Bastei Lübbe AG: Bastei Lübbe to close 2020 / 2021 financial year presumably better than expected
January 21, 2021 at 01:14 pm EST
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DGAP-Ad-hoc: Bastei Lübbe AG / Key word(s): Change in Forecast
Bastei Lübbe AG: Bastei Lübbe to close 2020 / 2021 financial year presumably better than expected
21-Jan-2021 / 19:12 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.
Bastei Lübbe to close 2020 / 2021 financial year presumably better than expected
Cologne, 21 January 2021.
Based on the preliminary figures from the Christmas season, Bastei Lübbe AG (ISIN DE000A1X3YY0) expects a significant improvement in consolidated sales and consolidated earnings for the current 2020 / 2021 financial year. Accordingly, the Executive Board now expects consolidated sales of approximately EUR 90 million for the full year instead of the previous figure of approximately EUR 85 million. Consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) are expected to increase to between EUR 7 million and EUR 8 million. The previous forecast was for EBIT in the range of EUR 5 to 6 million. This positive development is the result of higher than expected sales contributions from new releases by bestselling authors such as Ken Follett and Dirk Roßmann, as well as increased demand for backlist titles. In addition, increased sales in the digital business, which continue to be disproportionately high compared to the market, contributed to an earnings-enhancing product mix. In addition, the cost reductions initiated since October 2020 with a view to possible Corona risks are having a positive impact on earnings.
Due to the significant improvement in earnings, the Executive Board, in consultation with the Supervisory Board, confirms its consideration of proposing a dividend payment to the Annual General Meeting as part of the long-term dividend strategy.
However, the Executive Board points out that the existing lockdown situation continues to generate high risk volatility that is difficult to predict.
The full quarterly statement as of 31 December 2020 will be published as planned on 11 February 2021. The quarterly statement will then be available online at https://www.luebbe.com/en/investor-relations/financial-reports.
Contact Bastei Lübbe AG:
Barbara Fischer
Head of Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 221 / 82 00 28 50
E-Mail: barbara.fischer@luebbe.de
21-Jan-2021 CET/CEST The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de
Language:
English
Company:
Bastei Lübbe AG
Schanzenstraße 6 - 20
51063 Köln
Germany
Phone:
02 21 / 82 00 - 0
Fax:
02 21 / 82 00 - 1900
E-mail:
investorrelations@luebbe.de
Internet:
www.luebbe.de
ISIN:
DE000A1X3YY0
WKN:
A1X3YY
Listed:
Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
Bastei Luebbe AG is a Germany-based company engaged in the media and publishing industry. The Company publishes books and digital content. The Company's publishing portfolio includes fiction and non-fiction books, as well as electronic books (e-books) and audio books. The Company breaks down its business activities into three segments: Books, Novel Booklets and Puzzle Magazines, and Digital. The Books segment comprises all print, audio and e-book products that can be considered books, including digital content. The Books segment sells products for various labels, mainly in hardcover, paperback, pocket book, audio (digital and physical) and e-book formats. The Novel Booklet and Puzzle Magazines segment includes physical novel booklets, including romantic and mystery fiction novels. The Digital segment comprises the Company's digital subsidiaries, including Daedalic Entertainment GmbH, a games developer and publisher.