DGAP-News: Hawesko Holding AG: Strong 4th quarter expected

Hawesko Holding: Strong 4th quarter expected

- Long summer pressured performance in the third quarter

- Demand recovering at the start of the holiday quarter

- Initial consolidation of Wein & Co. expected to add EUR 13 million in sales

Hamburg, 8 November 2018. Today Hawesko Holding AG (HAW GR, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) published its report on the third quarter and the first nine months of fiscal year 2018. "In the third quarter the long, hot summer caused our business to fall short on sales and earnings, particularly in September," said Thorsten Hermelink, chief executive officer of the Hawesko Group. "However, because we set a decent pace in the first half-year, we were still able to achieve sales growth of 1.2% and an operating result of EUR 12.4 million in the nine-month period." Hermelink added, "At the start of the final quarter, we see that demand is already recovering, we're focussing all of our energy on a successful holiday business and we expect a strong fourth quarter. In addition, the initial consolidation of Wein & Co., the market leader in the premium segment in Austria, will give us a major boost in sales of approximately EUR 13 million."

In the third quarter of 2018 (1 July to 30 September), the Hawesko Group achieved consolidated sales of EUR 108.3 million, after EUR 110.7 million in the same quarter of the previous year. While sales in the B2B (wholesale) and digital (distance selling) brand units, at 6.4% and 2.9% respectively, fell short of the previous year's levels due to the unusually long, hot summer, sales at the omni-channel brand unit (Jacques' Wein-Depot) rose by 3.6% (on a like-for-like basis: 1.8%).

The consolidated result of operations (EBIT) amounted to EUR 1.8 million in the third quarter of 2018, excluding a provision recognised for impending losses at a subsidiary (previous year: EUR 4.1 million). The decline resulted from the shortfall in sales and gross profit compared to the previous year and from expenditures for growth.

The Group's management board has revised its forecast for 2018 in line with these circumstances and with the initial consolidation of Wein & Co. as of 1 October 2018, and expects sales growth of approximately 5% (previous year: EUR 507 million) and an EBIT after the deduction of integration costs for Wein & Co. of EUR 25-27 million (previous year: EUR 30.4 million).

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The full nine-month financial report to 30 September 2018 is available for downloading at https://www.hawesko-holding.com/en/press/interim-reports-2018/.

Hawesko Holding AG is a leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes. In fiscal year 2017, the Group achieved sales of EUR 507 million and employed 954 persons in the company's three sales channels: omnichannel (Jacques' Wein-Depot), B2B (Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner- und Wein-Distributionsgesellschaft) and digital (particularly HAWESKO and Vinos).The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Publisher:

Hawesko Holding AG
Elbkaihaus
Grosse Elbstrasse 145d
22767 Hamburg

Internet: hawesko-holding.com (Company information)
hawesko.de (Online shop)
jacques.de (Jacques' Wein-Depot information and online shop)
vinos.de (Spanish wines sold through Wein & Vinos)
wirwinzer.de (German wines directly from the producers)

Press and Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson
Phone: +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax +49 (0)40 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko-holding.com