Asklepios Group with a successful start to its 2015 anniversary year

The positive revenue trend in combination with successful cost management resulted, as in the previous year, in an improvement of key earnings figures. The operating result (EBITDA; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) increased by 16.5% to EUR 74.6 million (3M 2014: EUR 64.0 million), equating to an improved EBITDA margin of 9.6% (3M 2014: 8.5%). While the staff costs ratio increased slightly from 65.6% to 65.8%, mainly because of the increase in medical personnel as an investment in the quality of medical outcomes and future performance increases, the cost of materials ratio was 22.3%, lower than in the same quarter of the previous year (3M 2014: 22.8%). The ratio of the cost of materials to revenue also declined by 0.3 percentage points compared to 2014 as a whole. Consolidated interim income (net income) in the first quarter of 2015 increased by 29.7% to EUR 31.3 million (3M 2014: EUR 24.1 million), equating to a return on sales of 4.0% (3M 2014: 3.2%).

Stephan Leonhard, Vice-Chairman of the Group management team and CFO, explains: “We are confident of outperforming the market with the Asklepios Group’s needs-based, high quality medical offering. The figures for the first quarter of 2015 confirm this position. We are therefore confident for the year as a whole as well, and confirm our forecast for 2015.” In this forecast, Asklepios assumes continued organic revenue growth of approximately 2% to 4% and a further sustained increase in the operating result in the current financial year.

Net cash from operating activities amounted to EUR 71.6 million, higher than in the previous year (EUR 70.6 million). While EBITDA rose sharply, the change in working capital, particularly trade receivables, also had a notable effect here.