Nuremberg – Leoni AG again succeeded in increasing its sales and earnings in the 2006 financial year, thereby meeting its set targets and in some cases exceeding them. Based on preliminary figures, Leoni generated consolidated sales of EUR 2.1 billion in the past fiscal year. This equates to a year-on-year increase of about 36 percent (1.55 billion in the previous year). The group of companies also recorded substantial growth in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT). The figure was up by about 27 percent, from EUR 102.8 million to EUR 130.2 million.

The net income of EUR 79.3 million was up by about 41 percent on the previous year’s figure of EUR 56.1 million. This includes once-off income of EUR 4.8 million from having capitalised corporate tax credit balances. With respect to free cash flow before spending on acquisitions and the dividend, the Company reached a figure of around EUR 59 million and thus topped expectations despite the substantially increased costs of materials.

With a 73 percent increase to EUR 1,154 million (668.6 million in the previous year), the Wire & Cable division attained record-level sales in the 2006 financial year. Along with generic growth, some of this sales increase is attributable to the year-on-year rise in the price of copper as well as to acquisitions. The Wiring Systems division likewise continued on its growth course in 2006, generating sales of EUR 954.2 million (879.4 million in the previous year). This increase was due mainly to larger volumes of wiring systems sold as well as premium category cars being fitted with equipment of higher quality – and thus with more complex cable harnesses.