Press release
Rational AG: Preliminary figures for the 2017 fiscal year
- Sales revenues up by almost 15 percent
- Just under 27 percent EBIT margin expected
- Employees will have a share in the above-average success
Landsberg 16 January 2018 According to preliminary calculations, Rational posted sales revenues of 702 million euros in the 2017 fiscal year. This equates to growth of 14.5 percent compared to the previous year (2016: 613 million euros). The company has thus slightly exceeded the growth forecast of around 13 percent that was already raised during the year. All regions around the world contributed to this positive development. The American markets in particular were growth drivers with growth rates of more than 20 percent. The Frima operating segment grew considerably faster with an increase in sales revenues of 22 percent, thus making a significant contribution to the success.
Just under 27 percent EBIT margin expected
In line with the positive sales revenue performance, Rational forecasts earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of around 188 million euros (2016: 167 million euros). This equates to an expected EBIT margin of 26.7 percent (2016: 27.2 percent).
Employees will have a share in the above-average success
As has already been the practice for many years, Rational is once again this year giving its employees a share in the success of the company. "As a token of appreciation for their great achievements for customers, we have additionally distributed a one-off payment for 2017 of 500 euros to every employee worldwide who worked for us throughout the year. This is our way of saying thank you for the extraordinary commitment and the one or other extra shift that the unexpectedly high business volume called for", as the Chief Executive Officer of Rational AG, Dr Peter Stadelmann, explained.
Rational continues joint market presence for both product lines
Rational wrote a special success story in the last few decades and played a major role in shaping the combi-steamer market. The more recent VarioCooking Center(R) from subsidiary Frima is also impressing more and more customers, especially in Europe. To exploit this opportunity worldwide, marketing of the VarioCooking Center(R) under the Rational brand and within the existing Rational structures was launched in several markets in 2017. This successful combination will be continued in 2018. The company's aim is to thus make even better use of the strong, global confidence in the Rational brand.
170 new jobs created
In the year under review, Rational also invested in the forward-looking development of the company and created more than 170 new jobs worldwide, with more than half of them in Germany.
Further information on Group earnings with the final figures, a look at the expected business performance and a dividend proposal will be announced by the company on 15 March 2018.
Contact:
Rational Aktiengesellschaft
Stefan Arnold / Head of Investor Relations
Tel. +49 (0)8191 327-2209
Fax +49 (0)8191 327-72 2209
E-mail: ir@rational-online.com
www.rational-online.com
Editorial note:
The Rational Group is the global market and technology leader for thermal preparation of food in professional kitchens. The company, founded in 1973, employs around 1,900 people, over 1,000 of whom are in Germany. Rational was floated in the Prime Standard of the German stock market in 2000 and is currently represented in the SDAX.
The company's principal objective is to offer maximum customer benefit at all times. Internally, Rational is committed to the principle of sustainability, which is expressed in its policies on environmental protection, leadership, job security and social responsibility. Numerous international awards bear witness to the high quality of the work done by Rational's employees year for year.
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