Good start to the new year (0406)

Key data for the first quarter of 2004

For the Micronas Group the 2004 business year got off to a good start. In the first three months, consolidated net sales reached CHF 237.3 million, 9.6 percent higher than in the final quarter of 2003. Net profit rose to CHF 37.3 million, a 20.3 percent improvement on the previous quarter.

Operating profit before depreciation and amortization of goodwill (EBITDA) totaled CHF 84.4 million in the first quarter of 2004. This represents a rise of 14.8 percent compared with the last quarter of 2003 and of 33.3 percent over the same period a year ago. The operating profit (EBIT) generated in the reporting period amounted to CHF 53.1 million. This was 25.2 percent up on the previous quarter and 49.2 percent higher than in the same quarter a year ago.

Net profit also showed a further improvement, reaching CHF 37.3 million for the first three months of 2004, 20.3 percent higher than the performance in the final quarter of 2003. Compared with the first quarter a year ago, the increase was 58.7 percent. Earnings per share were CHF 1.17; adjusted for amortization of goodwill after tax the figure was CHF 1.30. This resulted in a net profit in percent of net sales of 15.7 percent.

Consolidated net sales reached CHF 237.3 million in the reporting period, 9.6 percent higher than in the previous quarter. Compared with the first quarter of 2003, the increase in net sales was 24.2 percent.

The book-to-bill ratio reached 1.41 in the first quarter of 2004, which is very high. Production capacity is fully utilized. Total output increased further as a result of productivity improvements and selective technology-related capacity adjustments.

On the basis of the current market assessment, the Micronas Group should attain sales growth of 20 percent or more for the 2004 business year as a whole and a net profit in percent of sales in excess of 10 percent.

The Micronas Group is a leading independent supplier of innovative application-specific semiconductor solutions for consumer and automotive electronics. Its shares are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and on the Prime Standard segment (TecDAX) in Frankfurt.