euro adhoc: Basler Vision Technologies AG / Quarterly or Semiannual Financial Statements / Basler: Upswing in orders after expected weak first half-year 2005 (E)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc.
The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11.08.2005

Basler: Upswing in orders after expected weak first half-year 2005

- Second quarter 2005 turnover Euro 10.8m - same period last year: Euro 13.2m
- Pre-tax result of Euro 0.6m in second quarter 2005 gives 5% pre-tax margin
- Incoming orders in second quarter 2005 at Euro 13.6m overtop last year’s level
(Q2/2004: Euro 10.7m)

Ahrensburg, 11. August 2005 - First half-year 2005 turnover and earnings of
Basler AG, a leading company for Vision Technology, the technology of artificial
vision systems, were weak, in line with expectations. But with a clear upsurge
in incoming orders in the second quarter 2005, we can look forward to a
revitalisation of business in the second half-year 2005.

Second quarter 2005 turnover came to Euro 10.8m (Q2/2004: Euro 13.2m, -18%),
giving a total turnover for the first half-year 2005 of Euro 21.2m (first
half-year 2004: Euro 27.6m, -23%). The Visions Systems division (systems for
camera-based surface inspection in industrial mass production) produced a
turnover of Euro 7.0m in the second quarter 2005 (Q2/2004: Euro 8.4m, -17%),
giving a total first half-year 2005 turnover of Euro 14.0m (first half-year
2004: Euro 18.6m, -25%). The performance is significantly lower than previous
year, which is mainly due to continued investor reluctance in the optical
storage media segment. Even if this segment has already received the first
orders for the second quarter 2005, a general market recovery can not be
expected before the end of this year. On the other hand, business with
inspection systems for the flat screen industry has continued apace with the
recent award of a multi-million Euro contract by a leading Taiwanese vendor. The
novel system inspects color filters on glass substrates needed in flat screen
production and represents a major extension of our product portfolio in this
segment.

The Vision Components division (advanced digital cameras for industrial usage)
recorded turnover of Euro 3.8m for the second quarter 2005 (Q2/2004: Euro 4.8m,
-21%), giving a total turnover of Euro 7.2m for the first half-year 2005 (first
half-year 2004: Euro 9.1m, -20%). This development was due to the restrained
investment climate on the semiconductor and electronics markets.

Second quarter 2005 group pre-tax earnings of Euro 0.6m gave a pre-tax margin of
5% (Q2/2004: Euro 1.6m, -64%; pre-tax margin of 12%). In the first half-year
2005 total pre-tax earnings came to Euro 1.7m as compared to Euro 5.7m for the
same period last year (-71%). Second quarter 2005 net earnings came to Euro 0.4m
and Euro 0.12 per share. For the first half-year period they amounted to Euro
1.1m and Euro 0.31 per share (Q2/2004: Euro 1.0m, Euro 0.29 per share, -59%,
first half-year 2004: Euro 3.5m, Euro 1.00 per share, -69%).

Incoming company orders for the second quarter 2005 amounted to Euro 13.6m,
which represents a rise of 27% compared to the same period last year (Q2/2004:
Euro 10.7m). In the first half-year period 2005 we booked orders valued at Euro
23.7m which is broadly the same level as last year (first half-year 2004: Euro
24.1m, -2%). Vision Systems booked new orders in the second quarter 2005
amounting to Euro 9.0m (Q2/2004: Euro 6.5m, +38%) and overall in the first
half-year 2005 new orders valued at Euro 15.8m (first half-year 2004: Euro
15.6m, +1%). In the second quarter, the Vision Components division likewise
experienced an upswing in new orders valued at Euro 4.6m (Q2/2004: Euro 4.2m,
+10%), showing total new orders for the first half-year 2005 to the value of
Euro 7.9m (first half-year 2004: Euro 8.5m, -7%).

For the second half year 2005 we expect an upswing of activities on our target
markets which will enable us to improve our performance in terms of turnover and
earnings both against the second half-year 2004 and the first half-year 2005.
This is in line with our forecast for the financial year 2005 which has set
target turnover of Euro 48m and pre-tax earnings of Euro 5m (2004: Euro 52.4m
with pre-tax earnings of Euro 8.2m). Our goal is to achieve a 20% long-term
average growth rate, mirroring our strategy of profitable,
higher-than-the-market growth.

The full Quarterly Report can be downloaded at www.baslerweb.com.

Further inquiry note:
Christian Höck
Tel.: +49 (0)4102 463 175
E-Mail: [email protected]

end of announcement euro adhoc 11.08.2005 06:56:02
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

emitter: Basler Vision Technologies AG
An der Strusbek 60-62
D-22926 Ahrensburg
phone: +49 (0) 4102 463 0
FAX: +49 (0) 4102 463 109
mail: [email protected]
WWW: http://www.baslerweb.com
ISIN: DE0005102008
indexes:
stockmarkets:
sector: Semiconductors & active components
language: English

OTS-ORIGINALTEXT UNTER AUSSCHLIESSLICHER INHALTLICHER VERANTWORTUNG DES AUSSENDERS | OTB

print