Waldenburg, 15 May 2018. R. STAHL, leading supplier of products and systems for explosion protection, finished the first quarter 2018 with slightly higher sales and noticeably improved earnings compared to the previous year.

Driven by a further slow recovery in demand in key customer industries, order intake rose considerably to EUR68.5 million, an increase of 10.6% compared to the previous year's weak final quarter (Q4 2017: EUR61.9 million). This translated into an ongoingly solid order backlog of EUR92.5 million at the end of the reporting period (31 December 2017: EUR92.3 million).

In the period under review, sales grew 0.4% year on year to EUR65.7 million (Q1 2017: EUR65.5 million). Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) improved significantly by EUR1.7 million to EUR-2.3 million (Q1 2017: EUR-4.0 million) compared to the prior year. This reflects first contributions from measures being implemented to improve the organization's efficiency.

At the beginning of 2018, R. STAHL introduced earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) pre exceptional items (EBITDA pre) as key financial performance indicator to steer the Group. Exceptional items include costs and income which are not related to the ongoing operating business, but are incurred only once, for example in the course of restructuring measures. EBITDA pre makes R. STAHL's fundamental profitability more comparable and also provides the internal basis for swiftly and consistently implementing further measures to increase the organization's efficiency. In the first quarter 2018, R. STAHL's EBITDA pre increased by EUR2.5 million to EUR2.3 million (Q1 2017: EUR-0.2 million). Exceptionals amounted to EUR-1.6 million (Q1 2017: EUR-0.8 million). At the end of the reporting period, liabilities related to loans amounted to EUR39.0 million (31 March 2017: EUR39.7 million), while cash and cash equivalents were at EUR16.1 million (31 March 2017: EUR19.2 million). Accordingly, net financial debt amounted to EUR23.0 million (31 March 2017: EUR20.4 million).

On 9 February 2018, R. STAHL announced that Bernd Marx, Member of the Executive Board and responsible for the finance department, stepped down from his position as Chief Financial Officer and that his contract will end on 30 June 2018. Until the appointment of a successor, the Chairman of the Executive Board of R. STAHL AG, Dr. Mathias Hallmann, has taken over all duties of the former Chief Financial Officer.

On 2 March 2018, R. STAHL released preliminary figures for fiscal year 2017. Sales came in at EUR268.5 million with an EBIT pre exceptionals of EUR-5.4 million and net profit of EUR-21.2 million.

With its notification of 7 March 2018, R. STAHL announced the delay of the release of its Annual Report for fiscal year 2017 and the Annual General Meeting 2018. As the new date for the Annual General Meeting 2018, R. STAHL announces today 30 August 2018. Location and beginning of the meeting will be made public on the website of the company www.r-stahl.com under the section Investor Relations/Annual General Meeting until the end of May 2018.

With its notification of 8 November 2017, R. STAHL published figures for the first nine months 2017 and adapted the guidance for fiscal year 2017. For fiscal year 2018, R. STAHL will release its first guidance together with the release of its Annual Report for fiscal year 2017.

In the reporting period, R. STAHL commissioned the preparation of an independent business review that is expected to be available in the second quarter 2018 and that will be used for further discussions with its loaners to adapt financing conditions. Further information will be found in R. STAHL's Annual Report for fiscal year 2017 following respective consultation with its auditor. R. STAHL will release its Annual Report 2017 together with its financial statements for the first quarter 2018 on 12 June 2018 and will host a conference call at 9:00 CET at the same day to explain the results. Dial-in details for this conference call will be released soon.

About R. STAHL - www.r-stahl.com
R. STAHL is one of the world's leading suppliers of electrical and electronic products and systems for explosion protection. These products and systems prevent explosions in risk areas and contribute to the safety of people, machines and the environment. The portfolio ranges from products used in switching/ distributing, installing, operating/monitoring, lighting and signalling/alarming, up to automation. Typical customers operate in growth industries, such as the oil & gas industry, the chemical and pharmaceutical industries and the food industry. In 2016, 1,788 employees generated sales of EUR 286.6 million.

The shares of R. STAHL AG are traded on the Regulated Market/Prime Standard of Deutsche Boerse (ISIN DE000A1PHBB5).

Contact:
R. Stahl Aktiengesellschaft
Am Bahnhof 30, 74638 Waldenburg (Wuertt.)
Dr. Thomas Kornek
Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
F: +49 7942 943-1395
E: investornews@stahl.de

WKN: A1PHBB
ISIN: DE000A1PHBB5
Ticker: RSL2
Listing: Frankfurt Stock Exchange / Prime Standard