Salzgitter AG: The Salzgitter Group releases the preliminary figures of the financial year 2018 along with the sales and profit forecast for the financial year 2019

DGAP-Ad-hoc: Salzgitter AG / Key word(s): Forecast/Annual Results Salzgitter AG: The Salzgitter Group releases the preliminary figures of the financial year 2018 along with the sales and profit forecast for the financial year 2019 05-Feb-2019 / 14:21 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.   According to the still preliminary figures now available, the Salzgitter Group generated a pre-tax profit of EUR 347.3 million in the financial year 2018 (2017: EUR 238.0 million), marking the fifth earnings increase in a row and the best pre-tax result in the last ten years. Along with the performance of the Strip Steel Business Unit, the gratifying contributions first and foremost by the Trading, Technology, and Plate / Section Steel business units, as well as approximately EUR 150 million (FY 2017: EUR 97 million) in additional earnings improvement potential realized for the first time from the Group's profit improvement programs contributed to this development. The result includes a netted EUR -63.4 million burden on earnings from special effects (FY 2017: EUR -82.9 million), among others as precautionary measure a provision pertaining to the known and ongoing investigation of the German Federal Cartel Office against plate and strip steel producers as well as adjustments to fixed asssets of Mannesmann Precision Tubes Group. In view of the gloomier sentiment and numerous economic and political uncertainties, we anticipate the following for the Salzgitter Group in the financial year 2019: - a slight increase in sales to above the EUR 9.5 billion mark (FY 2018: EUR 9.3 billion), - a pre-tax profit of between EUR 125 million and EUR 175 million (2018: EUR 347 million) and - a return on capital employed (ROCE) that is notably lower than the previous year's figure (FY 2018: 10.4%). The EBT range we predict therefore moves within a corridor below the average of the current market expectations. Against this backdrop and the generally still challenging environment, the programs of measures successfully implemented since 2013 are to be continued in an updated form. The 2018 annual financial statements are currently being audited by the external auditor and must subsequently be approved by the Supervisory Board. The key figures for the financial year 2018 and further details will be published, as planned, on February 27, 2019. Contact: Markus Heidler Head of Investor Relations Salzgitter AG Eisenhüttenstraße 99 38239 Salzgitter Phone [phone] Fax [phone] E-Mail [e-mail] 05-Feb-2019 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de

Language:	English
Company:	Salzgitter AG
	Eisenhüttenstraße 99
	38239 Salzgitter
	Germany
Phone:	[phone]
Fax:	[phone]
E-mail:	[e-mail]
Internet:	www.salzgitter-ag.de
ISIN:	DE0006202005
WKN:	620200
Indices:	MDAX
Listed:	Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hanover; Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange

End of Announcement	DGAP News Service

772649  05-Feb-2019 CET/CEST