Munich, March 2 - The AURELIUS Group (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8) closed the 2015 financial year very successfully, based on preliminary, not yet audited numbers. Consolidated revenues as well as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) were significantly higher than in previous years. According to preliminary figures, consolidated revenues rose by 31 percent to EUR 2,013.3 million (2014: EUR 1,531.8 million). Annualized consolidated revenues, including portfolio companies acquired before January 1, 2016, were EUR 2,960.4 million (2014: EUR 1,725.3 million).

Group EBITDA significantly higher than projected

Consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) reached EUR 266.0 million in the  2015 financial year, well over the EUR 220 million projection communicated by AURELIUS, and 65 percent higher than the previous year (2014: EUR 161.4 million). The 30 percent improvement in group operating EBITDA to EUR 123.1 million (2014: EUR 94.8 million) shows that the realignment of the group companies is bearing fruit, and that subsidiaries are benefitting greatly from AURELIUS’ management experience and financial strength. Due to the high amount of transaction activity, income from the reversal of negative goodwill arising on capital consolidation (“bargain purchase income”) amounted to EUR 176.8 million in 2015, as against EUR 76.9 million in 2014. In the 2015 financial year AURELIUS acquired six portfolio companies, and two further company purchases were completed by closing on January 1, 2016. Restructuring and non-recurring expenses amounted to EUR 63.3 million in 2015 (2014: EUR 59.8 million). 

Balance sheet situation remains very solid

Due to the convertible bond issue on December 1, 2015 and revenue from the sale of the hotel real-estate portfolio in 2015, the liquidity of the AURELIUS group as at December 31, 2015 was EUR 549.0 million, another record (December 31, 2014: EUR 333.3 million). The equity ratio went up to 28 percent (December 31, 2014: 26 percent).

Management to propose a dividend of EUR 1.45 per share; basic dividend rises to EUR 0.90, special dividend at EUR 0.55 per share

Due to the very positive course of business in 2015, the Executive Board will propose to the Supervisory Board for the annual shareholders’ meeting to be held on June 9, 2016 that the basic divided be raised to EUR 0.90 per share (previous year: EUR 0.80 per share) and that a special dividend of EUR 0.55 per share (previous year: EUR 1.20 per share) be paid from the revenue with respect to the sale of the hotel real-estate portfolio.

Thus, the planned dividend pay-out will amount to EUR 45.9 million (2014:  EUR 62.8 million).

Optimistic outlook for 2016

“The gratifying growth of the market for corporate transactions will continue in 2016. We plan five to seven new acquisitions for the current year. There is also great interest in our existing subsidiaries,” noted AURELIUS Executive Board Chairman Dirk Markus. “AURELIUS is looking at another growth year. With the high quality of our portfolio companies and our attractive project pipeline, we are optimistic that we will continue to be able to offer shareholders above-average dividends.”

Key figures¹

¹ Ongoing exit processes may result in individual changes to the final end-of-year key indicators due to disclosure requirements under 
IFRS 5, Discontinued Operations.

² Consolidated earnings of the previous year were adapted as per IFRS 3.45 et seq. for purposes of comparison.