• Increase in customer contracts of 1.19 million to 15.97 million
• Sales up 21.2% to EUR 3.716 billion
• EBITDA grows 39.8% to EUR 771.2 million and EBIT by 29.1% to EUR 555.7 million (both include EUR 14.0 million from sales proceeds)
• EPS improves by 23.3% to EUR 1.80, EPS before PPA by 28.9% to EUR 1.96
• Dividend increased to EUR 0.70 per share
• Guidance 2016: sales growth to approx. EUR 4 billion, EBITDA growth to approx. EUR 850 million

Montabaur, March 16, 2016. United Internet AG is continuing its growth trajectory. The company once again posted strong improvements in customer contracts, sales, and key earnings ratios in 2015 and reached its targets. At the same time, the company made further heavy investments in new customer acquisition and the expansion of existing customer relationships. In addition to this success in its operating business, United Internet acquired an equity stake in Drillisch AG in fiscal 2015 and strengthened its international Applications business with the complete takeover of home.pl, the market leader in Poland’s webhosting market.

Development of the Group

United Internet continued to invest heavily in new customer relationships in fiscal 2015. This enabled it to raise the number of fee-based contracts organically by 930,000 contracts, thus clearly surpassing its upgraded forecast of approx. 880,000 contracts made in summer 2015. In addition, there were 340,000 contracts from the acquisition of home.pl. There was an opposing effect from the one-off streamlining of 80,000 low-margin Domain contracts. All in all, the number of fee-based customer contracts increased by 1.19 million to 15.97 million.

Thanks to the further significant year-on-year rise in customer figures – as well as the full-year consolidation of Versatel GmbH acquired on October 1, 2014 (prior year: consolidation in fourth quarter) – consolidated sales set a new record figure of EUR 3.716 billion, corresponding to growth of 21.2% over the previous year.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 39.8%, from EUR 551.5 million to EUR 771.2 million. This figure includes two special items from sales proceeds affecting EBITDA: one-off income of EUR 5.6 million from the sale of shares in Goldbach Group AG and an amount of EUR 8.4 million from selling part of the company’s shareholding in virtual minds AG.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased by 29.1%, from EUR 430.6 million to EUR 555.7 million, including the above mentioned sales proceeds. Earnings per share (EPS) improved by 23.3%, from EUR 1.46 in the previous year to EUR 1.80. Before amortization from purchase price allocations (PPA), which mainly relate to the Versatel acquisition, EPS rose by 28.9%, from EUR 1.52 to EUR 1.96.

(1) 2014 without one-off income from Versatel acquisition and optimization of investment portfolio

(2) Earnings figures include special items of EUR 14.0 million from sale of Goldbach shares and part of the company’s shareholding in virtual minds

Dividend

At the Annual Shareholders' Meeting on May 19, 2016, the Management Board and Supervisory Board will propose a dividend of EUR 0.70 per share (prior year: EUR 0.60).

Outlook 2016

United Internet AG will continue to pursue its policy of sustainable growth. Consolidated sales in the fiscal year 2016 are expected to grow to approx. EUR 4 billion (prior year: EUR 3.716 billion). EBITDA is expected to rise to approx. EUR 850 million (prior year: EUR 771.2 million including special items from sales proceeds of EUR 14.0 million). At the same time, the number of fee-based customer contracts is expected to grow by a further approx. 800,000 contracts.

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