GfK Group Starts a Challenging 2008 With a Sound First Quarter
15/05/2008 08:28
PR Newswire
NUREMBERG, Germany, May 15 /PRNewswire/ --
- Organic Growth in Sales up by 5.1% to EUR 268.1 Million in the First
Three Months
- Adjusted Operating Income Totals EUR 23.0 Million (Prior Year: EUR 24.8
Million). The Proportion of Total Income Generated in the First Quarter
Is Disproportionately Low Due to Seasonal Effects
- Operating Income up by 3.9% to EUR 20.9 Million
- Consolidated Total Income Rockets by Almost 21% to EUR 12.5 Million
- Order Book as of the end of April Stands at 61.8% and is Significantly
Higher Than in the Prior Year (60.6%)
The GfK Group achieved satisfactory sales growth in the first three
months of 2008. At the same time, the increase in operating income, EBIT and
consolidated total income was significant in the first quarter of 2008
compared with the same period in the prior year; growth in adjusted operating
income was more moderate than in 2007, but in line with the trend for
financial year 2006.
Since the beginning of this year, the GfK Group has refocused its
organizational structure by remodeling the previous five business divisions
in the three sectors of Custom Research, Retail and Technology, and Media.
All GfK sectors achieved organic growth in sales compared with the same
period in the prior year.
GfK expects to increase sales in financial year 2008 by more than 5.5% on
an organic basis, including the companies joining the consolidation at the
beginning of the year, and to once again outperform the market.
In the first four months of 2008, order book performance at the GfK Group
was positive. As of the end of April, the order books, which reflect the
total of orders invoiced and orders secured that relate to 2008, already
represented 61.8% of expected annual sales.
Marion Eisenblätter
Tel: +49-911-395-2645
marion.eisenblaetter@gfk.com
Marion Eisenblätter, Tel: +49-911-395-2645, marion.eisenblaetter@gfk.com
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