United Internet gets off to successful start in 2015
- Sales up 27.5% to EUR 905.1 million
- EBITDA grows 54.8% to EUR 173.5 million, EBIT up 32.8% to EUR 119.1 million
- EPS improves 25.8% to EUR 0.39, EPS without PPA up 34.4% to EUR 0.43
- Full-year guidance confirmed
Montabaur, May 19, 2015. United Internet AG continued its growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2015. The company once again posted strong improvements in sales, customer contract figures and key earnings ratios.
Development of the Group
United Internet invested heavily again in new customer relationships in the first quarter of 2015. As a result, the number of fee-based customer contracts was raised by 230,000 in the reporting period – and thus by a much greater number than in the first quarter of 2014 (190,000) – to 15.01 million customer contracts. This growth was driven in particular by the Access segment, which gained 180,000 Mobile Internet contracts and 40,000 DSL contracts in the first three months. In the Applications segment, 170,000 ad-financed accounts and 10,000 fee-based contracts were added.
Thanks to the further strong year-on-year increase in customer figures – as well as the consolidation of Versatel GmbH, acquired on October 1, 2014 – consolidated sales set a new record figure of EUR 905.1 million in the first quarter of 2015, corresponding to growth of 27.5% over the first quarter of 2014.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 54.8% to EUR 173.5 million, while earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) increased by 32.8% to EUR 119.1 million. Earnings per share (EPS) improved by 25.8% to EUR 0.39. Before amortization of purchase price allocations (PPA), which mainly relate to the Versatel acquisition, EPS rose by 34.4% to EUR 0.43.
| Group development (in EUR million) | Q1 2014 | Q1 2015 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | 709.9 | 905.1 | + 27.5 % |
| EBITDA | 112.1 | 173.5 | + 54.8 % |
| EBIT | 89.7 | 119.1 | + 32.8 % |
| EPS (in EUR) | 0.31 | 0.39 | + 25.8 % |
| EPS before PPA-amortization (in EUR) | 0.32 | 0.43 | + 34.4 % |
“With the figures we achieved for customer contracts, sales, and earnings, we are well on course to meet our targets,” says Ralph Dommermuth, CEO of United Internet, commenting on the figures for the first quarter of 2015. “Against this backdrop, we can confirm our forecasts for the year as a whole. Specifically, we expect an increase in fee-based customer contracts of around 800,000 in 2015. Sales are likely to rise by approx. 20% and EBITDA by approx. 40% (adjusted prior-year figure without one-off income: EUR 551.5 million).”