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United Labels AG (ISIN: DE 0005489561), a company specialising in comicware merchandise sold under licence, has completed fiscal 2010 with record sales. Group revenue rose by 46% to EUR 58.7 million (prev. year: EUR 40.3 million). Consolidated profit increased to EUR 1.1 million. Correspondingly, earnings per share rose to EUR 0.26. Growth was driven by a strong performance in both the Special Retail and the Key Account segment. Revenue generated from sales within the Key Account segment rose by 40% Europe-wide to EUR 40.6 million as a result of new textile and clothing ranges featuring licensed cartoon characters. Revenue within the Special Retail segment increased by 61% to EUR 18.1 million (prev. year: EUR 11.3 million). Among the growth drivers were the southern European countries with the licence themes "Patito Feo" and "SpongeBob SquarePants". The company's key subsidiaries also developed well, with consolidated revenue rising by 85% to EUR 19.4 million in Spain and by 59% to EUR 6.7 million in Belgium. In France, growth stood at 19%, while Italy recorded a gain of 135%. In Germany, consolidated revenue increased by 26% to EUR 23.1 million. Over the course of the financial year just ended, the company opened a total of six new airport shops at sites in Malaga, Hamburg, Barcelona and Düsseldorf. Thus, the company now operates ten stores at four locations in Spain and Germany. On the basis of the Group's annual performance, the Management Board proposes a dividend payment of EUR 0.15 per share. Year-end order backlog was also encouraging, up 146% to EUR 23.5 million (prev. year: EUR 9.6 million). The company plans to expand sales revenue further over the course of fiscal 2011, in addition to achieving a sustained increase in earnings. Within this context, it will be focusing on the areas of growth identified in terms of textiles, eastern and northern Europe as well as company-operated airport shops. The audited annual financial statements of United Labels AG will be presented at the Financial Statements Press Conference on 23 March 2011. For further information, please visit www.unitedlabels.com |