22.03.2005 – 08:37

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG

euro adhoc: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG
Annual Reports
LPKF boosts turnover, stronger growth in profit

Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc.
  The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.

21.03.2005

The Group generated the following results in 2004:
~
                    2004           2003         Change
                  -------------- -------------- ---------
Turnover TEUR     25,167         22,667         +11%
Profit TEUR          930            768         +21%
Net margin          3.7%           3.4%           
EBIT TEUR          1,728          1,294         +34%
EBIT margin         6.9%           5.7%           
EPS EUR             0.09           0.07         +29%
Financial                                       
Resources TEUR     7,125          5,999         +19%
Capital ratio        70%            71%            
Orders in hand                                  
as at 31.12. TEUR  2,368          1,859         +27%
Current orders                                  
in hand TEUR       4,130          2,118         +95%
~
Notes on the annual results:
Thanks in particular to the successful sales of cutting and drilling
lasers in Asia, LPKF succeeded in considerably boosting its turnover
and generating an over-proportional improvement in profit. Numerous
new and further developed products gained good acceptance amongst the
customers and underpinned the very satisfactory development in
business, particularly in the 4th quarter. Additional positive
effects were associated with the overall economic upswing. LPKF Laser
& Electronics AG’s high level of current orders in hand compared to
the previous year is an indicator of the continuing positive trend.
The Board of Managing Directors and the Supervisory Board will
propose the payment of a dividend of 4 Cent per share to the annual
general meeting.

Outlook for 2005:
This dynamic growth is to be continued in the ongoing financial year
by committed implementation of the company’s marketing strategy. A
variety of new and improved products have been launched on the market
in recent months. The objective is now to realise this potential and
reflect it in rising turnover and profit figures by further
strengthening the marketing and service structures.
Management is relying here in particular on positive impulses from
the PCB Production Systems and Rapid PCB Prototyping segments. In
addition to increasing turnover to Euro 30 million, the objective is
to considerably improve the earnings situation. Achieving this
involves generating growth in turnover with a minor rise in costs.
Asia continues to be the regional focus of LPKF’s growth strategy.
The intention here is to reach customers seeking to acquire larger
numbers of machines, especially in product segments with a high
growth potential, such as PCB Production. 
The new measuring method for the packaging of chips developed by LPKF
Motion & Control GmbH promises further momentum.
The first signs of progress in the marketing effort for the 3D-MID
segment have now been confirmed with the series production of MIDs
for the medical sector - however, more effort is required before this
segment is successfully established in the market. 
The laser plastic-welding method has now achieved a considerable
degree of market acceptance and has led to the first follow-up orders
by existing customers for equipment and service. This process is thus
establishing itself in a market which develops independently of the
cyclic electronics industry. 
The LPKF Group considers the figures for the 2004 financial year to
confirm that it is charting a course for solid growth and is in an
excellent position to grow more strongly with optimism and commitment
in 2005.

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG shares are listed in the Prime Standard
of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN 000645000).

end of announcement                    euro adhoc 22.03.2005 08:00:00 

Further inquiry note:

Bettina Schäfer
Tel.: +49 (0)5131 7095 382
b.schaefer@lpkf.de

Branche: Semiconductors & active components
ISIN: DE0006450000
WKN: 645000
Index: Prime Standard, CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing
Berliner Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB) / free trade

Original-Content von: LPKF Laser & Electronics AG, übermittelt durch news aktuell