Kontron reports stable revenue trend in Q1 2012

• Revenue rises to EUR 131.5 million
• EBIT with EUR 4.2 million being below last year’s amount
• Cash flow growth from EUR 2.9 million to EUR 30.0 million
• Order book up from EUR 370.8 million to EUR 379.8 million
• Number of design wins up 9 % to 122

Eching, Munich, April 25, 2012 – Kontron, the globally leading manufacturer of embedded computer technology, continues to report a stable revenue trend, with slight revenue growth to EUR 131.5 million in the first quarter of 2012 (Q1 2011: EUR 130.1 million). The order book position also reported growth compared with the previous quarter, as well as the number of design wins, which were up by 9 % to 122. Following a very strong first-quarter of 2011 (EUR 7.4 million), EBIT stood at EUR 4.2 million. The main reason for the EBIT decline was the unfavourable revenue and margin mix.

Compared with the first quarter of the previous year, revenue in the energy and transportation area rose more rapidly than the average, while the industrial automation and communications areas registered lower revenue than in the previous year's quarter. As expected, a general shift occurred in typical infrastructure segments away from orders that depend on public-sector funds such as higher-margin railway technology towards lower-margin products such as fleet management.

The Kontron Group's balance sheet structure underwent some particularly positive changes: the already very good cash flow was boosted to EUR 30.0 million by reducing inventories, and the targeted disposal in Malaysia (Q1 2011: EUR 2.9 million). The Group also reported very good developments in terms of equity (Q1 2012: EUR 334.5 million; Q1 2011: EUR 319.0 million). As a consequence, the equity ratio raised from 64 % at the end of the first quarter of 2011 to 65 % at the end of the first quarter of 2012.

The company continued its strategic focus on systems and solutions with the disposal of standard components production in Malaysia. This allowed inventories to be reduced by 17 % to EUR 96.2 million compared to the quarter of the previous year. As part of the sale of the production plants, its personnel were transferred to our strategic partner Plexus. This reduced Kontron Group employee numbers from 2,939 to 2,448 at the end of the first quarter 2012.

Kontron anticipates still revenues of EUR 560 – 590 million with a slight increase of the EBIT margin.

Investor Relations:
Gaby Moldan
Kontron AG
Oskar-von-Miller-Str. 1
85386 Eching
Tel: 08165/77212, Fax 08165/77222
Email: Gaby.Moldan@kontron.com

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Engel & Zimmermann AG
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82131 Gauting
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Email: info@engel-zimmermann.de