PVA TePla has started the new financial year with an increase in earnings and sales – Carl Markus Groß to become CFO in 2025

• Q1 2024 sales climbed to EUR 61.4 million
• EBITDA margin up to 14.2% (previous year: 12.3%)
• Metrology business unit records substantial growth
• Technology hub provides comprehensive R&D approach
• Guidance confirmed
• Supervisory Board appoints Carl Markus Groß as Chief Financial Officer

Wettenberg, May 15, 2024. PVA TePla has started the new year with a significant improvement in earnings and a solid increase in sales: The technology provider for high-tech systems and processes increased its operating result before depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to EUR 8.7 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared with EUR 7.2 million in the same period of the previous year. As a result, the margin increased by 1.9 percentage points to 14.2%. Thus, PVA TePla has laid the foundation for the targeted improvement in profitability in 2024. In terms of sales, the Group recorded a 5% year-on-year growth to EUR 61.4 million for the first three months of the year. With effect from January 1, 2025, the Supervisory Board has appointed Carl Markus Groß as CFO of PVA TePla.

"Our new fiscal year is progressing positively and according to plan. In particular, we have seen improved earnings, significant gains in our metrology business as well as expanding demand for our products in the areas of decarbonization and mobility," Jalin Ketter, CEO of PVA TePla AG, explained. "In terms of organization, I am looking forward to working with Carl Markus Groß, who will provide valuable support with his digitalization expertise for the implementation of our 2028 growth strategy."

Total sales amounted to EUR 61.4 million, of which 73% (previous year: 72%) were generated by the Semiconductor Systems segment and 27% (previous year: 28%) by the Industrial Systems segment. The Semiconductor Systems segment generated revenues of EUR 45.0 million in the first three months of the current year, an increase of 7.3% compared to the prior-year period (EUR 42.0 million). The segment's operating result was EUR 6.1 million compared to EUR 6.0 million last year. Quarterly revenues for the Industrial Systems segment were EUR 16.4 million, on a par with the previous year (EUR 16.5 million), while the operating result for this segment jumped from EUR 1.0 million in the previous year to EUR 1.9 million, representing an increase of 95.7%.

In total, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) improved significantly from EUR 7.2 million in the first three months of the previous year to EUR 8.7 million in the reporting period. This is an increase of EUR 1.5 million or 20.9%. As a percentage of sales, this corresponds to a margin of 14.2% after 12.3% in the previous year. After depreciation and amortization, the operating result (EBIT) stood at EUR 7.0 million, following EUR 5.5 million in the prior-year period. The EBIT margin consequently climbed by 2 percentage points from 9.4% to 11.4%.

Development of order backlog and order intake

PVA TePla's order backlog stood at EUR 258.4 million as of the reporting date. The year-on-year decline (previous year: EUR 327.2 million) is mainly due to lower demand in the core semiconductor business. As a result, the order backlog for the Semiconductor Systems segment decreased to EUR 153.5 million (previous year: EUR 228.3 million), while the Industrial Systems segment recorded a slight year-on-year increase to EUR 105.0 million (previous year: EUR 98.9 million). Order intake amounted to EUR 42.3 million (previous year: EUR 61.7 million). Again, the Semiconductor Systems segment recorded a decline from EUR 50.5 million in the previous year to EUR 24.7 million, while incoming orders for the Industrial Systems segment increased from EUR 11.2 million to EUR 17.6 million.

Both segments are experiencing growing demand for metrology systems, which are used, for example, in the quality control of semiconductor components. Based on current developments, PVA TePla expects this product group to continue growing strongly in the future. In addition, the semiconductor industry is showing the first signs of recovery. The Management Board currently assumes a recovery in this sector during the second half of 2024.

Top digitization expert appointed CFO

From 2025, Carl Markus Groß will be the new CFO of PVA TePla. He will assume responsibility for all finance-related tasks from Jalin Ketter, who currently has the positions of both CEO and CFO. Groß, who holds a degree in economics and is a certified public accountant, worked in various management positions at the auditing and consulting firm RSM Ebner Stolz (Frankfurt) in recent years, where he was involved in the digitalization of auditing and finance, most recently as Partner and Head of Data Science. He will also take over the IT department and use his expertise to develop the increased use of digital infrastructure within the company.

"We are delighted that Carl Markus Groß will be joining the Management Board as Chief Financial Officer. His expertise in the areas of finance and IT provides PVA TePla with exactly the skills and experience we need as we continue to grow," stated Alexander von Witzleben, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PVA TePla.

Full-year guidance confirmed

For the fiscal year 2024, the Management Board expects consolidated sales in a range of EUR 270 to 290 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of EUR 47 to 51 million. From today's perspective, growth of a similar magnitude is also expected for the following year, 2025. Over a period of five years, i.e. until the end of the fiscal year 2028, the management aims to roughly double the previous year's sales volume to around EUR 500 million.