Hamburg, 27 July 2005. The wine trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW GR, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) presented its six-month interim report today for the first half of the 2005 fiscal year and also released figures for the second quarter of this year. The Group was able to close the period from 1 April to 30 June - a period traditionally having less impact on the whole year - with sales of Euro 60.8 million (without sales tax) in 2005. This is slightly higher than the corresponding value from the previous year (Euro 59.1 million). Whereas the Group increased its operating result (EBIT) for the quarter by Euro 0.2 million to Euro 1.2 million, the consolidated result (after taxes and minority interests) was lower than the value for the previous year (Euro 0.4 million), at Euro 0.2 million, due to a noncash finance charge (IAS 39).

The six-month period from 1 January to 30 June 2005 resulted in consolidated sales of Euro 123.0 million, which approximately matches figures from the first six months of the previous year (Euro 123.5 million). During the same period, the overall wine market in Germany experienced a decline of approximately 7 %. The Hawesko Group's operating profit was Euro 3.2 million for the first half of the year (first half of previous year: Euro 2.9 million). The consolidated result after taxes and minority interests reached Euro 1.1 million (Euro 0.8 million). The cash flow from current operations was positive, as it was the previous year, at Euro 0.3 million.

The Hawesko management board reiterated its objective for the current fiscal year to increase both sales (previous year: Euro 286 million) and the EBIT (previous year: Euro 17 million according to new IFRS accounting guidelines), and this despite persistently difficult market conditions. CEO Alexander Margaritoff: "We continue to see the good results of our customer acquisition and retention efforts. We have been able to maintain the average price per bottle sold, as opposed to the development on the overall market. At the end of the first quarter, we had a shortfall of sales against the previous year. Now, at the end of first half of the year, we have almost completely made up for it. We have also been able to increase our results significantly. The current figures strengthen our confidence in meeting our stated goals for 2005: an increase in both sales and results."

 

Hawesko Holding AG is the leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes. In the 2004 fiscal year the Group achieved sales of Euro 286 million by way of their three sales channels - specialist wine shops (Jacques' Wein-Depot), wholesale (Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner und Wein Distributionsgesellschaft) and mail order (in particular Hanseatisches Wein- und Sekt-Kontor). The Group employs 580 people. The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the SDAX and GEX segments of the Frankfurt Stock

Exchange.

 

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The full 2005 six-month report can be found at http://www.hawesko.com, "Investor Relations" --> "Financial Infos" --> "Financial Reports".

 

Published by:
Hawesko Holding AG
Postfach 20 15 52
20205 Hamburg, Germany

 

Internet:
http://www.hawesko.com 
(Company profile)
http://www.hawesko.de  
(Online shop)
http://www.jacques.de  
(Information about Jacques' Wein-Depot)

 

Press/Media:     
Vera Maria Bau,VMB Consulting   
Tel. (0228) 4496 240    
Fax  (0228) 4496 298    
E-mail: vmb.pr@t-online.de     

 

Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson, Hawesko Holding AG
Tel. (040) 30 39 21 00
Fax  (040) 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko.com