zooplus AG: Company continues its profitable growth path in the first quarter of 2016

• Sales increase 26% to EUR 207.8 million (Q1 2015: EUR 164.6 million)
• Earnings before taxes (EBT) increase to EUR 2.9 million (Q1 2015: EUR 1.6 million)
• Company reconfirms 2016 sales and earnings guidance

Munich, May 18, 2016 – zooplus AG (WKN 511170, ISIN DE0005111702, ticker symbol ZO1), Europe’s leading online retailer of pet supplies, continued its profitable growth path in the first quarter of 2016. Sales – the company’s new key top-line indicator as of the 2016 financial year – increased year-on-year by 26% to EUR 207.8 million (Q1 2015: EUR 164.6 million). The company’s prior key top-line indicator, total sales (sales plus other income), was 28% higher compared to the previous year’s quarter reaching EUR 216.7 million. With another quarter of double-digit growth rates in all 30 of its European markets, zooplus was able to continue expanding its market position.

In the first quarter of 2016, zooplus generated earnings before taxes (EBT) of EUR 2.9 million for a year-on-year rise of EUR 1.3 million. In a still highly competitive market environment, the decline in gross margin was more than offset by the rise in other income and the further improvement in the cost structure. Other income mainly consists of advertising cost subsidies from suppliers. The total cost of marketing, logistics, personnel, administration, depreciation, amortization and interest as a percentage of sales fell to 28.4% from its level of 30.2% in the previous year. Free cash flow in the first quarter of 2016 totaled EUR 10.4 million compared to EUR 6.2 million in the first quarter of 2015.

Dr. Cornelius Patt, CEO of zooplus AG, in his comments on the company’s business performance stated: “We are off to a positive start in the 2016 financial year. Once again, we were able to expand our customer base in all of our European markets and maintain customer loyalty at the previous year’s high level. Combined with our improved cost structure, we believe that we increased our competitive edge and expanded our market position in the first quarter amid a highly competitive market environment”.

Based on the company’s first quarter performance, zooplus is reconfirming its guidance for the 2016 financial year. The Management Board expects sales to rise to at least EUR 875 million and EBT to be in the range of EUR 14 million to EUR 18 million.

The full report for the first three months of 2016 is available on the company’s website at investors.zooplus.com.

Company profile:
zooplus AG was founded in 1999 and today is Europe’s leading online retailer for pet supplies measured by sales. Sales totaled EUR 711 million in the 2015 financial year of which roughly 70% was generated internationally. The company’s business model has been launched successfully in 30 European countries. zooplus sells products for all major pet breeds. The product range includes pet food (dry and wet food and food supplements) and accessories such as scratching posts, dog baskets, and toys in all price categories. In addition to a selection of over 8,000 products, zooplus customers benefit from a variety of interactive content and community offerings. The pet supplies market is an important market segment in the European retail landscape. Sales of pet food and accessories within the European Union amount to around EUR 25 billion. Based on the further vigorous growth anticipated in the European ecommerce market, zooplus expects its dynamic performance to continue.

Online at: www.zooplus.de

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