GRENKE AG: GRENKE substantially increases contribution margin 2 in Q1 2021 and achieves 53.7% of new leasing business generated in strong prior-year quarter

DGAP-News: GRENKE AG / Key word(s): Miscellaneous GRENKE AG: GRENKE substantially increases contribution margin 2 in Q1 2021 and achieves 53.7% of new leasing business generated in strong prior-year quarter 07.04.2021 / 06:57 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. GRENKE substantially increases contribution margin 2 in Q1 2021 and achieves 53.7% of new leasing business generated in strong prior-year quarter - New leasing business in Q1 2021 reaches EUR 365.8 million (Q1 2020: EUR 681.3 million) - Contribution margin 2 increases in Q1 2021 to 19.5% (Q1 2020: 18.2%) - Focus on small ticket contracts leads to higher profitability - Mean acquisition value per lease contract at EUR 7,434 (Q1 2020: EUR 9,005) - Completion of audits by Mazars and KPMG expected in the coming weeks - Publication of 2020 financial figures planned for April 30, 2021 - potentially before audit opinion is issued Baden-Baden, April 7, 2021: GRENKE AG, a global financing partner for small and medium-sized enterprises, generated new leasing business of EUR 365.8 million in Q1 2021, equalling 53.7% of the level in the strong prior-year quarter (Q1 2020: EUR 681.3 million). The new business development in Q1 2021 is a consequence of the weaker economy resulting from the corona pandemic as well as the result of the Company's successful focus on small ticket contracts, which generate higher contribution margins. The higher number of contracts also leads to broader risk diversification. New leasing business is defined as the total acquisition cost of all newly purchased leased assets. "With our presence in the market, we are supporting SMEs with their investments, even in these difficult times. Although, as a result of the pandemic, we were not yet able to return to pre-corona levels in the first quarter of 2021, we did see rising applications in new leasing business in recent days. These have even exceeded the level reached in the final days of March 2020," commented Antje Leminsky, Chair of the Board of Directors of GRENKE AG, on the first quarter of 2021. Sebastian Hirsch, Chief Financial Officer of GRENKE AG, added, "We have been and still are well prepared for the challenging situation caused by corona. In our new business management, we pay particular attention to contribution margins and risk limitation. Here, we also benefit from our broad international positioning." Regional development of new leasing business In a regional analysis, new leasing business in GRENKE's strongest region, the DACH region, decreased by 34.1% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter of 2020. Western Europe without DACH recorded a 44.5% decline in new leasing business in the current reporting period. New business decreased by 57.6% in Southern Europe and by 52.5% in Northern/Eastern Europe. The other regions from the leasing business registered a 20.6% decline in new business. This development is attributable both to the strategic focus on higher margins in new business and to lower overall demand in the target markets due to the economic situation. Percentage contribution margin development In the first quarter of 2021, contribution margins developed in line with the volume of new leasing business. The contribution margin 2 (CM2) of the leasing business amounted to EUR 71.5 million, compared to EUR 123.9 million in the same prior-year quarter. The decline caused by the lower volume of new business was partially offset by the increase in the CM2 margin to 19.5% (Q1 2020: 18.2%). The higher CM2 margin was largely made possible through the consistent focus on the profitable small ticket business. The mean acquisition value per lease contract developed accordingly and amounted to EUR 7,434 in Q1 2021 (Q1 2020: EUR 9,005). "Small tickets" are defined as lease contracts with a volume of between EUR 500 and EUR 25,000. Contribution margin 1 (CM1) in Q1 2021 reached EUR 46.6 million (Q1 2020: EUR 88.1 million), recording a decline of 47.1% in line with the decrease in new business volume. At 12.7%, the CM1 margin was slightly below the prior-year level (Q1 2020: 12.9%). Regional development of contribution margins In the first quarter of 2021, contribution margin 2 in the DACH region decreased by 38.7% compared to the strong prior-year quarter. A smaller decrease was recorded in Western Europe without DACH at 36.1%. In the Southern Europe and Northern/Eastern Europe regions, contribution margins declined the most, by 51.8% and 48.3%, respectively. Given the current economic environment, the number of lease applications registered by GRENKE in the first quarter of 2021 totalling 116,814 remained stable at the level of the previous fourth quarter of 2020 (115,260 lease applications). In the first quarter of 2020, which was still largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of lease applications equalled 154,175. In the first quarter of 2021, 22,285 applications were received in the DACH region and 94,529 in international regions. At Group level, 49,213 new leases were concluded, corresponding to a conversion rate of 42%. The conversion rate in the fourth quarter of 2020, in contrast, was 49% with 56,182 new leases. In the first quarter of 2020, 75,654 lease contracts were concluded for a conversion rate of 49%. Development of the factoring business With a purchased receivables volume of EUR 155.4 million, new factoring business declined by 9.5% compared to the same period of the previous year (Q1 2020: EUR 171.7 million). In Germany, factoring new business increased by 3.3% despite the lower level of overall economic activity. In the international markets, factoring new business saw a decline of EUR 19.7 million to EUR 18.3 million. The six franchise companies contemplated for acquisition contributed EUR 86.3 million to new factoring business in the reporting quarter, for an increase of 2.1% compared to the first quarter of the previous year. Development of GRENKE Bank The new business in the area of SME lending previously comprised loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, business start-up financing and the microcredit business. At EUR 14.7 million, GRENKE Bank's new business in the first quarter of 2021 was 18.2% below the prior-year quarter (Q1 2020: EUR 18.0 million) and is attributable to the microcredit business. Here, loans are granted under the "Microcredit Fund Germany" of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and are secured by the federal government. In the first quarter of 2020, microcredit business reached EUR 4.5 million. Loans to small and medium-sized enterprises were discontinued in Q1 2021, as already announced in February 2021. GRENKE Bank's deposit business continues to be an important pillar of the Consolidated Group's refinancing with a deposit volume of EUR 1,637.4 million as of March 31, 2021 (December 31, 2020: EUR 1,537.3 million). Publication of 2020 consolidated financial statements Due to the still ongoing audits by the auditing firm Mazars mandated by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) and the parallel audit of the annual financial statements by KPMG, GRENKE has not yet published a corporate calendar for 2021. The Company expects the audits to be completed and the consolidated financial statements to be issued with an audit opinion in the coming weeks. As a result, GRENKE intends to publish its 2020 financial year figures on April 30, 2021, possibly before the audit opinion is issued, and to discuss these figures at a virtual annual press conference and a virtual analyst conference. Overview of new business development (in EUR millions)   Q1 2021 Q1 2020 Change in %         New Business GRENKE Group Leasing 365.8 681.3 -46.3 - of which international 248.4 503.1 -50.6 - of which franchise companies** 13.1 20.0 -34.6 - of which DACH* 104.3 158.2 -34.1 Western Europe (without DACH)* 98.4 177.4 -44.5 Southern Europe* 83.4 196.9 -57.6 Northern/Eastern Europe* 57.2 120.5 -52.5 Other regions* 22.4 28.3 -20.6 New Business GRENKE Group Factoring 155.4 171.7 -9.5 - of which Germany 50.8 49.2 3.3 - of which international 18.3 38.0 -51.9 - of which franchise companies*** 86.3 84.5 2.1 GRENKE Bank       New business SME lending business 14.7 18.0 -18.2 Deposit volume**** 1,637.4 976.7 67.6 Contribution margin 2 (CM2) on new business       GRENKE Group Leasing 71.5 123.9 -42.3 - of which international 53.8 95.4 -43.6 - of which franchise companies** 2.8 4.3 -33.8 - of which DACH* 14.9 24.3 -38.7 Western Europe (without DACH)* 21.3 33.4 -36.1 Southern Europe* 18.0 37.3 -51.8 Northern/Eastern Europe* 11.8 22.8 -48.3 Other regions* 5.5 6.1 -9.1   Note: Rounding differences may occur *Regions: DACH: Germany, Austria, Switzerland Western Europe without DACH: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands Southern Europe: Croatia, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain Northern | Eastern Europe: Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Norway, Sweden, UK | Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia Other regions: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, USA ** Franchise companies Leasing: Australia (2x), Canada (3x), Chile, Latvia, Norway, Singapore, USA *** Franchise companies Factoring: Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, UK, **** As of the end of the period   For further information, please contact: GRENKE AG Team Investor Relations Neuer Markt 2 76532 Baden-Baden Phone.: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Internet: www.grenke.de Press contact Stefan Wichmann Executive Communications Consulting Alfred-Bierwirth-Weg 2 D-53572 Unkel (near Bonn) Email: [e-mail] Mobile: [phone]   About GRENKE The GRENKE Group (GRENKE) is a global financing partner for small and medium-sized companies. As a one-stop shop for customers, GRENKE's products range from flexible small-ticket leasing and demand-driven bank products to convenient factoring. Fast and easy processing and personal contact with customers and partners are at the centre of GRENKE's activities. Founded in 1978 in Baden-Baden, the Group operates in 33 countries and employs more than 1,700 staff worldwide. GRENKE shares are listed in the SDAX on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN DE000A161N30). 07.04.2021 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

Language:	English
Company:	GRENKE AG
	Neuer Markt 2
	76532 Baden-Baden
	Germany
Phone:	[phone]
Fax:	[phone]
E-mail:	[e-mail]
Internet:	www.grenke.de
ISIN:	DE000A161N30
WKN:	A161N3
Indices:	SDAX
Listed:	Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
EQS News ID:	1181567

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1181567  07.04.2021