Essanelle Hair Group AG publishes half-year figures

Growth in key sales and earnings figures

30 new salons opened

Düsseldorf, August 22nd 2006 – Essanelle Hair Group AG increased its sales by 1.9 percent from Euro 55.6 million to Euro 56.7 million in the first half of the current financial year. As of 1.7., a total of 30 new salons had been opened within the framework of the company’s expansion strategy, mainly in the TOP TEN, HairExpress and Super Cut concepts. HairExpress and Super Cut were particularly successful in generating further sales growth. In terms of the individual salon concepts, sales at HairExpress rose by 7.2% from Euro 6.9 million to Euro 7.4 million. Sales also increased at Super Cut, rising to Euro 9.3 million compared with Euro 9.0 million in the previous year. The newly launched TOP TEN concept, which is now operating 9 salons, reported sales of Euro 0.7 million. Sales at essanelle – Ihr Friseur declined slightly from Euro 35.2 million to Euro 34.4 million. The Jürgen Tröndle salons reported sales of Euro 2.4 million, compared with Euro 2.6 million in the previous year. Sales at the Beauty Hair Shops, which sell products exclusive to hairdressers, rose by around 42.9% from Euro 1.4 million to Euro 2.0 million.

The company’s earnings figures also increased slightly in the first six months. EBITDA rose to Euro 4.8 million, compared with Euro 4.5 million in the same period in the previous year. At Euro 2.6 million, operating earnings (EBIT) were 11.7% higher than in the previous year. Consolidated net income rose to Euro 1.4 million, an increase of 17% on the previous year’s figure of Euro 1.2 million.

“With the opening of 30 new salons, we have implemented a large part of our expansion strategy in the first half of the year already. We assume that sales will gradually gain in momentum in the course of the year, enabling us to achieve our 2006 growth targets,” commented Uwe Grimminger, Chairman of the Management Board. The Essanelle Hair Group expects to achieve sales growth of around 5% in the current financial year and at least to match the previous year’s level of pre-tax earnings.

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