• Sales revenues increase to EUR 63.0 million compared to EUR 62.3 million in the previous year

• EBT improved from EUR 1.2 million to EUR 1.7 million

Düsseldorf, 12 August 2011 – Essanelle Hair Group AG generated sales revenues of EUR 63.0 million in the first half of 2011 which is 1.2% above the previous year’s EUR 62.3 million. Herewith, the company was able to continue the positive development experienced in the first quarter.

Achim Mansen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Essanelle Hair Group AG, said: "In addition to the quite positive consumer demand development, the increased number of salons compared to the previous year also contributed overall to this sales revenues increase in the first half of the year. In particular, our HairExpress concept in consumer markets, continued to show a very positive growth ratio."

Regarding the individual salon concepts, HairExpress was able to contribute the biggest growth in the first half of the year with an increase of 10.4% to EUR 18.7 million (previous year: EUR 16.9 million). Super Cut increased sales revenues by 2.6% to EUR 10.6 million after recording EUR 10.3 million in the same period of the previous year. The essanelle Ihr Friseur concept reduced its number of salons from 304 to 291, and thus generated EUR 28.1 million compared to EUR 29.3 million last year (-4.1%). The TOP TEN brand grossed EUR 2.4 million compared to EUR 2.5 million. The Beauty Hair Shop concept, which specialises in the sale of exclusive hair care products, generated sales of EUR 3.3 million, which ranged slightly above previous years’ level of EUR 3.2 million.

Earnings significantly higher than in the previous year

Essanelle Hair Group AG was able to improve the earnings situation in the first half of 2011 disproportionally to the increase in sales revenues. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 10.2% amounting to EUR 4.3 million, compared to EUR 3.9 million in the previous year. Earnings Before Taxes (EBT) increased by 43.7%, from EUR 1.2 million to EUR 1.7 million in the first six months of 2011. The result per share thereby amounts to EUR 0.22, compared to EUR 0.17 in the previous year.

Mansen commented: "At the beginning of the year, we announced that we would focus especially on earnings figures. We accomplished this very well in the first half of the year. Against the background of the results so far, we today expect to increase sales by 2-3% as projected, and thereby increasing EBT by at least 5%."

Kontakt:
Haubrok Investor Relations
Michael Müller
+49-21 56-49 65 195
M.Mueller@haubrok.de