Press release
Rational AG continues to grow successfully
- Sales revenues up by 15 percent - by 16 percent after currency adjustments
- 27 percent EBIT margin
- Dividend of 11.00 euros per share proposed
- Growth expected to continue
Landsberg, 15 March 2018 Rational posted sales revenues of 702 million euros in the 2017 fiscal year. This equates to growth of 15 percent compared to the previous year (613 million euros). All regions contributed to this positive development. In particular the Americas and Asia regions were important growth markets. Frima expanded considerably with an increase in sales revenues of 22 percent, thus making a significant contribution to the success.
26.7 percent EBIT margin - negative currency effects
In 2017, operating costs rose somewhat more slowly than sales revenues. Due to higher commodity costs and negative currency effects, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased by 13 percent year-on-year, and thus slightly more slowly than sales revenues, to 188 million euros (2016: 167 million euros). This equates to an EBIT margin of 26.7 percent (2016: 27.2 percent).
The weakness of foreign currencies that are important for RATIONAL in relation to the euro - in particular the US dollar - had a significant negative impact on sales revenues and earnings performance. After exchange rate adjustments, sales revenues were up 16 percent on the previous year. Adjusted for the currency losses, the EBIT margin was just over 27 percent.
Dividend of 11.00 euros per share proposed
In view of the very successful business performance last year, the positive future prospects and good liquidity situation, the Supervisory Board and Executive Board will propose to the 2018 General Meeting of Shareholders the distribution of a dividend of 8.80 euros per share and a special dividend of 2.20 euros per share for fiscal year 2017.
Investments in the future
Rational invested 43.4 million euros in non-current assets in the past fiscal year. This includes investments in real estate and technical equipment of 37 million euros. On 19 July 2017, the foundation stone was laid for the expansion of Factory 3 in Landsberg am Lech. The production capacity will be increased significantly by adding space of 16,000 square metres. For 2018, the company is planning capital expenditure roughly in line with the amount spent in 2017. "This is a sign of our great confidence in the future performance of the company and will form the basis for growth in the coming years", explains the CEO of RATIONAL AG, Dr Peter Stadelmann.
More than 170 new jobs created
Rational created more than 170 new jobs around the world in 2017, thus investing in the company's continued development. Over 70 of the new jobs were created in Germany. Sales and sales-related functions, in particular, were added. The company plans to create a similar number of new jobs in 2018.
Growth set to continue
The vast majority of customers are so satisfied with the products and services that they would buy them again at any time and also recommend them to friends. Against this backdrop, and in conjunction with the still very high market potential and the all in all solid forecasts for the global economy, the Executive Board of RATIONAL AG expects the company to be able to continue on the growth path of the past years.
"The successful performance of our more recent markets, the Americas and Asia, and that of our established markets as well as the unbroken growth in eating-out trends make us very confident that we will be able to continue on our expansion path with high single-digit growth rates and good profitability in 2018", adds Dr Peter Stadelmann.
Contact:
RATIONAL Aktiengesellschaft
Stefan Arnold / Head of Investor Relations
Tel. +49 (0)8191 327-2209![img]()
Fax +49 (0)8191 327-72 2209![img]()
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. Rational is committed to the principle of sustainability, which is expressed in its corporate 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.
| | FY 2017 | FY 2016 | Percentage change |
| Sales revenues (m EUR) |
702.1 |
613.0 |
+15 |
| EBIT (m EUR) |
187.6 |
166.5 |
+13 |
| EBIT margin (percent) |
26.7 |
27.2 |
- |
| Earnings after taxes (m EUR) |
143.0 |
127.1 |
+13 |
| EPS (EUR) |
12.58 |
11.18 |
+13 |
15.03.2018 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de
RATIONAL AG 
