EANS-Adhoc: ECO Business-Immobilien AG with strong operating earnings and stable financing structure in first half of 2010

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24.08.2010

Vienna, 24 August 2010. ECO Business-Immobilien AG (Vienna Stock Exchange /
Prime Market: ECO) closed the first half of 2010 with strong operating earnings,
as is illustrated by EBIT of EUR 19.9 million (1-6/2009: EUR -8.3 million). This
development was supported by the improvement of the market climate in Austria
and Germany as well as measures from the re-dimensioning programme implemented
in 2009 and the related sale of the Opernringhof during the second quarter of
2010. Other favourable factors included a satisfactory rental business, positive
revaluations and a further improvement in financial results. The proceeds on
property sales increased the equity ratio to 44.9%.

ECO generated revenues of EUR 28.0 million for the first six months of 2010
(1-6/2009: EUR 31.7 million) on a property base that was EUR 108.8 million
lower. The recovering market environment and active property management also led
to a net gain of EUR 2.8 million in fair value adjustments. In contrast, the
first-half of 2009 was marked by impairment charges of
EUR 25.3 million that resulted from the unfavourable climate on the business
property market. The resulting positive EBIT of EUR 19.9 million as of 30 June
2010, compared with EUR -8.3 million during the first half of 2009, demonstrates
that ECO is capable of realising a strong improvement in operating results.

A reduction in the volume of financing and the continuing low level of interest
rates on existing liabilities led to an improvement in financial results from
EUR -11.2 million (1-6/2009) to
EUR -9.8 million. Profit before tax (EBT) clearly exceeded the prior year,
rising from EUR -19.5 million to EUR 10.0 million. Profit after tax turned from
EUR -14.7 million to EUR 9.6 million for the reporting period. The operating
strength of ECO is also demonstrated by the strong year-on-year improvement in
funds from operations (FFO): FFO before interest and taxes amounted to EUR 27.2
million for the first half of 2010 (1-6/2009: EUR -2.8 million) and FFO after
interest and taxes reached EUR 15.5 million (1-6/2009: EUR -14.0 million).

ECO´s balance sheet total declined from EUR 858.6 million at the end of 2009 to
EUR 797.3 million as of 30 June 2010, or by EUR 61.3 million. This shift
resulted above all from the sale of the Opernringhof, which led to a substantial
drop in property assets. The two properties sold during the reporting period
were responsible for an increase in the equity ratio to 44.9% (31/12/2009:
41.6%). Net debt fell from EUR 468.7 million on 31 December 2009 to EUR 384.1
million at the end of the first half of 2010. The loan-to-value ratio (LTV) was
54.4% as of 30 June 2010. The remaining refinancing volume of EUR 3.9 million
was repaid during July 2010. Interest-bearing liabilities totalled EUR 399.9
million, whereby 86% were hedged against fluctuations in interest rates.

The average remaining term of the bank loans was roughly 13 years. The company´s
financing is therefore secured over the long-term. Cash and cash equivalents
rose from EUR 16.0 million on 31 December 2009 to EUR 40.2 million as of 30 June
2010.

Net asset value (NAV) per share amounted to EUR 10.48 as of 30 June 2010,
compared with EUR 10.45 at year-end 2009. Adjusted NAV equalled EUR 10.24 per
share (year-end 2009: EUR 10.30).

The ECO property portfolio comprised 59 objects with 518,400 m² of rentable
space as of 30 June 2010. The core investment portfolio consists of 58
properties, while the development portfolio now only includes the object in
Ukraine. The development project in Luxembourg was transferred to the investment
portfolio during the reporting period after completion. The regional
distribution of space in the ECO properties shows the following picture at the
end of June 2010: 64% of the objects were located in Austria, 30% in Germany, 2%
in Western Europe and 4% in CEE.

Outlook on 2010
No major development projects will be started during the remainder of 2010 due
to the still tense market situation and the company´s concentration on the
investment portfolio and redevelopment activities. The development project in
Ukraine is scheduled for completion during the second half of this year. ECO
will remain active in the core markets of Austria and Germany.

The further optimisation of the investment portfolio also has high priority for
ECO during the second half of this year. The best possible utilisation of each
object and the continuous optimisation of the properties in the redevelopment
portfolio should safeguard rental income. Property sales that were prepared in
earlier periods and are scheduled for closing during the second half-year will
provide a good basis to further strengthen the equity ratio. The ECO Management
Board expects a further improvement in financial results during the second half
of this year due to the substantially reduced volume of financing.

Voluntary takeover offer by conwert Immobilien Invest SE
Developments in the first half year were influenced above all by the June
announcement of plans by conwert Immobilien Invest SE to make a voluntary
takeover offer to ECO shareholders. The final offer was published on 2 July 2010
after review by the Austrian Takeover Commission and included an offer price of
EUR 7.15 per ECO share. The first phase of the takeover process took place from
2 to 30 July 2010, and the results were announced on 2 August 2010. By the end
of the first acceptance period, the holders of 21,236,065 ECO shares (approx.
62.3% of share capital) had accepted the offer. That gave conwert a holding of
approx. 87.2% in ECO before the end of the second acceptance period on 3
November 2010. Up to that date the remaining ECO shareholders have an
opportunity to voluntarily accept the conwert offer of EUR 7.15 per share.

Selected Company Data in accordance with IFRS

1-6/2010         -6/2009
Revenues(TEUR)                                     27,966          31,734
   Thereof rental income (TEUR)                    22,627          25,825

Net gain/(loss) from changes in the fair value of investment properties (TEUR)
2,814 -25,313
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA)(TEUR)

17,053           17,034
Operating profit (EBIT) (TEUR)                    19,850           -8,299
Profit before tax (EBT) (TEUR)                    10,027          -19,516
Profit after tax (after non-controlling interests) (TEUR)
                                                   9,552          -14,552
Earnings per share (EUR)                            0.28            -0.43
Weighted average number of shares (pieces)    34,100,000        4,100,000 
FFO before interest and taxes1) (TEUR)            27,196           -2,770

Cash earnings (FFO - funds from operations) after interest and taxes 2) (TEUR)

15,548          -14,010 
NAV per share as of the balance sheet date (EUR)  10.48             10.27 

1) EBIT + depreciation and amortisation +/- fair value adjustments +/-
impairment charges
2) EBIT + depreciation and amortisation +/- fair value adjustments +/-

impairment charges - financial results - income taxes paid

Balance Sheet Data

Consolidated balance sheet - summary in TEUR     30/06/2010    31/12/2009
Non-current assets                                  744,935       833,149 
   Thereof investment properties                    717,451       782,465 
   Thereof properties under construction             17,325        39,281
Current assets                                       52,329        25,401
Total assets                                        797,264       858,550
Equity and reserves                                 357,638       357,329 
   Thereof non-controlling interests                    291           834
Non-current liabilities                             387,373       452,400
Current liabilities                                  52,253        48,822
Total equity and liabilities                        797,264       858,550 

Property Data 
                                                 30/06/2010    30/06/2009
Number of objects                                        59            63
   Thereof investment portfolio                          58            61
   Thereof development projects                           1             2
Rentable space in m² *                              518,400       551,000
Garage spaces (number)                                2,890         2,870
Property assets (in TEUR)                           734,776       843,559
   Thereof properties under construction             17,325        36,256

* Garage spaces were included at 20 m² each / parking areas included

Further inquiry note:
ECO Business-Immobilien AG
Wolfgang Gössweiner, Speaker of the Management Board
Tel +43 1 580 88 0
E [email protected]
end of announcement euro adhoc
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issuer:   ECO Business-Immobilien AG
          Opernring 1
          A-1010 Wien
phone:    580 88
FAX:      580 88 - 88
mail:     [email protected]
WWW:      www.eco-immo.at
sector:   Real Estate
ISIN:     AT0000617907
indexes:  Prime Market

stockmarkets: Regulated free trade: Wien
language: English

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