Preliminary figures for 2015 financial year

Our expectations for financial year 2015 have been met. With consumer-friendly services, glasses at a reasonable price and comprehensive guarantees, Fielmann expanded its market share in the past financial year.

Fielmann increased unit sales to 7.8 million pairs of glasses (previous year: 7.6 million). External sales including VAT grew to € 1.51 billion (previous year: € 1.43 billion) and consolidated sales rose to € 1.30 billion (previous year: € 1.23 billion). Pre-tax profits are expected to total € 241 million (previous year: € 226 million) with net profit for the year of € 171 million (previous year: € 162.8 million). At the end of the reporting year, Fielmann had 695 branches (previous year: 687).

The company is maintaining its shareholder-friendly dividend policy. In view of the company’s positive performance, the Management and Supervisory Boards will propose a dividend of € 1.75 per share for the 2015 financial year (previous year: € 1.60) to the Annual General Meeting on 14 July 2016. The dividend yield in relation to the closing share price for the year in 2015 amounts to 2.5 per cent. The dividend payout is therefore rising by 9.4 per cent to € 147 million (previous year: € 134.4 million).

Fielmann’s competent, dedicated employees are one reason for this success. In the reporting year, Fielmann created 555 new jobs, of which 424 are in Germany, making it the country’s largest employer and trainer in the optical industry. At year-end, Fielmann employed 17,287 members of staff (previous year: 16,732), of which 3,065 are trainees (previous year: 2,922). National awards testify to the high standard of our training.

The new branch opened during the reporting year in Bolzano, Italy, has developed positively. For this reason, we will be driving forward expansion in Northern Italy.

Fielmann is confident it will gain further market shares in 2016.

Hamburg, February 2016

Fielmann Aktiengesellschaft
The Management Board