NORMA Group AG resolves to pay a dividend of 0.60 EUR per share for record year 2011

NORMA Group AG (“NORMA Group”), a global market and technology leader for engineered joining technology, today held its first general shareholders' meeting after going public in April 2011. The general meeting resolved to distribute a dividend of 0.60 EUR per share. With EUR 19.1 million, the pay-out ratio amounted to 33.2% of the adjusted Group profit generated in 2011 (EUR 57.6 million).“With this dividend, we enable our shareholders to participate in our growth. We follow a sustainable dividend policy with a pay-out ratio of about 30%and no more than 35%,” said Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group.

Record earnings in financial year 2011

NORMA Group generated record sales and earnings in financial year 2011. Sales grew by 18.5% to EUR 581.4 million (2010: EUR 490.4 million). Adjusted operating earnings (adjusted EBITA) increased by 20.2% to EUR 102.7 million (2010: EUR 85.4 million) with contributions coming from all three reporting segments EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), America and Asia-Pacific. The EBITA margin climbed to a record 17.7% in 2011 (2010: 17.4%).

Solid start into current financial year

“We had a very good start into the new financial year. We continued on our growth path in the first quarter of 2012, increasing both our sales and our earnings,” said Werner Deggim. “We are on track and are delivering on our promises at the time of the IPO.” Over the first three months of 2012, group sales increased by 6.3% to EUR 159.7 million (previous year: EUR 150.3 million). The Americas and the Asia-Pacific region experienced particularly strong growth, whereas proceeds in the EMEA region remained almost unchanged. Adjusted operating earnings (adjusted EBITA) increased by 2.9% to EUR 29.2 million in the first quarter of 2012 (previous year: EUR 28.4 million). The adjusted EBITA margin over the first three months of 2012 amounted to 18.3% (previous year: 18.9%).

Guidance for sales and earnings in 2012 confirmed

Werner Deggim confirmed the guidance for 2012: “We expect group sales to grow by 3% to 6% compared to 2011.” The acquisition of Connectors Verbindungstechnik AG in April 2012 is not yet included in the forecast and will increase the consolidated annual sales by approximately EUR 10million. The EBITA margin for the financial year 2012 is expected to be at leaston par with the margins of the previous two years (2010: 17.4%, 2011:17.7%).

Growth strategy will be continued

The growth strategy of NORMA Group focuses on increasing internationalisation, continuing the group's global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, and growing the product and technology portfolio. Internationally, the emphasis is on increasing activities particularly in the Asia-Pacific region and in South America. By opening offices in Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, NORMA Group has extended its presence in the Asia-Pacific region in financial year 2012. Growth was further supported by the acquisition of Connectors Verbindungstechnik AG, a specialised provider of joining technology in medical engineering.