SMT & Inspection |
SUSS reduces sales and profit forecast for 2007
In the 2007 fiscal year, the SUSS MicroTec Group will fall short of the figures forecast at the beginning of the year – EUR 155 million in sales and a 10% EBIT margin.
Due to delays in the final acceptance of delivered machinery, sales of only EUR 140 million and an operating result of EUR 6–7 million are anticipated. This adjustment is a result of poorer than expected interim key performance figures for the third quarter on one hand and significantly reduced expectations for the fourth quarter on the other.
Sales between July and September only totaled EUR 22.3 million. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were clearly negative at EUR -4.9 million. Order entry amounted to EUR 31.3 million, taking the order backlog as of September 30 to EUR 72.0 million. Sales for the first nine months were EUR 98.7 million and EBIT was EUR 1.3 million.
However, new business seems to have picked up considerably in the fourth quarter. The main indicator is the high order entry in October, totaling approximately EUR 20 million to date. SUSS MicroTec expects new orders to amount to at least EUR 40 million in the final quarter. These figures are interim and subject to change. Final figures for the third quarter and the nine-month report will be released on November 6.
