet."
Against this background, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group assumes that it 
will achieve further gains in both revenues and earnings this fiscal 
year. In so doing, the Group will systematically further pursue its 
programs to enhance efficiency in all areas. During the current 
fiscal year, including further acquisitions, the Diversification unit
is expected to contribute up to 15 percent of Group revenues.
You can find the preliminary 2006 financial statements on the 
Internet at www.prosiebensat1.com.
A separate press release on the acquisition of Solute GmbH has 
also been published today, and will be available on 
www.prosiebensat1.com. Katja Pichler Corporate spokesperson 
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG Medienallee 7 D-85774 Unterföhring

Contact:

Phone +49 (89) 95 07-11 80
Fax +49 (89) 95 07-11 84
E-mail: Katja.Pichler@ProSiebenSat1.com
Internet: www.ProSiebenSat1.com
Press release online: www.ProSiebenSat1.com

Original content of: ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, transmitted by news aktuell

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