Deutsche Börse AG: Preliminary Figures for 2004

According to the preliminary figures for the fiscal year 2004 presented by Deutsche Börse AG on Monday, the company achieved revenue of EUR1.45 billion, compared with EUR1.42 billion the previous year. The company also received a further EUR77.1 million from net interest income generated in banking business. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by EUR6.1 million or 1 percent to a record level of EUR458.7 million (EUR452.6 million in 2003). Deutsche Börse posted net profit of EUR266.1 million in 2004, compared with EUR246.3 million the previous year. Earnings per share increased 8 percent from EUR2.20 to EUR2.38. The Executive Board of Deutsche Börse has proposed a dividend increase of 27 percent to EUR0.70 per share (EUR0.55 in 2003). Deutsche Börse AG plans to maintain its progressive dividend policy in the future.

Segment reporting once again shows Clearstream as the best performing segment in 2004. Revenue in this segment increased from EUR543.7 million in 2003 to EUR578.8 million. In fiscal year 2004, Clearstream reported EBIT of EUR116.7 million, following EUR111.2 million in the previous year. Eurex contributed EUR407.4 million to annual revenue, compared with EUR409.6 in the previous year. EBIT in the Eurex segment totaled EUR174.9 million, down from EUR228.0 million in the previous year. The Xetra segment reported revenue of EUR216.3 million, compared with EUR212.3 million in 2003. EBIT increased from EUR57.6 million in 2003 to EUR86.2 million in 2004.

Information Technology achieved revenue of EUR125.4 million in 2004, compared with EUR131.9 million the previous year. EBIT increased from EUR72.6 million in 2003 to EUR82.4 million in 2004. Revenue in the Market Data & Analytics segment totaled EUR121.7 million, as against EUR121.9 million in the previous year. The segment generated EBIT of EUR44.4 million (EUR45.2 million in 2003).

In Q4 2004, Deutsche Börse recorded revenue of EUR364.4 million, compared with EUR354.1 million in the same quarter of the previous year. In addition, the company generated EUR22.7 million in net interest income from banking business. EBIT increased from EUR102.1 million in Q4 2003 to EUR103.4 million. Net profit for the quarter was up from EUR50.8 million in 2003 to EUR54.6 million in Q4 2004.