1st half-year report 2015
Transcription
1st half-year report 2015
2015 REPORT OF TH E FI RST HALF YEAR Group Report of the First Half Year 2015 January 1 to June 30, 2015 I M P O RTA N T K E Y F I G U R E S CO N T E N T S IMPORTANT KEY FIGURES 1/1/ - 6/30/2015 1/1/ - 6/30/2014 Change EUR mn 932.7 748.6 25% Consolidated revenues (annualized) 1 EUR mn 2,085.5 1,625.5 28% EBITDA EUR mn 108.6 92.5 17% EUR mn 59.8 57.9 3% Consolidated revenues 1 1 Consolidated profit/loss TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS 04 EUR 1.91 1.79 7% EUR 1.91 1.79 7% Cash flow from operating activities 1 EUR mn -12.9 39.4 >-100% Cash flow from investing activities EUR mn -32.8 7.0 >-100% EUR mn -45.7 46.4 >-100% 6/30/2015 12/31/2014 Change 1,661.5 1,454.9 14% 1 Diluted 1 1 Free Cash flow 1 Assets thereof cash and cash equivalents Liabilities thereof financial liabilities Equity 2 Equity ratio 2 Employees at the reporting date 1 From continuing operations. 2 Including non-controlling interests Letter to the Shareholders NET ASSET VALUE Earnings per share Basic CONTENTS EUR mn EUR mn 233.2 328.4 -29% EUR mn 1,274.1 1,074.4 19% EUR mn 214.6 164.4 31% EUR mn 387.4 380.5 2% in % 23.3 26.2 -11% 12,955 12,442 4% 08 Net Asset Value of Group Companies GROUP INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF AURELIUS AG 10 Reports on the portfolio companies 29 Financial performance, cash flows and financial position CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 34 Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income 38 Consolidated Statement of Financial Position 40 Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity 42 Consolidated Cash Flow Statment 44 General Information 55 Imprint / Contact R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F Y E A R I 3 L E T T E R TO T H E S H A R E H O L D E R S LETTER TO THE SHAREHOLDERS Dear shareholders, Dear employees and friends of our company, The AURELIUS Group is consistently pursuing its goal of becoming a pan-European player. With the tailwind from the first half of 2015, which went very well from an operating perspective, we have begun the process of transforming the AURELIUS Group into a European stock corporation. A large majority of our shareholders approved this transformation at the annual general meeting on June 15, 2015. Thus, the capacity for quick action and rapid decision-making secures the steady path of growth in Germany and the further successful expansion in Europe. In addition to the payment of a record dividend in the amount of EUR 62.8 million for the 2014 fiscal year, we have also set up a second share repurchase program so that our shareholders can participate even more in this very positive development. L E T T E R TO T H E S H A R E H O L D E R S Overall, the first half of the year gives us reason to be very confident that 2015 will be another record year for AURELIUS. The market for the acquisition of companies in exceptional situations is in excellent shape. We expect to exceed the previous solid figures from 2014 for both total EBITDA as well as operating EBITDA and to achieve success on both the buy as well as the sell side. Consolidated revenues are expected to increase to over EUR 1.9 billion for fiscal year 2015. The positive performance in the first half of 2015 is the result of a perfect collaboration of all participants. Our highly competitive and motivated employees, the trust and respect with our business partners, and the cooperative support of our shareholders are and will remain our most important value drivers. Thank you very much! Sincerly yours Dr. Dirk Markus The AURELIUS Group increased its consolidated revenues in the first half of 2015 by 25 percent year-on-year to EUR 932.7 million. Thus, consolidated revenues on an annual basis exceeded EUR 2 billion for the first time. Our subsidiaries’ earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) in the first six months increased by 22 percent to EUR 62.6 million. The increase in earnings results in particular from the successful operating performance of our subsidiaries SECOP, Berentzen, Scholl Footwear, and the Special Chemicals segment. Gert Purkert Donatus Albrecht The Executive Board of AURELIUS AG Munich, August 2015 But most of the other Group entities also performed positively as well. The IT consultant brightONE attracted two major new customers with Telefónica Deutschland and the UniCredit Group. Scholl Footwear generated double digit growth in its core markets. Additional positive effects are to be expected from the market entry in Germany and the new online shop. With respect to the Studienkreis Group, the pursued expansion led to new business with the meanwhile 60th new branch office. The successfully completed integration of IDS in the Getronics Deutschland Group makes the specialist for workspace solutions one of the leading independent suppliers in the German market. Our subsidiary SECOP was honored with the “Innovation Award 2015” for its product development. For GHOTEL hotel & living, we agreed on the construction of a new hotel in Essen, whereby we are pressing ahead with the pursued growth course. On the buy side, we have already announced five promising new acquisitions since the beginning of 2015. Two new acquisitions were successfully completed in the first half of 2015 with the acquisition of the European business of the Tavex Group, a producer of high quality denim fabrics for prestigious jeans manufacturers in Southern and Central Europe as well as the solid board and graphic board operations of the Smurfit Kappa Group (today: Solidus Solutions). In June 2015, AURELIUS also acquired the remaining 21.9 percent interest in the international IT consultant Getronics from Dutch Royal KPN, thus expanding its investment to 100 percent. Other new members that we added to the AURELIUS family in the current third quarter include the leading British recycler of hard plastic waste Regain Polymers, the UK’s leading provider of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures Transform Medical, and the European Craft business of the British Coats Group, that will conduct business under the name “MEZ – The Joy of Handcrafting” in the future. 4 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F Y E A R R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F Y E A R I 5 SOLIDUS SOLUTIONS I HOOGSTRATEN I BELGIUM N E T A S S E T VA L U E NET ASSET VALUE OF GROUP COMPANIES Group Companies/Units (EUR mn) June 30, 2015 December 31, 2014 SECOP 248.6 246.7 UK Chemicals 159.6 158.4 Getronics 127.3 128.2 GHOTEL Group 113.5 112.0 German Education Business 70.9 72.5 fidelis HR 57.8 57.4 Scholl Footwear 46.7 46.1 B+P Gerüstbau 38.2 33.5 Berentzen Group 36.8 23.5 LD Didactic 35.9 32.4 brightONE 33.4 34.5 Publicitas 32.4 25.9 ISOCHEM Group 24.7 24.6 HanseYachts 21.7 27.7 ECOPLastics 18.6 3.6 Solidus 15.5 -/- 2.0 -/- 110.1 123.6 1,193.7 1,150.6 Tavex Europe Other (including net cash) Total The NAVs were calculated by application of a discounted cash flow model, based on the current forecast and the budgets of the portfolio companies for the next three years (2015 –2017). After this detailed planning period, the assumed growth rates were conservatively estimated at a maximum of 0.5 percent, and on average also about 0.5 percent. The applied discount factors for WACC (Weighted Average Cost of Capital) were calculated on the basis of individual peer groups as of June 2015. They range from 5.7 percent to 11.9 percent. The exchange-listed subsidiaries Berentzen Group AG and HanseYachts AG were valued on the basis of their proportional market capitalization as of the reporting date of June 30, 2015. 8 I AU R E L I US H A L B JA H R E S B ERI C H T TAVEX I BERGARA I SPAIN G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT GROUP INTERIM MANAGEMENT REPORT OF AURELIUS AG In total, AURELIUS AG has included 271 subsidiaries in its consolidated financial statements. Reports on the portfolio companies In the first half of 2015, AURELIUS fully consolidated two corporate groups. The acquisition of the European business of the Tavex Group – a producer of high-quality denim fabrics for prestigious jeans manufacturers in Southern and Central Europe – was completed on the transaction closing date of April 30, 2015. In April 2015, AURELIUS acquired the Solid Board and Printed Cardboard Division of the Smurfit Kappa Group (today: Solidus Solutions), with production facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium, and United Kingdom. The following comments reflect developments in the individual corporate groups (subsidiaries) fully consolidated within the AURELIUS Group. As of the reporting date of June 30, 2015, the AURELIUS Group consisted of 19 operating groups assigned to the continuing operations of AURELIUS: 10 I Corporate Group Industry Sector Segment Head Office SECOP Manufacturer of compressors Industrial Production Flensburg, Germany HanseYachts Builder of sailing yachts Industrial Production Greifswald, Germany ISOCHEM Group Producer of fine chemicals Industrial Production Vert-le-Petit, France CalaChem Producer of fine chemicals Industrial Production Grangemouth, United Kingdom Briar Chemicals Producer of specialty chemicals Industrial Production Norwich, United Kingdom ECOPlastics Recycler of plastic bottles Industrial Production Hemswell, United Kingdom TAVEX Europe Producer of high-quality denim fabrics Industrial Production Bergara, Spain Solidus Manufacturer and converter of cardboard boxes Industrial Production Bad Nieuweschans, Netherlands GHOTEL Group Hotel chain Services & Solutions Bonn, Germany LD Didactic Provider of technical teaching systems Services & Solutions Hürth, Germany Getronics ICT systems integrator Services & Solutions Amsterdam, Netherlands Studienkreis Group Provider of tutoring services Services & Solutions Bochum, Germany fidelis HR Software/outsourcing for personnel departments Services & Solutions Würzburg, Germany brightONE IT services and product engineering Services & Solutions Eschborn, Germany AKAD University Online university Services & Solutions Stuttgart, Germany Publicitas Advertising marketer Services & Solutions Zürich, Switzerland B+P Gerüstbau Scaffold building and construction site set-up services Services & Solutions Berlin, Germany Berentzen Group Maker of liquors and spirits Retail & Consumer Products Haselünne, Germany Scholl Footwear Supplier of health and comfort shoes Retail & Consumer Products Milan, Italy R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R Furthermore, AURELIUS purchased the remaining 21.9 percent interest in the international IT consulting firm Getronics from the Dutch company Royal KPN in June 2015. In accordance with the requirements of IFRS 8, individual corporate groups have been assigned to the Industrial Production, Services & Solutions, and Retail & Consumer Products segments for segment reporting purposes (see also Note 4 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements). RE PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 11 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION SEGMENT (IP) G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT HANSEYACHTS SECOP With its head office in Flensburg (Deutschland), SECOP is a leading manufacturer of hermetic compressors for refrigerators and freezers, light commercial applications and 12-24-48 Volt DC compressors for mobile applications. The company maintains production facilities in Europe and China. Current developments In the first half of 2015, visible progress was achieved in the integration of Secop Austria GmbH in Fürstenfeld, which began at the start of 2014. The European manufacturing organizations were further optimized through the consolidation of shared functions and management areas, in order to exploit synergies and further strengthen the competitiveness of the European locations. All three divisions of SECOP turned in a positive performance in the first half of 2015, and the company generated substantial growth in this period compared to the first half of last year. The Household Appliances Division has recovered well since 2014. In particular, the division gained market shares as a result of the strong performance and competitiveness of the newly developed fixed-speed products Kappa 5 and Delta. Furthermore, the variable-speed product line is becoming increasingly important for SECOP; for example, the XV new product developments which are scheduled for market introduction at the end of 2015 have already met with strong interest in the market. The Light Commercial division continued on a course of growth in 2015, posting strong growth rates in nearly all regions. The increasing conversion to the environmentally friendly refrigerant hydrocarbon promises considerable future potential. Above all, this conversion is driven by stricter regulations in the United States, which call for the phase-out of greenhouse gases. The DC-Powered division also generated steady growth. This segment promises tremendous growth potential for SECOP because the range of applications for DC-powered compressors is constantly broadening. All in all, SECOP attained the goals it set for itself and expects to continue its positive performance in the second half of the year. Based in Greifswald (Germany), HanseYachts is one of the world’s leading yacht builders. It manufactures a total of 32 different sailing yachts and motor yachts ranging in size from 29 feet to 67 feet under the brand names Hanse, Moody, Dehler, Varianta, Fjord, and Sealine. The boatbuilder’s concept is to offer technologically sophisticated, innovatively designed, easy-to-operate owner yachts featuring an outstanding price-performance ratio. Acquired by AURELIUS in late 2011, the company disposes of ultra-modern production facilities in Germany and Poland and is represented in 50 countries of the world through distributorships and distribution partners. The company exports more than 80 percent of its yachts, and its market share in the core countries of Northern E urope and Australia is up to 30 percent. HanseYachts AG share is listed in the General Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A0KF6M8). The corporate bond issue placed in June 2014 (ISIN: DE000A11QHZ0) is listed in the Entry Standard bond segment. The issue proceeds were mainly used for the additional pre-financing of the production of Sealine brand yachts, as well as the further renewal and expansion of the model line-up, geographical sales expansion, and the partial funding of financial liabilities. Current developments Due to the high acquisition costs, yachts are luxury goods. This market is highly dependent on the state of the global economy. For example, the worldwide financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 led to a significant drop in demand. From a global perspective, the maritime market environment is now stable to slightly growing. The markets of North America and Asia are the main growth drivers. Despite the geopolitical crises in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Western Africa, unit sales are stable in Europe and the Middle East. The company has observed a modest revival of the water sports market in Italy, Spain, and even Greece, due to the improving economic environment in those countries. Thanks to its multi-brand strategy, the high level of investment in new yacht models, and the continual refinement of successfully established boat types, the order book of HanseYachts is well filled. The successful performance can be attributed primarily to the good presentation of models during the past trade fair season, new products like the Hanse 455 and the Dehler 46, and the new models S330 and C330 of the Sealine motor boat line. The development of new yachts featuring a clear-cut product design and high quality, as well as the improvement of existing models, are still core elements of the company’s business strategy. The company’s strategy is primarily geared to profitable growth. In the future, the company will seek to establish a greater presence in the mass market of motor boats. This segment offers considerable growth potential, considering that it is about 2.5 times bigger than the sailboat market. For this very reason, HanseYachts acquired Sealine GmbH and entered into a licensing agreement for the production and sale of yachts under the Sealine brand name at the start of 2014. In addition, HanseYachts will expand its worldwide market presence and close geographical gaps in sales of the various individual brands. Thanks to the positive profit contributions of the Sealine motor boats sold in the meantime, HanseYachts will report considerably better earnings in financial year 2015/2016 compared to the preceding year, when its results were weighed down by the start-up losses on the new Sealine motor boat production facility. In the past, HanseYachts was not able to further develop its model line-up to the necessary extent. Following the successes achieved in the meantime (which are now visible in the operating results) through site concentration, procurement optimization, and the reorganization of both sales and management, the company now intends to optimize additional processes, expand its product offering, and close gaps in its product portfolio. The model offering will be enlarged by introducing updated versions of old models and developing new variants. For example, 12 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 13 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT the Greifswald boatbuilder’s yard is now offering the new Hanse 675, the world’s biggest serially manufactured yacht. ISOCHEM GROUP Acquired by AURELIUS at the start of 2010, the ISOCHEM Group is a leading supplier of fine chemicals, with production plants and research and development facilities in France and the United Kingdom. Based in Vert-le-Petit (France), the company offers its customers, many of which are in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical and specialty chemicals industries, wide-ranging expertise in the development of complex, multi-level syntheses, from laboratory scale through to industrial production. Current developments ISOCHEM’s strategy of refocusing on the pharmaceuticals business with a particular emphasis on customer- specific syntheses has been completely successful. After the reorientation commenced in 2011, the company has registered considerable growth and a dramatic increase in productivity. Based on the numbers for the first half of 2015, the core business with pharmaceutical customers will rise by around 30 percent this year. The main growth driver is the growing demand for the company’s customer-specific synthesis products. Furthermore, the exports of the ISOCHEM Group, which is based in France and the United Kingdom, have risen considerably, and the Group has won market shares and new customers in North America, in particular. Considering its numerous new products and well-filled development pipeline, ISOCHEM expects a sustainably positive development going forward. For the current year, the ISOCHEM Group anticipates substantial revenue growth and a positive EBITDA. Thanks to the revenue growth and rising demand, ISOCHEM is adding new jobs, especially in research and development, and expanding its production capacities. A new rotating distillation plant from Hastelloy with a daily capacity of more than half a ton will provide an appreciable boost to ISOCHEM’s important business with cGMP phosgene intermediates. CALACHEM Based in Grangemouth (Scotland), CalaChem is a producer of fine chemicals focusing on agrochemicals and specialty chemicals. Besides producing fine chemicals, the company also operates an Industrial Services division, which provides a wide range of services for the adjacent Earls Gate industrial estate, including the treatment of industrial waste water, the provision of process steam, and the supply of electricity. This company has belonged to AURELIUS since 2010. G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT An important point of emphasis for CalaChem in 2015 is to optimize its cost structure. To this end, various activities and measures are planned for the third quarter. Another point of emphasis in the first half was the modernization of the water treatment plant. After the first primary water treatment tank was upgraded, also the second has now been equipped with an innovative ventilation system, which considerably improved the water treatment performance and increased the plant’s capacity. The external business of waste water tank fillings performed extraordinarily well in the first half. Market consolidation has resulted in procurement concentrations in some cases. Companies are utilizing more of their in-house capacities and striving to attain economies of scale in procurement by bundling their outsourced activities. This trend will lead to higher demand for individual products of CalaChem in the second half of the year. The optimistic medium-term market outlook is reflected in the ongoing project inquiries. A third, strategic project of importance is the redesign of energy generation. Satisfactory progress has been made on this project as well, which has reached the public comment phase. Generally speaking, CalaChem expects the trend of positive performance to continue in the current year. BRIAR CHEMICALS Based in Norwich (United Kingdom), Briar Chemicals is an independent contract manufacturer and producer of agrochemicals and fine chemicals. Acquired by AURELIUS in 2012, the company currently produces mainly chemical agents and intermediates for herbicides. The facility was acquired from Bayer CropScience. Also after the acquisition by AURELIUS, Briar Chemicals will continue to produce chemicals for Bayer as a customer under a multi-year supply agreement. Current developments Like the preceding years, 2015 is a year of intensive production with very high capacity utilization rates, which presents special challenges for equipment maintenance. With the aim of assuring continuous operation without downtimes, a key vacuum drier was completely overhauled at the middle of the year. Furthermore, an experienced sales director was hired to bolster the sales team and take Briar Chemicals one step further in the direction of a more diversified customer base. The company has already scored sales successes in the Formulation & Filling segment. In the Contract Manufacturing segment, a multi-year direct sales agreement is about to be signed. Briar Chemicals expects that plant capacity utilization rates will remain high for the remainder of the year. Sales activities are focused on communicating the Briar Chemicals brand and marketing the available plant capacities. Current developments Amid a market environment that was temporarily somewhat tense, CalaChem turned in a very satisfactory performance in the first half of 2015. Key customers and the fine chemicals sector on the whole continued their inventory optimization programs; at the same time, however, the sector emphasized outstanding growth prospects in the medium and long term. 14 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R RE PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 15 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT ECOPLASTICS Acquired by the AURELIUS Group in late December 2014, ECOPlastics is one of the leading plastic bottle recycling companies in Europe. The company operates one of the world’s biggest and most modern plastic recycling centers in Hemswell (United Kingdom). The facility has an annual capacity of approx. 150,000 tons of PET bottles, which corresponds to roughly 35 percent of the plastic bottles recycled in the United Kingdom every year. Since it was founded in 2000, ECOPlastics has established a leading position in the British market, mainly by developing new rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) products. Current developments Following the dramatic price declines (in some cases) at the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, market prices have stabilized on a low level and ECOPlastics has been able to implement the first price increases. The focus on PET recycling led to a significant reduction of complexity in operations. To enhance the company’s competitiveness, the quality and efficiency of production were significantly improved and material costs were reduced, resulting in substantial cost savings. Furthermore, ECOPlastics secured its supply chain by entering into business relationships with new suppliers. Existing customer relationships were stabilized and expanded further. The company is currently in the process of acquiring new customers and applications. New, highly promising customer projects will be brought to market in the near future. The consolidation of the recycling market continues unabated. Management is focusing on sales and product development. ECOPlastics wants to establish itself as the supplier of raw materials to manufacturers of PET bottles and food packaging films. TAVEX EUROPE The Spanish Tavex Europe Group, which has been a member of the AURELIUS Group since April 2015, develops, manufactures, and distributes high-quality, sustainably produced denim fabrics. Customers include prestigious jeans manufacturers and top brands in Southern and Central Europe. The main headquarters of Tavex’s European business is located in Bergara, Spain. The central logistics center is also located in Spain. The manufacturing facility located in Settat, Morocco, has a production capacity of more than 17,000 kilometers of fabric per year. Current developments In the future, Tavex Europe will focus on expanding its market presence and customer base in Central and Northern Europe and on further optimizing and integrating its production, maintenance, and supply chain processes. The geographic proximity of the production facility in Morocco to the core markets in Southern and Central Europe in the top-quality denim segment provides an excellent basis for winning significant market shares, in that it assures the required quality, services, and reaction speed. Tavex Europe wants to position itself as a long-term alternative to suppliers from Turkey and Asia. 16 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT A lean, flexible, and cost-efficient organization is required to place high-quality, competitive, and profitable products in these markets. To this end, Tavex Europe is adapting its procedural and structural organization to satisfy customer needs and reduce costs, in addition to continuously optimizing the procurement and logistics chain. In the medium term, the company intends to simplify the product offering, optimize production quantities and inventory levels, and guarantee the constant availability of its core products. The goal is to improve both the earnings and the liquidity of Tavex Europe. The strategy summarized by the company’s claim “sustainable lifestyle denim products for the European fashion market” holds the promise of considerable success also in the second half of 2015. SOLIDUS With its main headquarters in Bad Nieuweschans (Netherlands), Solidus is a leading manufacturer and processor of solid board products, which has been a member of the AURELIUS Group since late April 2015. The origins of the company, which emerged from the Smurfit-Kappa Group as a carve-out, date back to the year 1888. The company has 830 employees at eight locations in the Netherlands, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, and Norway. The core business of Solidus is the production of solid board (sheets) and rolls for various industrial packaging applications. About 45 percent of the solid board produced by the company is converted into boxes and related products in the company’s own converters and distributed to end customers. Typical uses for the company’s products are paperboard for book spines, folders, luxury packaging, and foil-laminated paperboard for the food industry. The main products of the converters are water-resistant trays for the transportation and resale of food products and flowers, as well as customer-specific packaging applications. Current developments Immediately following the closing, extensive carve-out projects were launched to ensure that the company can operate successfully as a stand-alone company. In addition to the new brand image, which has already been completed, these projects involved the creation of the company’s own IT infrastructure, including the replacement and harmonization of all business applications. In the first few weeks after the acquisition, the individual business segments have performed slightly above expectations. There are indications that prices of raw materials (recycling paper) will rise in the second half of 2015, which could have an adverse effect on earnings. On the other hand, earnings should be boosted by the projects initiated for the operational integration of the individual locations and particularly for the establishment of an end-to-end supply chain between paperboard production and conversion. Aside from a further increase in profitability, these projects will also reduce working capital considerably. On the sales and distribution side, the company has set a course of sustainable growth by focusing on market cultivation and expanding its market segments. Above all, the company will seek to capitalize on the existing ecological advantages of recyclable, moisture-resistant solid board as a substitute for plastic packaging for fish and meat, and to further expand the customer base. R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 17 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT SERVICES & SOLUTIONS SEGMENT (S&S) GHOTEL GROUP The GHOTEL Group operates 11 hotels and apartment blocks in central locations in seven major German cities, including Hamburg, Hanover, and Munich. The company offers attractive facilities, well-equipped conference rooms and contemporary living solutions in its modern business and leisure hotels. The GHOTEL Group primarily targets travelers who are looking for good value in the mid-range price segment, together with high-quality service. GHOTEL has been a member of the AURELIUS Group since 2006. Current developments As expected, the German hotel market continues to exhibit a positive development. The performance numbers for the first quarter of 2015 point to a successful full year and show considerable growth over the year-ago period in all areas. Despite the renewed escalation of the euro crisis and various sector-specific uncertainties, the G erman hotel industry has held up well in the last months. GHOTEL hotel & living also turned in a very positive performance in the first half of 2015. Both total revenues and revenue per available room (rev-par) were higher than the respective figures for the first half of last year. The hotel chain continued to expand its portfolio of properties by signing an agreement for a new hotel in Essen. Construction of the new hotel with 174 rooms in the best central location is scheduled to begin this summer, and the hotel is expected to open in early 2017. Like its sister hotels, the new GHOTEL hotel & living in Essen will offer attractive rooms and on-site conference facilities. The convenient location close to transportation and the culinary offering will be very appealing to the company’s target group. The Group’s smallest hotel in Munich, München-City, was extensively renovated, resulting in eight new double rooms. In addition, 10 single rooms were converted into double rooms. According to “Trendbarometer,” Germany is still perceived as a “very attractive” travel destination. The response at the Germany Travel Mart, the biggest incoming workshop for Germany as a travel destination, was extremely positive. GHOTEL hotel & living was represented there with its own stand, to present its eight hotels to a broad audience. For the first time, moreover, the GHOTEL Group was represented with its own stand at the IMEX, the leading trade fair for conferences and events 18 I G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT Current developments After exhibiting a positive development in 2014, the general education segment of the German teaching systems market was rather subdued in the first half of 2015, particularly due to the slowed pace of contract awards by public-sector agencies. However, both the project pipeline and the trend of inquiries in the second quarter point to a normalization in the second half. Contrary to this trend, the Vocational Training segment experienced un interrupted growth. Due to political unrest and the low price of oil, LD Didactic’s export business was well behind plan in the first half. Only in July 2015, when large orders are expected, will it be possible to catch up to the year-ago performance. After completing the post-merger integrations of the FEEDBACK Group and ELWE Technik in the preceding financial year, LD Didactic is currently focused on optimizing the manufacturing costs of the original Leybold portfolio and the acquired portfolio. The goal is to further improve the manufacturing processes and bring about a significant reduction of material costs. As in prior years, LD Didactic introduced numerous product innovations at the start of financial year 2015, including (for example) the new Mobile Cassy, which was well received in the market and has already generated concrete interest among customers. Now in its second year after being launched in the preceding financial year, the cooperation venture with the German teaching systems company Gebrüder Kassel has made considerable progress and generated substantial order growth. LD Didactic anticipates that it will be able to generate appreciable revenue growth again as a result of the structural change in the exports marketing approach. Furthermore, the company is still interested in growing its business further through acquisitions, if and when appropriate opportunities arise in the international teaching materials market. GETRONICS Getronics is an ICT system integrator with a history that dates back more than 125 years. With offerings in the fields of workspace management services, connectivity, data centers, applications and consulting, Getronics is broadly positioned to serve national and international corporations and public-sector organizations all over the world. With a global portfolio of offerings, the company ensures that it can offer consistent services worldwide, in cooperation with its partners in the Getronics Workspace Alliance (GWA). Acquired by AURELIUS in May 2012, the group has a total of around 5,500 employees in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia. AURELIUS purchased the remaining 21.9 percent of equity in Getronics from Royal KPN in late June 2015. LD DIDACTIC Current developments Getronics continues to operate within a difficult market environment characterized by ongoing consolidation on the supplier side. During the course of the year, a modest recovery of ICT expenditures could be observed in all target markets. Overall, the demand for cloud-based solutions has risen moderately, especially in the workspace and UCC environment. Especially in the outsourcing business, companies are increasingly interested in purchasing all services from a single company. Hürth-based LD Didactic is a leading provider of technical teaching systems for schools and industry. The Group offers complete solutions for general science education and continuing education in technology, engineering, and natural sciences. In the first half of 2015, Getronics nearly completed the integration of NEC’s activities in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal, which had been acquired at the end of 2013, and deepened the strategic cooperation with R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 19 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT the partners of the Getronics Workspace Alliance. As a result of the growth program “Customer first,” Getronics acquired prestigious new customers from all over the world. G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT FIDELIS HR In this year’s customer satisfaction study by Whitelane Research, Getronics was awarded 1st place in the category of “IT End User Services” and 3rd place in the overall ranking, from a field of 26 IT service providers, including Atos, HP, and Accenture. Getronics expects that the market environment will continue to be challenging in 2015. The company’s efforts are mainly focused on generating sustainable growth through the ongoing, focused implementation of the “Customer first” program. Concrete goals of this program include the further standardization of services and increased efficiency. The complete operational Integration of IDS Getronics, Telvent Global Services, and Connectis Consulting Services creates valuable synergy, efficiency, and growth effects for Getronics. Getronics will continue to be an active player in the market consolidation process. The company plans to increase both revenues and earnings over the respective prior-year figures. STUDIENKREIS GROUP Acquired by AURELIUS at the start of 2013, the Studienkreis Group headquartered in Bochum is one of Europe’s largest private-sector education providers. In roughly 1,000 locations around Germany, the company offers professional tutoring services to students in elementary school to high school. Founded more than 40 years ago, the Studienkreis Group has assisted well more than a million students to date, making it one of the leading providers in the growing segment of tutoring services. Current developments The market for professional tutoring services in which the Studienkreis Group operates was stable in the first half of 2015. The market has been positively influenced by the intense debate regarding G8 or G9 in secondary schools and the reinstatement of the G9 rules by some federal states. In addition to the growing willingness to seek out professional tutoring services as an integral element of primary and secondary school education, parents are also increasingly interested in supplementary services such as online tutoring. In the first half of 2015, the company successfully introduced immediate online assistance and the self-learning portal as a new offering for all Studienkreis customers. The immediate online assistance service, which is billed by the minute, allows for quick, spontaneous exchanges with professional tutors via chat or video-conferencing. In addition, all Studienkreis customers can access a large selection of learning videos and work materials for independent learning at home. The efforts underway since 2014 to open new locations, both company-owned and franchises, have begun to yield positive results. New locations made a substantive contribution to the business growth of Studienkreis in the first half of 2015. To support the effectiveness of the business expansion, the company will intensify its sales activities and adapt its sales structure in the second half of 2015. 20 I R EP O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R Würzburg-based fidelis HR offers customers in the German-speaking countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland full-range HR outsourcing services, from payroll accounting to human resources administration, digital personnel files, job applicant management, application management (SAP, P&I LOGA, Fidelis.Personal), hosting, self-service and workflow management, internal control systems (ICS) and quality monitoring. More than 6,000 companies with 1,000,000 employees, including large corporations, public-sector institutions and even small companies, have placed their trust in the market leader Fidelis HR. The company provides its services and customer support from within the customer’s country. For operating its software solutions in Germany, it utilizes the highly secure data centers of Fujitsu TDS GmbH in Neckarsulm and Neuenstadt (Baden-Württemberg). Current developments In the first half of 2015, fidelis HR focused on the rigorous implementation of numerous projects to improve internal service structures and expand the company’s market position, including (for example) the optimization of the organizational structure and production processes. In addition, new staff was appointed to fill key management functions and highly experienced executives were recruited for positions in production and sales. The reorganization of the Service Center to reduce the handling time for customer inquiries met with a positive response among customers. In the area of application support, a new organizational and management structure was established in order to respond more quickly and efficiently to customer demands. In the last two years, the company has been working hard to improve sales structures and increase market visibility. The company also entered into important partnerships and add-on products to supplement the existing portfolio were developed to the point of being ready for market introduction. Fidelis HR has received a considerably higher number of inquiries from prospective new customers and disposes of a strong sales pipeline, particularly in terms of add-on products. In the course of this year, numerous expiring contracts with regular customers were renewed and more than 20 new contracts were concluded with reference customers. Furthermore, a BPO full outsourcing agreement concluded with a prestigious major bank was the biggest new customer acquisition since the company was purchased by AURELIUS. The decisive factor was the bank’s confidence in the company’s capabilities; price was only a secondary factor for this customer. In summary, it can be noted that the cost-side and sales-side measures implemented by AURELIUS since the acquisition are increasingly yielding positive results. In particular, these measures have led to a significant improvement in profitability, leading in turn to increased opportunities for action. RE PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 21 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT BRIGHTONE With about 550 employees in Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland, brightONE provides forward-looking technology development and trailblazing consulting services in the field of cross-sector information and communications technology. The company identifies innovative potentials of ICT technologies and concepts, develops customer-specific application and solution approaches on this basis, and implements them in the form of state-of-the-art solutions. brightONE employs its cross-sector expertise accumulated over many years of experience working with banks and insurance companies, energy companies and utilities, automotive companies, hi-tech/ manufacturing companies, telecommunication network operators and providers of IT services, to open up new business opportunities and market access for its customers. The company, which the AURELIUS Group acquired in mid-2013, has more than 30 years of experience in IT/ICT consulting and system integration. Current developments After the successful integration of the newly acquired Telenet GmbH and the carve-out of the consulting firm in 2014, the two German companies brightONE Consulting GmbH and brightONE GmbH acquired new customers and successfully expanded their business dealings with existing customers in all areas in the first half of 2015. Particularly noteworthy successes were the expansion of the multi-channel platform at Unicredit Direct Services in connection with the roll-out of the bank online branches, and the integration of brightONE’s SocialCOM software at Telefonica. A number of specific marketing measures were implemented to further strengthen the company’s market position. The cooperation with the highest-sales partners Interactive Intelligence and Genesys was further strengthened through the identification of shared focus customers and market segments and through integrated marketing planning and cooperation. The company’s successful participation in leading industry trade fairs, its participation as a partner in high-level industry-specific events (including the Strategy Circle Telecom and Energy), and the solution-oriented focus of the brightONE and SocialCOM websites can be credited to the consistent optimization of market and customer communication instruments. brightONE acquired several prestigious new customers in Germany, including BMW Financial Service, Combitel/ Versicherungskammer Bayern, Hella Aglaia Mobile Vision, and RWE Gaswerke in the first half of 2015. Longterm contracts promising great potential were signed in some of these cases. The demand for software development and system integration services in the brightONE development centers in Poland rose considerably in the first half. At the start of 2015, moreover, the Polish brightONE subsidiary acquired a prestigious customer in the aerospace segment, thereby achieving the planned direct entry into the fast-growing Polish market. 22 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT AKAD UNIVERSITY With its main headquarters in Stuttgart, AKAD University is an innovative distance learning institution offering government-accredited degrees and continuing education courses. With more than 60,000 successful graduates since 1959, AKAD is one of the pioneers in private-sector education in Germany. AKAD University offers 63 bachelor degree, master degree and certificate programs aimed primarily at working professionals looking to advance their careers. Acquired by AURELIUS in April 2014, AKAD University holds a strong position as a leading provider in the market of private distance universities and enjoys an excellent reputation among employers in particular. Current developments The German distance learning market is being influenced by different societal trends. First, many professions require an academic degree in order for workers to even be considered for promotions or managerial positions. Therefore, AKAD offers bachelor programs as the first academic degree after a vocational training program, but it also offers more advanced courses of study on the master degree level, for which prior academic study is a necessary prerequisite. Second, the trend of digitalization is fueling growing demand for experts and managers who think in cross-disciplinary terms, who can seize and capitalize on the opportunities of “big data’ and Industry 4.0 for their respective companies. Distance learning institutions are benefitting from the resulting demand for lifelong learning, as evidenced by the fact that the ten biggest distance learning universities in Germany registered a nearly 10 % increase in the number of enrolled students from the winter semester 2013/14 to the winter semester 2014/15. In the first half of 2015, AKAD University pressed forward with the comprehensive restructuring program that was initiated in late 2014. At that time, several universities and locations were closed and their offerings centralized at the university in Stuttgart. At the start of 2015, AKAD opened 32 examination centers all across Germany within a short time. At the same time, it introduced a new study program model, one that satisfies the need of working professionals for flexible, personalized, and efficient learning. In connection with these changes, AKAD’s efforts at the start of 2015 were particularly focused on optimizing its operational processes, upgrading the online platform “AKAD Campus,” and developing three new study programs in the fields of Business & Management and Technology & Informatics, which will begin in September 2015. In the second half of 2015, AKAD will devote its efforts to the further optimization of student support, quality management, the further development and expansion of its e-learning formats, and the development of three new study programs for 2016. Marketing activities will be strongly focused on online marketing and the expansion of sales partnerships with commercial and industrial enterprises, accompanied by the further expansion of the AKAD College of Continuing Education. R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 23 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT PUBLICITAS Publicitas is a leading advertising marketer with its main headquarters in Zurich (Switzerland), which is represented in more than 20 countries around the world. Thanks to its cross-media portfolio comprising more than 8,000 ad offerings in Switzerland and other countries, Publicitas gives advertisers and agencies the ability to place their advertising message precisely where it will reach their target groups. The company was founded in 1855. Today, roughly 700 employees handle media placements in the best-known daily newspapers, luxury magazines, outdoor advertising, TV and radio stations, as well as mobile and digital platforms, in more than 100 countries. Publicitas has been a member of the AURELIUS Group since June 2014. Current developments Publicitas operates in a very challenging market and industry environment. The growing reach of digitalization in all areas of life has cut into the traditional print business of daily newspapers and magazines, as print media are increasingly being replaced by digital media. Publishing houses are grappling with sharp revenue and profit declines every year. As one example of the problems they face, revenues from ad placements such as help-wanted ads and classifieds, which had been an important source of earnings in the past, have all but dried up today. Given the expectation that the print market will continue to shrink, Publicitas has placed a high priority on expanding its digital activities. The company’s efforts to sharpen its media portfolio are centered on building up digital products and capabilities, expanding the TV portfolio, and launching a digital and TV sales initiative. Under this campaign, Publicitas will exclusively market video and mobile products worldwide. The company continues to rigorously pursue the strategy of increasingly automated planning, booking, and fulfillment of ad placements in all types of media. Regional shared service centers are being established for accounting, order fulfillment, and other administrative processes. Moreover, the company will introduce a globally integrated software program by the end of this year. As it pursued these measures, 2015 was a year of business consolidation for Publicitas. The company anticipates considerable growth in the digital sector. G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT B+P GERÜSTBAU Based in Wandlitz/Berlin, B+P Gerüstbau is the leading scaffold builder and construction site services provider in Berlin-Brandenburg. The company offers its customers a comprehensive range of construction site services, including scaffold building of all kinds, elevator and height access equipment, winter heating equipment, and constructions logistics management and planning. Besides being essential for any construction work, these services also make an important contribution to occupational safety on work sites. Aside from various smaller and medium-size projects in residential and commercial construction, the company focuses on large-scale monument protection and infrastructure projects. As part of a long-term succession plan, AURELIUS Mittelstands kapital acquired a majority interest in B+P Gerüstbau, effective September 30, 2014. Current developments Driven by the consistently strong economy, residential and commercial construction is stable at the present time. The IFO Business Climate Index of June 2015 showed a third consecutive monthly improvement for the main construction trades. While the assessment of the current situation deteriorated somewhat, future expectations brightened notably. Accordingly, there is strong demand for the services offered by B+P Gerüstbau. Thanks to the mild winter, the company generated good revenues already in the winter and spring of this year, although the major projects scheduled for the Pergamon Museum and the Berliner Schloss/ Humboldtforum were delayed again. Work on these major projects recommenced in May, leading to considerably more b usiness and additional sub-orders. Capacity utilization has been good since the beginning of 2015. The spectacular project to erect scaffolding around the Pergamon Museum and install a new roof is now proceeding at full steam. Following the successful completion of the integration into AURELIUS in February, B+P Gerüstbau is currently focusing on attaining the strategic objective of transregional growth. After intensive preparatory work to identify promising growth regions, the company contacted and entered into talks with various add-on candidates. Concurrently, the organization is being prepared for the new growth phase by adapting personnel structures and investing in new materials and equipment. With regard to the second half of 2015, B+P Gerüstbau is completely on track to attain its full-year targets, both in terms of revenues and earnings. Therefore, the Management is confident that it will meet these targets. 24 I R EP O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 25 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT RETAIL & CONSUMER PRODUCTS SEGMENT (R&P) BERENTZEN GROUP G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT established brands did not match the respective year-ago figures, although unit sales increased further in the focus market of Turkey. The segment of alcohol-free beverages generated lower sales in a modestly contracting overall market. The revenues generated in the new franchise bottling of the Sinalco Group’s beverage brands, which began at the start of January 2015, remained below expectations. On the other hand, unit sales of the Group’s own soft drinks and regional mineral water products were generally stable. As the flagship product leading the expansion of national sales, the trend product “Mio Mio Mate” registered considerable growth. The Berentzen Group is one of the leading beverage groups in Germany. It is also one of Germany’s oldest liquor producers, with a company history that goes back more than 250 years. The preferred share of Berentzen- Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft is listed in the General Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE0005201636). In addition to well-known international brands like “Berentzen” and “Puschkin,” Berentzen’s brand portfolio also includes traditional German spirits like “Strothmann”, “Doornkaat,” “Bommerlunder,” and “Hansen Rum.” Furthermore, the Berentzen Group’s internationally competitive liquor brands are represented in nearly fifty countries of the word. Sales and distribution are handled by the Group’s own subsidiaries and by distributors. The Berentzen Group’s first-half operating result rose to EUR 2.5 million (PY: EUR 1.0 million). In mid-July, holders of the Group’s preferred and common shares agreed to the Management’s proposal to convert the exchange-listed preferred shares of the Berentzen Group into common shares, after which all common shares will be admitted for trading on the regulated market (General Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, where only the company’s preferred shares are currently traded. In addition, the Berentzen Group resolved to conduct a share buy-back program for a total volume of EUR 1.5 million. This program was launched in late July.The Berentzen Group anticipates a continuation of the appreciably positive development of earnings in the s econd half of financial year 2015. In addition, the subsidiary Vivaris Getränke GmbH & Co. KG has been a successful player in the German softdrink market for decades. The product assortment includes regionally important mineral water products and soft drinks, as well as modern trend beverages. A second mainstay business is franchise bottling, a segment in which the Group has been active for more than 50 years. SCHOLL FOOTWEAR Acquired by Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft in financial year 2014, the company T M P Technic-Marketing- Products GmbH, which is based in Linz, Austria, is a globally active supplier of fruit presses for the production of fresh-pressed fruit juices, namely orange juice, which has successfully operated in the market of fruit juice systems, particularly including orange juice presses, for more than two decades. By means of this acquisition, which adds the new segment of fruit juice systems to the Group’s business activities, the Berentzen Group improved the strategic balance of its portfolio by extending its reach into modern, health-oriented markets, where additional growth opportunities can be exploited. Current developments Core developments in the Berentzen Group’s traditional core business were the further revitalization of the home market of liquor products, the selective focus on only a few international activities and the corresponding reduction of associated risks, and a reduction of the Group’s dependence on substitutable store-brand products. In the segment of alcohol-free beverages, the Group proceeded with the permanent conversion of its franchise bottling operations to produce the beverage brands of the Sinalco Group. The globally expanding new Group company T M P / Citrocasa also produced impressive results. In the first six months of being affiliated with the Berentzen Group, the young segment of fruit juice systems reported a pronounced increase in unit sales of all system components and made a substantive contribution to the Group’s results. The segment generated growth not only in its home market of Austria, but also in international markets such as Poland, for example. Scholl Footwear is a long established manufacturer of shoes offering a high degree of comfort, which sells its shoes in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. In Europe, the company’s shoes are mainly sold in pharmacies and medical supply stores. In Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, they are also sold in shoe stores. Scholl Footwear enjoys very widespread brand recognition of up to 80 percent in its main markets. At the present time, Italy, France, Thailand, and Malaysia are considered to be the most important markets for Scholl Footwear. The company has positioned itself as the “expert for comfortable shoes.” Design and development for Europe and the Middle East are conducted in Italy; Australia and Asia have their own development centers. Current developments One year after the acquisition by the AURELIUS Group, Scholl Footwear is pursuing a course of expansion. Scholl comfort shoes are now available in Germany again. The introduction of the 2015 summer collection was supported by a newly recruited sales partner. Scholl shoes are being sold in India and adjacent countries under a new long-term licensing agreement with Bata, a globally active, well-known consumer goods company. Since May 2015, moreover, Scholl products can be purchased in the company’s own online shops in Germany, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. The six-digit sales revenue generated after only a few weeks proves the online sales potential of Scholl Footwear. The basis for the company’s current operations was the successful global carve-out of the shoe business from the seller’s structures (IT systems, office locations, etc.) after the acquisition. In the segment of liquor brands in Germany, the comparison with the sales numbers for the first half of 2014 suffers from the higher level of unit sales generated in connection with the World Soccer Cup last year. By contrast, unit sales of store brands and private-label brands rose again in the first half of 2015, thanks to an improved offering structure and a competitive cost structure. In the segment of international liquor brands, sales of some of the 26 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 27 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE, CASH FLOWS, AND FINANCIAL POSITION Financial performance The consolidated revenues of the AURELIUS Group rose by 25 percent to EUR 932.7 million in the first half of 2015 (H1 2014: EUR 748.6 million). This increase resulted mainly from the portfolio companies acquired in the second half of financial year 2014, which have now been fully consolidated for the first time. The determining date for the initial consolidation or inclusion of a subsidiary in the consolidated financial statements is the closing date of the transaction, because that is when AURELIUS first attains full control over the acquired company. The revenues and earnings of the subsidiaries acquired during the year are only included in the consolidated financial statements from the date of initial consolidation. Thus, they are included for only part of the year. In the first half of 2015, two corporate groups were fully consolidated for the first time. The European activities of the Tavex Group, a manufacturer of high-quality denim fabrics for prestigious jeans producers in Southern and Central Europe, were acquired as of the transaction closing date of April 30, 2015. In April 2015, moreover, AURELIUS acquired the Solid Board and Printed Cardboard Division of the Smurfit Kappa Group (today: Solidus Solutions), with production facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. These activities have been consolidated in the AURELIUS Group since May 31, 2015. Finally, AURELIUS purchased the remaining 21.9 percent of equity in the international IT consulting firm Getronics from the Dutch Royal KPN in June 2015. In accordance with the regulations of IFRS 8, every subsidiary is assigned to one of the segments Industrial Production, Services & Solutions, and Retail & Consumer Products, for segment reporting purposes. Please refer to Note 4 of the notes to the consolidated financial statements for the key figures of the individual segments. Other operating income rose by 8 percent to EUR 98.9 million (H1 2014: EUR 91.4 million). This item includes income from the reversal of negative goodwill (bargain purchase income) in the amount of EUR 65.4 million (H1 2014: EUR 43.6 million), from the acquisitions of the European activities of the Tavex Group and the Solid Board and Printed Cardboard Division of the Smurfit Kappa Group. It was not possible to finally complete the fair value measurement upon initial consolidation of these two acquisitions. For this reason, only provisional values are presented within the income from reversal of negative goodwill in the first half of 2015. Purchased goods and services rose by 13 percent to EUR 449.7 million (H1 2014: EUR 398.0 million). Thus, the ratio of purchased goods and services to revenues came to 48 percent in the first half of 2015 (H1 2014: 53 %). Personnel expenses rose by 27 percent to EUR 310.6 million (H1 2014: EUR 244.3 million). The ratio of personnel expenses to revenues was 33 percent, unchanged from the corresponding ratio for the first half of last year. Other operating expenses rose by 48 percent to EUR 167.9 million (H1 2014: EUR 113.6 million). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to EUR 108.6 million (H1 2014: EUR 92.5 million), reflecting an increase of 17 percent. Amortization and depreciation of intangible assets and property, plant, and equipment rose by 12 percent to EUR 42.0 million (H1 2014: EUR 37.6 million). Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 21 percent to EUR 66.6 million (H1 2014: EUR 54.9 million). BRIGHTONE I ESCHBORN I GERMANY R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 29 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT At negative EUR 7.8 million, net financial expenses were slightly less than the corresponding figure for the first half of last year (H1 2014: EUR -8.6 million). Income taxes amounted to EUR 1.0 million (H1 2014: EUR -6.4 million). The profit from continuing operations rose substantially by 50 percent to EUR 59.9 million (H1 2014: EUR 39.9 million). The result from discontinued operations amounted to EUR -0.07 million in the first half of 2015 (H1 2014: EUR 18.0 million). In total, AURELIUS generated a consolidated profit after taxes of EUR 59.8 million, that being slightly higher than the year-ago figure (H1 2014: EUR 57.9 million). Diluted earnings per share amounted to EUR 1.91 (H1 2014: EUR 1.79). Financial position and cash flows As of the reporting date of June 30, 2015, the total assets of the AURELIUS Group amounted to EUR 1,661.5 million, as compared to EUR 1,454.9 million as of December 31, 2014, reflecting an increase of 14 percent. The changes in the various items of the statement of financial position resulted mainly from changes in the group of companies included in consolidation, including the initial consolidation of the new portfolio companies acquired in the first half. Noncurrent assets rose by 33 percent to EUR 610.7 million, representing 37 percent of total assets (December 31, 2014: EUR 458.5 million or 32 % of total assets). Intangible assets in the amount of EUR 133.1 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 128.5 million) were mainly composed of trademarks, industrial property rights, orders on hand, technologies, capitalized research and development expenses, and customer relationships. The property, plant, and equipment of EUR 430.0 million were 41 percent higher than the corresponding figure at year-end 2014 (December 31, 2014: EUR 306.0 million). At EUR 3.6 million, financial assets were slightly higher than the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 3.5 million). Deferred tax assets rose significantly by 114 percent to EUR 44.0 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 20.6 million). As of the reporting date of June 30, 2015, current assets amounted to EUR 1,050.8 million, representing 63 percent of total assets (December 31, 2014: EUR 996.4 million or 68 % of total assets). Inventories amounted to EUR 201.4 million, reflecting an increase of 38 percent over the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 146.4 million). Trade receivables rose by 24 percent to EUR 383.3 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 309.4 million). Current income tax assets rose significantly by 90 percent to EUR 11.2 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 5.9 million). Other financial assets declined by 36 percent to EUR 42.1 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 65.5 million). Other assets rose by 39 percent to EUR 178.6 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 128.7 million). At EUR 233.2 million, cash and cash equivalents were considerably less than the corresponding figure at the end of 2014 (December 31, 2014: EUR 328.4 million), mainly due to the dividend payment of EUR 62.8 million. G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT Noncurrent financial liabilities rose by 7 percent to EUR 133.0 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 124.4 million). Liabilities under finance leases amounted to EUR 20.8 million, reflecting an increase of 43 percent over the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 14.5 million). Other noncurrent financial liabilities rose by 7 percent to EUR 59.6 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 55.7 million). The deferred tax liabilities of EUR 92.2 million were 28 percent higher than the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 71.8 million). At EUR 802.9 million, current liabilities were 24 percent higher than the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 647.2 million). Current provisions rose by 13 percent to EUR 29.7 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 26.3 million). The current financial liabilities of EUR 81.6 million were considerably higher, by 104 percent, than the corresponding figure at year-end 2014 (December 31, 2014: EUR 40.0 million). Liabilities under finance leases were unchanged at EUR 2.1 million. Trade payables amounted to EUR 310.3 million, reflecting an increase of 12 percent over the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 277.5 million). Income tax liabilities rose slightly by 2 percent to EUR 6.9 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 6.8 million). Derivative financial instruments were unchanged at EUR 0.2 million. The liquor tax liabilities of EUR 32.2 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 23.4 million) pertain exclusively to the Berentzen Group. Cash flows In the first half of 2015, the AURELIUS Group’s cash flow from operating activities was negative, at EUR -12.9 million (June 30, 2014: EUR 39.4 million). The decrease from the year-ago figure resulted exclusively from changes in working capital. The cash flow from investing activities was likewise negative, at EUR -32.8 million (June 30, 2014: EUR -7.0 million). This figure includes cash outflows totaling EUR 4.5 million for the companies acquired in the first half of 2014 (June 30, 2014: EUR 1.9 million), as well as cash acquired upon the acquisition of companies in the amount of EUR 10.1 million (June 30, 2014: EUR 31.8 million). This figure also includes cash inflows from sales of non current assets and cash outflows for investments in noncurrent assets. The free cash flow of EUR -45.7 million was well below the corresponding year-ago figure (June 30, 2014: EUR 46.4 million). The negative cash flow from financing activities in the amount of EUR -56.6 million (June 30, 2014: EUR -30.3 million) includes the borrowing of current financial liabilities in the amount of EUR 3.8 million (June 30, 2014: EUR 17.9 million) and the repayment of noncurrent financial liabilities in the amount of EUR 4.6 million (June 30, 2014: EUR 15.1 million). Furthermore, a dividend of EUR 62.8 million was paid to the shareholders of AURELIUS AG in June 2015 (2014: EUR 33.3 million). As of the reporting date of June 30, 2015, cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 233.2 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 328.4 million). As of June 30, 2015, the equity of the AURELIUS Group amounted to EUR 387.4 million, little changed from the comparison figure at year-end 2014 (December 31, 2014: EUR 380.5 million). This corresponds to an equity ratio of 23 percent (December 31, 2014: 26 %). Noncurrent liabilities rose by 10 percent to EUR 471.2 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 427.2 million), and accounted for 28 percent of the balance sheet total (December 31, 2014: 29 %). At EUR 133.0 million, noncurrent pension obligations were 7 percent higher than the comparison figure (December 31, 2014: EUR 123.8 million). Provisions declined by 13 percent to EUR 29.2 million (December 31, 2014: EUR 33.6 million). 30 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 31 G R O U P I N T E R I M M A N A G E M E N T R E P O RT Employees Compared to the end of 2014 (December 31, 2014: 12,442), the number of employees working in the AURELIUS Group had risen to 12,955 at the reporting date of June 30, 2015. This number included 9,446 salaried employees and 3,509 industrial workers. Important events after the reporting date In early July 2015, AURELIUS announced the acquisition of Regain Polymers Holding Limited, based in Allerton Bywater (Yorkshire), United Kingdom, from Chamonix Private Equity. Regain is the leading reprocesser and recycler of hard plastic waste in the United Kingdom. It works for customers in the sectors of automotive, environment, gardening, packaging, and plant engineering. The range of offered products includes polymers like high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), talc-filled polypropylene (PPT), and polystyrene (PS). The company’s seven extrusion lines have a total annual capacity of approximately 46,000 tons. The company also has two washing lines and a materials sorting line with an annual capacity of 28,000 tons, in which foreign materials like paper, metal, and dirt are removed before reprocessing. Also in July, AURELIUS acquired Transform Medical Group Limited, the leading provider of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures in the United Kingdom. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price secret. Founded in 1974, Transform today operates 27 clinics in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as two specialty cosmetic clinics in Manchester and London. Through its own partner network, Transform has access to other clinics in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and southeast England. Over the years, Transform has become known throughout the industry for clinical excellence, the highest quality, and an offering of services tailored to patients’ needs and wishes. Transform’s integrated model allows for complete patient treatment from the initial inquiry to post-operative after-care. After being announced in February 2015, the acquisition of the European Crafts Division from the British company Coats plc was successfully completed on July 31, 2015. The European Crafts Division of Coats is the leading supplier of handicraft products in Europe, with a history that dates back more than 250 years. The acquisition includes the headquarters and warehouse located in Germany, as well as the production facility in Hungary and subsidiaries in 18 countries of Europe. The transaction covers the following brands in Europe: Schachenmayr, Patons, Regia, Rowan Yarns, Milward, Puppets, Corona, Self Casa, Tre Cerchi, and Royal Paris. Other brands like “Make it Coats” and the content of the European websites are marketed by AURELIUS under a licensing and sales agreement. 32 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R B+P GERÜSTBAU I BERLIN I GERMANY CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CONSOLIDATED INTERIM FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME of AURELIUS AG for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2015 Continued in kEUR Notes 1/1/ - 6/30/2015 1/1/ - 6/30/2014 Continuing operations Revenues 2.1 2.2 932,730 748,551 5,292 8,594 Shareholders of the parent company Non-controlling interests 98,891 91,372 -449,743 -398,035 -310,632 -244,314 Shareholders of the parent company -167,945 -113,640 Non-controlling interests Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) 108,593 92,528 Amortization and depreciation of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment -41,953 -37,637 Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) 66,640 54,891 480 356 -8,257 -8,944 Purchased goods and services Personnel expenses Other operating expenses Other interest and similar income Interest and similar expenses 2.3 Net financial income/expenses -7,777 -8,588 Earnings before taxes (EBT) from ordinary activities 58,863 46,303 996 -6,420 59,859 39,883 -69 17,968 59,790 57,851 Foreign exchange differences 10,280 538 Comprehensive income/loss 70,070 58,389 Income taxes Profit/loss after taxes from continuing operations 1/1/ - 6/30/2015 1/1/ - 6/30/2014 59,956 56,726 -166 1,125 70,236 57,264 -166 1,125 1.91 1.79 –/– 0.57 1.91 2.36 1.91 1.79 –/– 0.57 1.91 2.36 Share of period profit/loss attributable to Change in inventories of finished and semi-finished goods Other operating income in kEUR Share of comprehensive income/loss attributable to Earnings per share Basic earnings per share in EUR From continuing operations From discontinued operations Total from continuing and discontinued operations Diluted earnings per share in EUR From continuing operations From discontinued operations Total from continuing and discontinued operations Discontinued operations Profit/loss from discontinued operations Consolidated profit/loss Other comprehensive income/expenses (affecting expense or income in the future) 34 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 35 CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME of AURELIUS AG for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2015 Continued in kEUR Notes 4/1/ - 6/30/2015 4/1/ - 6/30/2014 Continuing operations Revenues 2.1 2.2 498,790 386,646 -2,456 -4,473 77,437 42,524 -234,528 -195,077 -160,534 -126,099 -85,953 -58,095 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) 92,756 45,426 Amortization and depreciation of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment -22,031 -21,174 Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) 70,725 24,252 24 90 Interest and similar expenses -4,345 -4,082 Net financial income/expenses -4,321 -3,992 Earnings before taxes (EBT) from ordinary activities 66,404 20,260 88 -1,528 66,492 18,732 -39 -527 66,453 18,205 Foreign exchange differences 7,287 128 Comprehensive income/loss 73,740 18,333 Purchased goods and services Personnel expenses Other operating expenses Other interest and similar income Income taxes Profit/loss after taxes from continuing operations 4/1/ - 6/30/2015 4/1/ - 6/30/2014 64,529 17,080 1,924 1,125 71,816 17,208 1,924 1,125 2.06 0.54 Share of period profit/loss attributable to Change in inventories of finished and semi-finished goods Other operating income in kEUR 2.3 Shareholders of the parent company Non-controlling interests Share of comprehensive income/loss attributable to Shareholders of the parent company Non-controlling interests Earnings per share Basic earnings per share in EUR From continuing operations From discontinued operations Total from continuing and discontinued operations –/– 0.03 2.06 0.57 2.06 0.54 –/– 0.03 2.06 0.57 Diluted earnings per share in EUR From continuing operations From discontinued operations Total from continuing and discontinued operations Discontinued operations Profit/loss from discontinued operations Consolidated profit/loss Other comprehensive income/expenses (affecting expense or income in the future) 36 I R EP O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 37 CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION of Aurelius AG at June 30, 2015 Continued EQUITY & LIABILITIES ASSETS in kEUR Notes 6/30/2015 12/31/2014 Intangible assets 3.1 133,086 128,473 Property, plant and equipment 3.1 430,037 306,012 Financial assets 3.1 3,553 3,477 44,030 20,562 610,706 458,524 Total noncurrent assets Inventories 201,397 146,428 Trade receivables 383,305 309,442 11,175 5,862 34 38 42,128 65,462 Other assets 178,589 128,727 Cash and cash equivalents 233,207 328,425 Derivative financial instruments Other financial assets Noncurrent assets held for sale Subscribed capital Additional paid-in capital 997 12,021 Total current assets 1,050,832 996,404 Total current assets 1,661,538 1,454,928 31,520 47,897 52,093 -38,307 Retained earnings 312,726 301,621 Share of equity attributable to shareholders of AURELIUS AG 358,873 346,928 Non-controlling interests 28,565 33,617 387,438 380,545 133,024 123,848 29,161 33,574 Noncurrent liabilities Pension obligations Provisions Financial liabilities 133,041 124,395 Liabilities under finance leases 20,774 14,497 Other financial liabilities 59,601 55,690 Derivative financial instruments 3,362 3,362 92,193 71,843 471,156 427,210 715 718 Provisions 29,747 26,318 Financial liabilities 81,595 39,992 Deferred tax liabilities Total noncurrent liabilities Current liabilities Pension obligations 2,145 2,101 310,341 277,448 6,909 6,766 182 180 Liquor tax liabilities 32,246 23,425 Other financial liabilities 17,892 18,442 321,143 251,717 28 67 802,943 647,174 1,661,538 1,454,928 Trade payables Current income tax liabilities Derivative financial instruments Other liabilities Noncurrent liabilities held for sale Total current liabilities Total equity and liabilities R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R 31,400 -33,150 Liabilities under finance leases 38 I 12/31/2014 Other reserves Total equity Current assets Current income tax assets 6/30/2015 Equity Noncurrent assets Deferred tax assets in kEUR R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 39 CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY of AURELIUS AG for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2014 of AURELIUS AG for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2015 97,273 –/– –/– –/– –/– 97,273 3,552 100,825 Consolidated equity –/– Non-controlling interests Consolidated profit/loss for the period Share of equity attributable to the owners of AURELIUS –/– Comprehensive net income 31,520 52,093 301,621 –/– –/– -38,361 54 346,928 33,617 380,545 –/– –/– 59,956 –/– –/– –/– –/– 59,956 -166 59,790 Cash flow hedges, net of taxes –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– Remeasurement IAS 19 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– Foreign exchange differences –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– 10,280 10,280 –/– 10,280 Comprehensive net income –/– –/– 59,956 –/– –/– –/– 10,280 70,236 -166 70,070 Currency changes –/– –/– 1,901 –/– –/– -4,154 –/– -2,253 92 -2,161 Dividends –/– –/– -62,800 –/– –/– –/– –/– -62,800 -630 -63,430 –/– –/– 12,047 –/– –/– -968 –/– 11,079 -4,348 6,731 -120 -4,196 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -4,316 –/– -4,316 January 1, 2015 Currency changes 367,316 Revaluations for defined benefit obligations 27,548 Available-for-sale securities 339,768 Cash flow hedges 136 Retained earnings, including net retained profits Consolidated equity 1,043 Share premium Non-controlling interests 571 Other Subscribed capital Share of equity attributable to the owners of AURELIUS -1,486 Currency changes 251,332 Revaluations for defined benefit obligations 56,492 Available-for-sale securities 31,680 Cash flow hedges Retained earnings, including net retained profits in kEUR Share premium January 1, 2014 Other Subscribed capital in kEUR Comprehensive net income Other profits and losses Consolidated profit/loss for the period Other profits and losses Cash flow hedges, net of taxes –/– –/– –/– 1,486 –/– –/– –/– 1,486 –/– 1,486 Fair-value measurement, net of taxes –/– –/– –/– –/– -571 –/– –/– -571 –/– -571 Remeasurement IAS 19 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -42,072 –/– -42,072 -1,506 -43,578 Foreign exchange differences –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -82 -82 –/– -82 Comprehensive net income –/– –/– 97,273 1,486 -571 -42,072 -82 56,034 2,046 58,080 Equity transactions with shareholders Equity transactions with shareholders Currency changes –/– –/– -2,237 –/– –/– -1,543 –/– -3,780 –/– -3,780 Dividends –/– –/– -33,264 –/– –/– –/– –/– -33,264 -3,925 -37,189 Changes in equity holdings in subsidiaries that did not result in a loss of control –/– –/– -4,922 –/– –/– -2,349 –/– -7,271 4,922 -2,349 Changes in equity holdings in subsidiaries that resulted in a loss of control Treasury shares Non-controlling interests due to business acquisitions December 31, 2014 40 I R EP O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R Changes in equity holdings in subsidiaries that did not lead to a loss of control Treasury shares Non-controlling interests due to business acquisitions –/– –/– -6,560 –/– –/– 6,560 –/– –/– –/– –/– -160 -4,399 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -4,559 –/– -4,559 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– 3,026 3,026 31,520 52,093 301,621 –/– –/– -38,361 54 346,928 33,617 380,545 June 30, 2015 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– 31,400 47,897 312,726 –/– –/– -43,483 10,333 358,875 28,565 387,438 R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 41 CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CO N S O L I DAT E D I N T E R I M F I N A N C I A L STAT E M E N T S CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS of AURELIUS AG for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2015 Continued in kEUR Earnings before taxes (EBT) Profit/(loss) from discontinued operations Reversal of bargain purchase gains arising on initial consolidation Gain (-) / loss (+) from deconsolidation 1/1/ - 6/30/2015 1/1/ - 6/30/2014 58,863 46,303 Cash receipts related to the acquisition of shares 10,106 31,801 –/– 15,054 –/– -15,054 Cash disbursements related to the sale of shares -15,780 20 -574 85 -9 Gain (-) / loss (+) from currency translation 2,459 -336 Financial result 7,776 8,588 513 89 Interest paid -2,954 -1,222 Income taxes paid -3,588 -2,517 Gross cash flow 31,453 31,518 –/– -8,442 1,129 2,718 Payments for investments in non-current assets -39,572 -32,211 Cash flow from investing activities -32,838 6,988 Free cash flow -45,745 46,356 Cash proceeds from the raising (+) / cash repayments (-) of short-term financial liabilities 3,777 17,917 Cash proceeds from the raising (+) / cash repayments (-) of long-term financial liabilities -4,634 -15,149 Cash proceeds from the raising (+) / cash repayments (-) of finance leases 6,319 874 Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment Sale (+) / purchase (-) of treasury shares Change in working capital Increase (-)/decrease (+) in inventories -6,874 11,800 Increase (-)/ decrease (+) in trade receivables and other receivables -3,225 8,777 -43,671 -26,444 Cash flow from operating activities (net cash flow) -1,932 Proceeds from sale of subsidiaries -8,237 Increase (+)/decrease (-) in other balance sheet items -4,501 17,968 Increase (+)/ decrease (-) in pension provisions and other provisions Increase (+)/ decrease (-) in trade payables and other liabilities Payments for the acquisition of shares in companies -43,575 37,637 Interest received 1/1/ - 6/30/2014 -69 41,953 Gain (-) / loss (+) from the sale of non-current financial assets 1/1/ - 6/30/2015 -65,368 Amortization of intangible assets and depreciation of property, plant and equipment Gain (-) / loss (+) from the sale of property, plant and equipment in kEUR 9,409 13,717 -12,907 39,368 Decrease (+) / increase (-) in restricted funds -686 -62,800 -33,264 Cash flow from financing activities -56,608 -30,308 12,181 -1,241 307,348 211,728 Other changes caused by currency and consolidation group effects Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period Change in cash and cash equivalents -102,353 16,048 Net funds from continuing operations at the end of the period 217,175 226,535 Cash shown on the balance sheet R EP O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R –/– 5,046 Dividend of AURELIUS AG Restricted cash 42 I -4,316 16,032 12,839 233,207 239,374 R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 43 S E L E C T E D N OT E S S E L E C T E D N OT E S 1. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1 Accounting policies The same recognition and measurement methods applied in the past fiscal year were also applied for the 2015 half-year financial statements. During the fiscal year, extraordinary expenses are only recognized as expenses or prepaid expenses if they would also be recognized as such in the annual financial statements. Items resulting from purchase price allocations are based on provisional financial statements. A final measurement is conducted as part of the process of preparing the annual financial statements. Telvent and Steria, the Getronics/Connectis Group is now on its way to becoming a leading provider in the ICT outsourcing market. It was not yet possible to finalize the fair value measurement in the context of initial consolidation for all of the acquisitions. For this reason, the income from reversal of negative goodwill shown in the present half-year financial statements are only preliminary. 1.2 Unusual events No significant events occurred that would have affected the Company’s assets, liabilities, equity, net profit for the period, or cash flows, and would have been unusual for AURELIUS AG’s business, based on their nature, extent or frequency. 1.3 Changes of estimates applied in prior financial statements There have been no changes of estimates applied in prior financial statements. 1.4 Changes in the consolidated group As of January 31, 2015, AURELIUS took over the European business of Tavex SA. This corporate group produces denim fabrics for prominent jeans producers, primarily in southern and western Europe. In 2014, 580 employees earned revenues of EUR 45 million and positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The European business focuses exclusively on producing high-quality denim fabrics. With this sale, the Brazilian parent company, Tavex SA, is consistently pursuing its strategic focus on its core business in South America. Tavex’s European business has its headquarters in Bergara, Spain. The central logistics center is likewise located in Spain. The company-owned production facility is located in Settat, Morocco. This plant has a production capacity of more than 17,000 kilometers of fabric per year. With closing on April 30, 2015, the AURELIUS Group acquired the solid board and printed cardboard business units of the Smurfit Kappa Group with production locations in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK. This transaction covers two factories for printed cardboard, one complete solid board production facility with two factories, as well as four processing plants. In the full year 2014, the division and its approximately 830 employees earned consolidated revenues of more than EUR 240 million and an EBITDA of EUR 14 million. It was agreed that financial details of the transaction will remain confidential. This is one of the leading companies in Europe for solid board and printed cardboard. AURELIUS intends to support it both financially and operationally. The solid board division primarily serves customers in the food and beverage industry. Heavier printed cardboard is used primarily as book covers as well as in puzzles and displays. The company has already been renamed Solidus Solutions. As of June 22, 2015, AURELIUS acquired the remaining 21.9 percent of the shares in Getronics from its former Dutch parent company KPN. Getronics has belonged to AURELIUS since 2012. Since the takeover, this international IT service provider has shown steady growth. Due to the successful integration of the AURELIUS IT subsidiaries IDS, 44 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 45 S E L E C T E D N OT E S S E L E C T E D N OT E S 2.1 Revenues in kEUR 2.2 Other operating income 1/1/ – 6/30/2015 1/1/ – 6/30/2014 Revenues from sales of goods 550,640 440,226 Income from reversal of negative goodwill Revenues from sales of services 366,621 294,277 Revenue from divestiture accounting Revenues from long-term construction contracts Total continuing operations Discontinued operations 15,469 14,048 932,730 748,551 in kEUR 1/1/ – 6/30/2015 1/1/ – 6/30/2014 65,368 43,575 –/– 15,084 3,954 2,058 853 521 Income from charging of costs to third parties 4,576 5,302 Income from exchange rate changes 9,116 1,908 Income from reversal of provisions Income from derecognition of liabilities –/– 55,462 932,730 804,013 4/1/ – 6/30/2015 4/1/ – 6/30/2014 Revenues from sales of goods 305,241 226,971 Miscellaneous other operating income 14,134 16,398 Revenues from sales of services 184,691 152,737 Total continuing operations 98,891 91,372 8,858 6,938 498,790 386,646 –/– 26,846 498,790 413,492 1/1/ – 6/30/2015 1/1/ – 6/30/2014 Germany 232,397 Europe – European Union Total revenues in kEUR Revenues from long-term construction contracts Total continuing operations Discontinued operations Total revenues Income from disposal of non-current assets 611 877 Income from claims for damage 276 5,649 Discontinued operations Total other operating income in kEUR Income from reversal of negative goodwill 17,157 108,529 4/1/ – 6/30/2015 4/1/ – 6/30/2014 65,368 27,634 Revenue from divestiture accounting –/– –/– 209,439 Income from reversal of provisions 583 845 460,601 367,938 Income from derecognition of liabilities 525 466 Europe – Other 51,084 17,522 2,367 2,912 Third countries 188,648 153,652 Income from exchange rate changes 491 1,936 Total continuing operations 932,730 748,551 Income from disposal of non-current assets 323 –/– –/– 55,462 Income from claims for damage 247 –/– 932,730 804,013 in kEUR Discontinued operations Total revenues Income from charging of costs to third parties Miscellaneous other operating income Total continuing operations in kEUR 4/1/ – 6/30/2015 4/1/ – 6/30/2014 Germany 139,172 104,617 Europe – European Union 229,432 183,629 Europe – Other 28,275 9,748 Third countries 101,911 88,652 Total continuing operations 498,790 386,646 –/– 26,846 498,790 413,492 Discontinued operations Total revenues 46 I 1 98,892 R E P O RT O F T H E F I R ST H A L F YEA R Discontinued operations Total other operating income 7,533 8,731 77,437 42,524 1 213 77,438 42,737 R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 47 S E L E C T E D N OT E S S E L E C T E D N OT E S 34,209 23,454 Marketing expenses and commissions 25,998 19,354 Administration 31,161 22,035 Consulting 14,926 10,918 Freight and transport costs 17,136 11,161 Office supplies 13,304 9,338 Expenses from exchange rate changes 11,575 1,572 Miscellaneous other operating expenses 19,636 15,808 167,945 113,640 66 18,402 168,011 132,042 Total continuing operations Discontinued operations Total other operating expenses in kEUR in kEUR Total Buildings and machinery Intangible Assets Down payments 1/1/ – 6/30/2014 Other intangible assets 1/1/ – 6/30/2015 Goodwill in kEUR 3.1 Assets analysis Franchises, industrial property rights, and similar rights and licenses 2.3 Other operating expenses Acquisition or production cost Balance at January 1, 2014 36,062 17,901 140,602 435 Discontinued operations 4,910 –/– 8,115 –/– 13,025 31,152 17,901 132,487 435 181,975 Changes in the consolidation group -3,675 5,447 3,504 1,071 6,347 Acquisitions 16,162 –/– 16,211 252 32,625 Disposals -1,311 –/– -4,368 -265 -5,944 130 Continuing operations 195,000 4/1/ – 6/30/2015 4/1/ – 6/30/2014 Buildings and machinery 18,146 11,423 Reclassifications 44 –/– 1,175 -1,089 Marketing expenses and commissions 13,453 9,296 Currency effects 10 –/– 636 –/– 646 Administration 18,504 11,642 42,382 23,348 149,644 404 215,779 8,258 6,221 Discontinued operations 10,447 5,827 Continuing operations 7,724 4,386 Changes in the consolidation group 563 1,174 Acquisitions 8,858 8,126 Disposals Consulting Freight and transport costs Office supplies Expenses from exchange rate changes Miscellaneous other operating expenses Total continuing operations Discontinued operations Total other operating expenses Balance at December 31, 2014 85,953 58,095 Reclassifications 36 1,827 Currency effects 85,989 59,922 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– 42,382 23,348 149,644 404 215,779 652 215 7,052 –/– 7,919 1,843 –/– 2,717 1,314 5,874 -686 –/– -243 –/– -929 266 –/– 319 -230 356 30 –/– 1,805 –/– 1,835 44,487 23,563 161,294 1,489 230,834 Balance at January 1, 2014 -24,167 -289 -59,963 –/– -84,419 Discontinued operations -4,962 –/– -7,519 –/– -12,481 -19,205 -289 -52,444 –/– -71,938 -5,106 –/– -17,084 9 -22,182 -176 –/– -738 –/– -914 Disposals 1,221 –/– 2,344 –/– 3,565 Write-ups –/– –/– 4,486 –/– 4,486 Currency effects –/– –/– -323 –/– -323 -23,266 -289 -63,759 9 -87,305 Balance at June 30, 2015 Amortization and impairments Continuing operations Acquisitions Impairments (IAS 36) Balance at December 31, 2014 Discontinued operations –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -23,266 -289 -63,759 9 -87,305 Additions -3,784 –/– -7,738 –/– -11,522 Disposals 559 –/– –/– –/– 559 Write-ups 5 –/– 1,725 –/– 1,730 Reclassifications 1 –/– -349 –/– -348 Continuing operations Currency effects -16 –/– -836 -9 -861 -26,500 -289 -70,958 –/– -97,748 Carrying amounts at December 31, 2014 19,116 23,059 85,885 413 128,473 Carrying amounts at June 30, 2015 17,987 23,274 90,336 1,489 133,086 Balance at June 30, 2015 48 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 49 S E L E C T E D N OT E S S E L E C T E D N OT E S in kEUR Balance at January 1, 2014 Discontinued operations Discontinued operations Continuing operations Changes in the consolidation group Acquisitions Disposals Total 11,891 11,891 –/– –/– Changes in group of consolidated entities 11,891 11,891 1,373 1,373 Disposals 3,011 3,011 -2,560 -2,560 31,558 94,135 221,166 49,597 13,796 410,252 –/– –/– 38 5,491 –/– 5,529 Reclassifications 25 25 13,796 404,723 Currency effects 1 1 13,741 13,741 –/– –/– 13,741 13,741 24 24 31,558 94,135 221,128 44,106 1,786 1,184 16,743 12,222 -584 31,351 Balance at December 31, 2014 –/– 1,608 22,620 11,365 14,112 49,706 Discontinued operations Continuing operations -472 -1,391 -11,376 -9,202 -1,808 -24,249 Reclassifications –/– 951 6,626 2,955 -10,661 -130 Currency effects 300 687 5,316 603 540 7,446 Additions –/– –/– 33,172 97,174 261,058 62,049 15,395 468,848 Disposals -3 -3 –/– –/– - /- –/– –/– –/– Reclassifications –/– –/– Continuing operations 33,172 97,174 261,058 62,049 15,395 468,848 Currency effects 59 59 Changes in the consolidation group 16,597 23,858 78,426 236 2,565 121,682 1,495 864 4,266 6,871 9,901 23,396 Balance at June 30, 2015 13,821 13,821 Disposals –/– -99 -7,368 -4,390 -4 -11,860 Reclassifications -11 -1,560 6,392 103 -7,573 -2,649 Currency effects 267 1,161 9,610 860 777 12,675 -8,377 -8,377 51,520 121,398 352,385 65,729 21,060 612,092 Balance at December 31, 2014 Discontinued operations Acquisitions Balance at June 30, 2015 Balance at January 1, 2014 Discontinued operations Continuing operations Acquisitions Impairments (IAS 36) Impairments Balance as at Jan. 1, 2014 Discontinued operations –/– –/– -8,377 -8,377 –/– –/– -1,901 -1,901 14 14 Reclassifications –/– –/– Currency effects –/– –/– -10,264 -10,264 –/– –/– -10,264 -10,264 -4 -4 Impairment (IAS 36) –/– –/– Disposals –/– –/– Continuing operations Impairment (IAS 36) -1,881 -17,379 -91,561 -23,458 -410 -134,689 –/– –/– -19 -3,807 –/– -3,826 -1,881 -17,379 -91,542 -19,651 -410 -130,863 -1 -5,668 -31,471 -12,195 –/– -49,335 -11 -1,404 -3,651 –/– –/– -5,066 Balance as at 31 Dec. 2014 Discontinued operations Disposals –/– 2,493 11,987 9,994 –/– 24,474 Reclassifications –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– Currency effects Changes in consolidation group Additions Depreciation and impairments Disposals Continuing operations Additions -158 -165 -1,671 -53 1 -2,046 -2,051 -22,123 -116,348 -21,905 -409 -162,836 –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– –/– -2,051 -22,123 -116,348 -21,905 -409 -162,836 Reclassifications –/– –/– –/– -2,765 -19,407 -6,259 –/– -28,431 Currency effects –/– –/– -1 -269 -997 -2 –/– -1,269 -10,268 -10,268 Disposals –/– 60 7,289 3,651 –/– 11,000 Write-ups –/– –/– 637 3 –/– 640 Reclassifications –/– 1,212 171 71 –/– 1,454 Carrying amounts at December 31, 2014 3,477 3,477 Currency effects -2 -136 -2,557 -56 140 -2,611 Carrying amounts at June 30, 2015 3,553 3,553 Balance at June 30, 2015 -2,053 -24,021 -131,212 -24,498 -269 -182,055 Carrying amounts at December 31, 2014 31,121 75,051 144,710 40,144 14,986 306,012 Carrying amounts at June 30, 2015 49,467 97,377 221,173 41,230 20,790 430,037 Balance at December 31, 2014 Discontinued operations Continuing operations Acquisitions Impairments (IAS 36) 50 I Continuing operations Acquisitions Acquisition or production cost Balance at January 1, 2014 Other financial assets Acquisition or production cost Total Down payments and assets under construction Other equipment, operational and office equipment Technical equipment, plant and machinery Land, leasehold rights in kEUR Financial Assets Buildings, including buildings on non-owned land Property, Plant and Equipment R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R Balance at June 30, 2015 R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 51 S E L E C T E D N OT E S S E L E C T E D N OT E S 4. S egment revenues, EBITDA and EBIT for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2015 in kEUR Revenues Discontinued Operations EBITDA Discontinued Operations EBIT Discontinued Operations Services & Solutions Industrial Production Retail & Consumer Products Other AURELIUS Group 388,615 376,739 –/– –/– 167,374 2 932,730 –/– –/– 3,876 97,028 –/– 11,069 -3,380 108,593 –/– –/– –/– -78 -78 -8,036 71,683 6,504 -3,511 66,640 –/– –/– –/– -78 -78 5. C ontingent liabilities, financial commitments and litigation The following significant contingent liabilities have been identified as of the reporting date of June 30, 2015: In order to secure any warranty or tax indemnification claims on the part of Indorama Ventures PCL in connection with that company’s acquisition of the Wellman Group at the end of 2011, Residuum Beteiligungs GmbH, a former subsidiary of AURELIUS AG, originally provided a bank guarantee issued by BayernLB in the amount of EUR 4.2 million, for which AURELIUS AG assumed joint liability. The guarantee was reduced to EUR 2.5 million at the end of fiscal year 2013. As a result of the retroactive merger of Residuum Beteiligungs GmbH into Aurelius AG in fiscal year 2012, Aurelius AG is now the sole obligor. In addition, AURELIUS AG provided a guarantee in connection with the sale of the Wellman Group limited to a period of five years in the amount of EUR 21.2 million, to cover any specific indemnification obligations of Residuum Beteiligungs GmbH (which was merged into Aurelius AG retroactively in fiscal year 2012) in connection with the liquidation of the pension scheme previously in place at Wellman. Also in this case, Aurelius AG is now the sole obligor by reason of the retroactive merger. Based on the insights gained since the sale, the Company considers it extremely unlikely that these guarantees will be enforced. Effective July 31, 2014, the AURELIUS Group sold its investment in Framochem Kft. in Hungary to VanDeMark Chemical Inc. through Isochem SAS. The purchaser demanded joint and several liability of AURELIUS AG for warranty and indemnification claims relating to the existence of the seller and of the target as well as ownership of the sold corporate shares and the target’s operating real estate in Hungary. The warranty or indemnification only covers claims that are registered within five years after closing. The warranty is limited to the amount of EUR 9,375 thousand. For all other warranties and claims, the joint liability only applies if they are registered within 18 months, and only up to a maximum amount of EUR 3,750 thousand. Based on existing information, the Company considers it extremely unlikely that these guarantees will be enforced. be managed by us, the probability of a claim is considered to be very low. In addition, AURELIUS AG has agreed to form a joint liability system with IDS Getronics and the companies belonging to the Getronics Group that are domiciled in Germany that is based on mutual liability of the companies for obligations or losses.The joint liability system shall be established within twelve months after the closing date and maintained in force for a least 24 months from establishment. If this is not implemented, then a non-recurring penalty for breach of contract has been agreed upon in the amount of EUR five million. The integration of IDS Getronics was already started upon the sale of the company to the Getronics Group. All further necessary steps have been initiated and will be concluded within the twelve months after the closing date. Therefore, AURELIUS AG assumes no utilization. Litigation The two companies Old BCA Ltd. and Book Club Trading Ltd. are exposed to the risk of continuing liability for pension obligations, which resulted from mistakes made in setting up the pension fund in the 1990s. The amount varies and could possibly reach an amount in the middle single-digit millions. The companies are currently conducting a rectification procedure before an English court to correct the mistakes made at the time. Because AURELIUS believes the chances for success are good, it has not recognized a provision to account for this particular risk, but instead only a provision for ongoing attorney costs. Claims for damages (arising from violations of anti-trust law by Danfoss) were asserted against SECOP in the low double-digit millions due to existing continuing liability. The company assumes that the claim is unfounded, since in its opinion no damage occurred. In addition, a recourse claim against Danfoss exists in the full amount. The company has created a provision for legal and consulting fees as a precaution. Also in connection with the cartel law violations committed by Danfoss, a lawsuit for an amount in the mid-range double-digit millions was filed against Secop GmbH before the High Court in London. However, neither Secop GmbH nor its legal successors existed as legal persons during the cartel period. Consequently, none of these companies participated actively in the cartel. Therefore, an eventual utilization of this provision is possible, but rather improbable. In connection with its general business activities, AURELIUS AG was a party to various legal disputes as of the reporting date, but none of them is to be considered material in terms of the risks or amounts involved. Effective September 30, 2014, AURELIUS concluded the acquisition of IDS Getronics (formerly Individual Desktop Solutions GmbH) through AURELIUS Initial Enhancement GmbH. The seller has granted an optimization subsidy to IDS Getronics upon completion of the transaction. The optimization subsidy is only to be used for specific circumstances and is subject to a lock-up period of 24 months. In this case, AURELIUS AG is liable along with the acquiring company for up to EUR 19,500 thousand. However, any payment by AURELIUS AG based on this joint liability can only be demanded by the seller and exclusively to the company, i.e., no direct joint liability of AURELIUS AG vis-à-vis the company is established by assuming this guarantee. Moreover, the liability of AURELIUS AG is limited to the amount of the optimization subsidy remaining (after partial consumption due to funds utilization according to a broad list of optimizations). Since the funds utilization is clearly defined and can 52 I R E P O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R E PO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 53 S E L E C T E D N OT E S I M P R I N T/ CO N TA C T 6. Significant events after the reporting date At the beginning of July 2015, AURELIUS announced the purchase of Regain Polymers Holding Limited with registered offices in Allerton Bywater (Yorkshire), UK from Chamonix Private Equity. Regain is the leading reprocessor and recycler of hard plastic waste in the UK. Clients come from the automotive, environmental, landscaping, packaging, and plant engineering and construction industries. The range of products comprises polymers such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), talc-filled polypropylene (PPT), and polystyrene (PS). Its seven extrusion plants have a total output of about 46,000 tons per year. The production facility also includes two washing systems and a material preparation system with annual output of 28,000 tons in which foreign materials such as paper, metal, or dirt are removed prior to reprocessing. Also in July, AURELIUS acquired Transform Medical Group Limited, the leading UK provider of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic interventions. It was agreed that the purchase price will remain confidential. Transform was founded in 1974. Today, the corporate group comprises 27 clinics in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, as well as two special cosmetic clinics in Manchester and London. Transform has access to additional clinics in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and southeastern England through its tightly knit network of partners. Over time, Transform has developed into a seal of quality within the industry and today stands for clinical excellence, highest quality, and offerings that are consistently patient-oriented. Transform’s integrated model allows comprehensive patient support from initial patient inquiries to post-operative care. The acquisition of the European handicrafts line of business from Coats plc, a British company, which was announced in February 2015, was concluded at July 31, 2015. Coats’ European handicrafts line of business is the leading provider of handicraft products in Europe with a company history reaching back more than 250 years. The acquisition comprises the headquarters located in Germany including a warehouse, as well as the production facilities in Hungary and branches in 18 European countries. The transaction covers acquisition of the following brands in Europe: Schachenmayr, Patons, Regia, Rowan Yarns, Milward, Puppets, Corona, Self Casa, Tre Cerchi, and Royal Paris. Additional brands such as “Make It Coats” and the content of the European website will be marketed by AURELIUS within the scope of a licensing and sale agreement. IMPRINT/CONTACT Publisher AURELIUS AG Ludwig-Ganghofer-Straße 6 82031 Grünwald, Germany Phone +49(89) 45 20 527-0 Fax +49 (89) 45 20 527-10 E-Mail: info@aureliusinvest.de Munich office Unterer Anger 3 80331 Munich, Germany Phone +49 (89) 544 799-0 Fax +49 (89) 544 799-55 E-Mail: info@aureliusinvest.de London office Aurelius Investments Ltd. 3rd Floor, 1 Savile Row, London, W1S 3JR, Great Britain Phone +44 (0)20 7440 0488 E-mail: info@aureliusinvest.co.uk Madrid office AURELIUS Iberia Veláquez 53, 2° Izqda 28001 Madrid, Spain Phone +34 (91) 4365184 E-Mail: info@aureliusinvest.es Stockholm office AURELIUS NORDICS 11432 Stockholm, Sweden Phone +46 (8) 12410375 E-Mail: info@aureliusinvest.se Editorial staff AURELIUS AG Investor Relations Phone +49 (89) 544799-0 Fax +49 (89) 544799-55 E-Mail: investor@aureliusinvest.de Trade Register Head office: Grünwald Register Court Munich, Reg. Nr. 161677, Abteilung B Ust-Id: DE 248377455 54 I R EP O RT O F T H E F I RST H A L F YEA R R EPO RT O F T H E FI RST H A L F YEA R I 55