HELLA continues its profitable growth path in the fiscal year 2016/2017 with significantly improved earnings

Lippstadt, 20 July 2017. HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co., one of the world's leading automotive suppliers for lighting and electronics, continued its profitable growth path in the fiscal year 2016/2017 (1 June 2016 to 31 May 2017), increasing both sales and earnings. On the basis of provisional figures, currency and portfolio-adjusted sales improved by 4.3 percent. Taking account of effects from exchange rates and from the divestment of the Industries and Airport Lighting business activities, the reported consolidated sales increased by 3.7 percent to approximately EUR 6.6 billion (previous year: EUR 6.4 billion).

"Our sales growth accelerated strongly as expected due to numerous new production rollouts, especially in the second half of the fiscal year," said HELLA CEO Dr. Rolf Breidenbach. "These complex new product lines have been launched efficiently, which made a significant contribution to our considerably higher earnings."

As a result, the adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (adjusted EBIT) of the HELLA Group rose by 12.0 per cent in the 2016/2017 fiscal year to around EUR 534 million (previous year: EUR 476 million). The adjusted EBIT margin thus rose by 0.6 percentage points to 8.1 percent. Taking into account special items, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 20.8 percent to approximately EUR 507 million (previous year: EUR 420 million). The EBIT margin is therefore 7.7 percent, after standing at 6.6 percent in the previous year.

The full financial results for the 2016/2017 fiscal year will be announced in the press conference to be held in Dusseldorf on 10 August 2017.