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Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG

euro adhoc: Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG
quarterly or semiannual financial statement
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG: Record EBIT margin 18% - 100% profit before tax increase to MEUR 9.0 in the first quarter of 2006 - order bac

  Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc.
  The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
24.05.2006
Ternitz, May 24, 2006. Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG
(SBO), listed on the prime market ATX of the Vienna Stock Exchange,
carried forward and accelerated its course of success in 2005 into
the first quarter of 2006. Sales revenues rose by 45% to MEUR 52.6 in
the first quarter of 2006, following MEUR 36.2 in the first three
months of 2005. Profit before tax doubled in the first three months
of 2006 from MEUR 4.5 in the same period of 2005 to MEUR 9.0. This
development is mainly due to productivity and price increases. Price
increases of raw materials could be overcompensated. The EBIT margin
rose to around 18% in the first quarter of 2006 (following 14% in the
first quarter of 2005), marking a new record value for SBO.
At the same time, Schoeller-Bleckmann posted all-time highs for
bookings and order backlog. With an increase of 49%, bookings
amounting to MEUR 77.1 in the first quarter of 2006 exceeded the
already excellent figure of MEUR 51.6 achieved in the first three
months of 2005 and were registered for all product groups evenly.
Despite of the strong increase in sales revenues, the order backlog
further rose to MEUR 160.8 (following MEUR 134.0 as per December 31,
2005).
As a result of the growing demand for oil and gas, investments of the
international oil companies in exploration and production remained
high. "The time horizon of our order backlog extends into 2007, some
customers of SBO have already started their preliminary planning for
2008", said Gerald Grohmann, Chief Executive Officer of
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG. "Our strategic investment
and capacity expansion programme launched already in fiscal 2005 was
further implemented. The manufacturing equipment is continuously
extended at all sites, with a focus on Ternitz and Houston. In total,
CAPEX worth approximately MEUR 50 have been released under this
programme so far. Also, the headcount was increased by 17% to 964
employees", added Mr Grohmann.
Sustained attractive market environment  The challenge for the next
months will be to speedily implement the capacity expansion programme
and to further increase human resources. This will lay the
foundations for a continuously positive business development in the
following quarters, although the recent unfavourable development of
the dollar-euro exchange rate will remain a burden on SBO. On the
whole, Schoeller-Bleckmann expects a continuously friendly market
environment.
Comparison of key figures in MEUR
1-3 2006       1-3 2005
Sales revenues      52.6           36.2
EBIT                 9.4            5.0
EBIT margin (%)     17.8           13.8
Profit before tax    9.0            4.5
Net income           6.5            3.2
EPS*                0.41           0.25
Headcount **         964            827
* based on average shares outstanding
**Reporting date March 31
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG is the global market leader
in high-precision components for the oilfield service industry. The
business focus is on non-magnetic drillstring components for
challenging directional drilling. Worldwide, SBO employs a workforce
of 964 (December 31, 2005: 913), 245 at Ternitz, Lower Austria and
504 in North America (including Mexico).
end of announcement                               euro adhoc 24.05.2006 08:00:00

Further inquiry note:

Gerald Grohmann, CEO
Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG
A-2630 Ternitz, Hauptstraße 2
Tel: +43 2630/315 ext 110, fax: ext 101
E-mail: sboe@sbo.co.at

Mick Stempel, Hochegger|Financials
Tel: +43 1/504 69 87 ext 85
E-Mail: m.stempel@hochegger.com

Branche: Oil & Gas - Upstream activities
ISIN: AT0000946652
WKN: 907391
Index: WBI, ATX Prime
Börsen: Wiener Börse AG / official dealing

Original content of: Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment AG, transmitted by news aktuell

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