Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft publishes preliminary quarterly figures: Significant increase in revenues and key earnings figures
News General news
Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft (ISIN: DE0005201602), listed on the Regulated Market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, has published preliminary business figures for the first quarter of the 2022 financial year. According to these figures, the group of companies generated consolidated revenues of EUR 36.1 (Q1/2021: 31.4) million - an increase of 15%. Adjusted for a contract filling business in the Non-alcoholic Beverages segment, which still had a sales volume of EUR 2.6 million in the first quarter of the previous year and was subsequently terminated, consolidated sales revenues in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 would even have been around 25% higher than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Consolidated operating earnings before interest and taxes (consolidated EBIT) increased to 1.2 (Q1/2021: 0.5) million euros, while consolidated operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (consolidated EBITDA) rose to 3.2 (Q1/2021: 2.7) million euros.
"We are very pleased with the strong growth," explains Oliver Schwegmann, member of the Executive Board of Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft, and continues, "Thus, our consolidated revenues in the first three months have already more or less returned to the level of a Q1 quarter before the coronavirus pandemic. We have always emphasized that we will return to our growth path when the corona-related restrictions on private and public life gradually disappear. The figures presented today provide impressive proof of this." The Group had also announced these in a mandatory capital market announcement.
The strategically important core areas in particular contributed to the increase in sales. For example, the liqueur offensive with the Berentzen and Puschkin umbrella brands and the business with premium retail brands in the Spirits segment had been very successful, and in the Non-alcoholic Beverages segment the products of the Mio Mio brand had again achieved sales growth. The Fresh Juice Systems segment also contributed to the sales success with significantly higher sales revenues.
"We also achieved a significant increase in both our Group EBIT and EBITDA earnings figures. This underlines the earnings potential we can leverage in the Group," said Schwegmann. "However, as reflected by us in our annual forecast, we will still be confronted with massive cost increases for raw materials, materials and energy in the further course of fiscal 2022." These would have a negative impact on earnings ratios from the second quarter of 2022 onwards, so that a significant increase in sales is expected for the full year, but not corresponding increases in earnings.
Further outlook for fiscal 2022
For the aforementioned reasons, the Berentzen Group today confirms its forecast for the 2022 financial year, expecting consolidated revenues in a range of EUR 154.0 million to EUR 162.0 million, a consolidated EBIT of between EUR 5.0 million and EUR 8.0 million, and a consolidated EBITDA of between EUR 14.0 million and EUR 17.0 million.
"Even if the further course of the year is associated with some challenges on the procurement side, the figures presented today show that the Berentzen Group's business model will be successful in the long term and on a sustainable basis," Schwegmann concluded.
The Berentzen Group will announce further information on the first three months of the 2022 financial year as well as details on the individual business units with the scheduled publication of the Q1/2022 interim report on May 3, 2022.
