Record Financial Year For Analytik Jena AG (FRA:AJA)

Analytik Jena AG (FRA:AJA) Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------



- Focus on instrument business of the Technology segment implemented - Sales in the instrument business increased by 23.1% - Operating result up by 29.9 % to EUR 4,709 thousand

The 2007/2008 financial year was a very strong one for Analytik Jena. Significant sales growth in the continued instrument business, a rising operating result and innovative, forward-looking projects confirm the positive trend of the Jena-based company.

During the financial year, the successful growth of Analytik Jena AG continued in all units of the instrument business. Sales of EUR 53,079 thousand (previous year: EUR 43,125 thousand) and an increase of 23.1% on the basis of organic growth provide impressive evidence of this. The increases were generated in equal measure from the three business units of analytical solutions, bio solutions and optical solutions, all of which achieved new records for earnings.

For the first time, the analytical solutions business unit exceeded the EUR 40.0 million mark. Total sales amounted to EUR 40,225 thousand (previous year: EUR 32,624 thousand). This corresponds to a 23.3% increase. The optical solutions business unit, our consumer division, also reported record figures. Sales increased by 16.8% from EUR 7,306 thousand to EUR 8,537 thousand. The highest sales were achieved with products of the bio solutions business unit. The extensive and growing product portfolio in conjunction with the development of sales channels are having a positive effect. In the past financial year, sales increased by 35.1% to EUR 4,317 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,195 thousand). Including the discontinued project solutions business unit, consolidated net sales decreased slightly year-on-year by 1.6% to EUR 68,136 thousand (previous year: EUR 69,265 thousand) taking consolidated sales for a total of only seven months into consideration.

The export ratio of 73.0% (previous year: 76.9%) underlines the successful marketing of the products worldwide. This trend continued to be particularly successful in the growth market of Asia. Goods with a value of EUR 15,770 thousand, 28.7% more than in the previous year, were exported to this region. Our Japanese subsidiary contributed to this, doubling its sales. US sales totalled EUR 4,480 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,865 thousand), an increase of 15.9%. In Germany, sales rose to EUR 18,403 thousand, an increase of 15.2% (previous year: EUR 15,972 thousand). Sales in Europe declined from EUR 32,249 thousand to EUR 26,457 thousand as a result of discontinuing the project solutions business unit.

Thanks to the higher contribution made by the instrument business to consolidated net sales, a 42.7% gross margin was achieved (previous year: 38.2%). There was an above-average increase in gross profit of 9.8% to EUR 29,080 thousand (previous year: EUR 26,491 thousand) compared with sales. Selling expenses for the instrument business amounted to EUR 13,413 thousand (previous year: EUR 11,176 thousand), a 20.0% increase over the previous year. This development was the result of increased sales-dependent selling expenses, such as commissions and logistics costs, as well as significant increases in marketing activities, the expansion of our organisation in China and our cost-intensive attendance of three trade fairs: BIOTECHNICA in Hanover in October 2007, Analytica in Munich in May 2008 and the Jaima Show in Japan in September 2008. Administrative expenses fell by 2.7% from EUR 4,732 thousand to EUR 4,603 thousand due to the strategic decision to focus on the instrument business. Net research and development expenses decreased slightly to EUR 5,075 thousand (previous year: EUR 5,495 thousand) as a result of increased R&D grants.

Total assets of Analytik Jena as at 30 September 2008 declined from EUR 63,141 to EUR 57,418 thousand as a result of the sale of 51.0% of shares in AJZ Engineering GmbH, Jena, (deconsolidation of project business). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased to EUR 6,893 thousand (previous year: EUR 5,824 thousand). Operating profit (EBIT) increased by 29.9 % to EUR 4,709 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,625 thousand). On the basis of the sole continued instrument business unit, the operating result was EUR 4,744 thousand (previous year: EUR 3,289 thousand), which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 8.9%. The annual result in the instrument business benefited strongly from the operating improvement, with a 74.1% increase to EUR 3,292 thousand (previous year: EUR 1,891 thousand). In the discontinued project solutions business unit, EBIT amounted to EUR -35 thousand as at the date of closing. As of 30 September 2008, the Group generated net profit attributable to the shareholders of the parent company in the amount of EUR 2,384 thousand (previous year: EUR 1,876 thousand), corresponding to a 27.1% increase, after deduction of the earnings share of minority shareholders. Earnings per share increased by 27.5% to EUR 0.51 per share (previous year: EUR 0.40).

As of 30 September 2008, the continued instruments business unit and the discontinued project business had a total of 655 employees (previous year: 592). The sole continued instrument business had 536 employees (previous year: 478).

Klaus Berka had this to say about the financial year and the outlook for the future: "Concentration. Innovation. Growth -Analytik Jena AG proved itself capable of all these in the 2007/2008 financial year. We will continue to focus on our core business in a difficult overall economic environment. We are positive that our innovative products will enable us to continue to win over the market and grow in the new financial year."

Please find the key figures of the annual year under: www.aj-group.de and the link: Finanzzentrum

Please find the complete annual report published at 3 pm under: www.aj-group.de and the link: financial reports Contact: Dr. Mario Voigt Analytik Jena AG Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Konrad-Zuse-Str.1 07745 Jena

tel. ++493641779281 mail. m.voigt@analytik-jena.de

--- End of Message ---

Analytik Jena AG Konrad-Zuse-Straße 1 Jena Germany

WKN: 521350 ; ISIN: DE0005213508 ; Index: Prime All Share; Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München, Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin,

Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart,

Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover;

Analytik Jena AG

http://www.analytik-jena.de

ISIN: DE0005213508

Stock Identifier: XFRA.AJA