DGAP-News: JDC Group AG: JDC Group starts the new year with a leap in earnings

JDC Group starts the new year with a leap in earnings

- Revenues increased by around 13 percent to EUR 22.5 million

- EBITDA increased by around 30 percent to EUR 1.5 million, EBIT doubled

- Guidance confirmed

- Further growth expected

JDC Group AG (ISIN DE000A0B9N37) has confirmed the success of the Group's strategy in the first quarter of 2018 releasing the company figures today. The first quartal figures for 2018 highlight the guidance issued for the current year.

Revenues increased by around 13.0 percent to EUR 22.5 million (Q1 2017 EUR 19.9 million). Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by more than 30 percent to EUR 1.5 million (Q1 2017 EUR 1.1 million). The EBITDA margin increased accordingly from 5.5% to 6.6%. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) doubled, rising to EUR 0.8 million (Q1 2017: EUR 0.4 million).

The positive development results from almost all areas. The outsourcing venture agreed with Lufthansa subsidiary Albatros was successfully launched in mid-January and will lead to further contracts with mid- to big size intermediaries in 2018. The sales force of Assekuranz Herrmann, which was acquired in January, was successfully integrated and is already contributing positively to the company's earnings. In addition, both segments -Advisortech and Advisory- have grown organically in their core business.

"We are fully satisfied with the development in the first quarter," explains Ralph Konrad, CFO of JDC Group. "We are particularly pleased to announce that all business units, namely acquisitions, outsourcing business, and the core operations in both segments, are contributing to the positive development of the Group."

Good performance is evident in all key figures. At the end of the quarter, the equity ratio rose to 38.0 percent from 37.3 percent at the end of the year. Revenues of the Advisortech division increased by around 11 percent to EUR 18.5 million. The Advisory division increased its revenues by around 10 percent to EUR 6.1 million.

The key figures for the first three months of 2018 are as follows:

"Through our digitisation strategy, in which we have been investing sustainably for years, we have developed into the ideal partner for large brokers, distributors and banks who are looking for outsourcing solutions for their insurance business," said Sebastian Grabmaier, CEO of the JDC Group, explaining the group's strategy: "During the course of the year, we expect further contracts with well-known market participants, which will provide further growth impetus to the group. In 2018, we want to present innovations, both in terms of the further development of our platform in the core business and from our newly founded Blockchain Lab."

The JDC Group confirms its guidance with revenues of at least EUR 100 million and an EBITDA of at least EUR 6 million for the year 2018.

The Letter to Shareholders for the first quarter of 2018 and further information on JDC Group AG can be found at www.jdcgroup.de.

The half-yearly report 2018 will be published on August 23, 2018.

About JDC Group AG

JDC Group AG (ISIN: DE000A0B9N37) stands for modern financial advice and intelligent financial technology for advisors and customers. In the "Advisortech" business unit, we provide our customers and advisors with modern advisory and administration technology using the Jung, DMS & Cie. Groups. While many sales and distribution partners perceive the technological transformation as a problem and the young Fintech companies as the new competitors, we perceive the "technology" factor to be a great opportunity. Solutions from the "Advisortech" business unit will help advisors in the future to take even better care of their customers and generate increased sales in their earnings. In the "Advisory" segment, we procure financial products for private end customers via free advisors, brokers and financial distributors using the FiNUM Group. With over 16,000 connected sales partners, a portfolio of more than EUR 4.5 billion and over EUR 1.5 billion in product sales each year, we are one of the market leaders in the German-speaking region.

Disclaimer:

The Directors of JDC Group AG hold a significant participating interest in JDC Group AG and have a self-interest in the nature and content of the information provided in this release.