AZ Medien back in the black
The Aargau-based media company AZ Medien generated a profit of CHF 1.4 million in 2015 following a loss in the previous year. At CHF 246.5 million, operating income was on a par with the previous year.
Reorganization, cost discipline and reduced start-up losses at the news portal Watson contributed to the improved result, as publisher Peter Wanner's AZ Medien announced on Thursday. In 2014, the media company reported a loss of CHF 6 million. Key projects were also completed in 2015, according to the press release. For example, the printing center in Aarau was completed. Dietschi AG, the publisher of the Olten Tagblatt, was integrated.
According to Axel Wüstmann, CEO of AZ Medien, the company was able to keep sales stable in a difficult environment by investing in transformation and expanding its TV and digital business. Among other things, the media company publishes the Aargauer Zeitung newspaper and operates the regional channels TeleZüri, Tele M1 and Tele Bärn.
"AZ Medien was able to keep sales stable in a difficult environment by investing in the transformation and expansion of the TV and digital business. Thanks to strict cost discipline, we were able to expand margins in all areas and report a consolidated profit of CHF 1.4 million after a loss of CHF 6.0 million in 2014. At CHF 28.4 million, EBITDA once again reached a margin of 11.5 percent," said Wüstmann in the press release.
Debt financing reduced
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by CHF 3.2 million year-on-year to CHF 28.4 million. The operating result amounted to CHF 6.8 million. AZ Medien increased its equity ratio by two percentage points to 45 percent. Debt financing was reduced by CHF 7.6 million. AZ Medien invested more than CHF 10 million in 2015. The headcount fell by 32 to 885 full-time positions. The company is proposing a dividend of 15 percent on the nominal capital to shareholders. (SDA/pd)
|
Key financial figures AZ Medien
(in million francs)
|
2014
|
2015
|
Change
|
||
|
million Fr.
|
%
|
||||
|
Operating income
|
247.7
|
246.5
|
-1.2
|
-0.5
|
|
|
Operating cash flow (EBITDA)
|
25.2
|
28.4
|
3.2
|
12.7
|
|
|
Operating result
|
6.3
|
6.8
|
0.5
|
7.9
|
|
|
EBIT
|
-2.1
|
4.3 |
6.4
|
|
|
|
Company result
|
-6.0
|
1.4
|
7.4
|
||
|
Degree of self-financing
|
43%
|
45%
|
|||
|
|
|||||
|
Headcount as at 31.12. (full-time equivalents)
|
917.6
|
885.7
|
-31.9
|
-3.5
|
|
