Stuttgart, April 01, 2019 - CENIT AG was not able to repeat the success of the previous years in the 2018 financial year. Even if sales in the group rose by approx. 12 percent, EBIT fell by almost 30 percent, which is due in particular to the decline in the sale of the company's own software. Sales of third-party software again increased by around 27 percent compared to the previous year. On the basis of the annual financial statements of CENIT Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart, the Management Board and Supervisory Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting on May 24, 2019 to distribute a dividend of EUR 0.60 per share.

During the 2018 business year, CENIT Group achieved total sales revenues of EUR 169,990 k (2017: EUR 151,701 k/12.1%). Sales of CENIT's proprietary software declined by 12% at EUR 15,449 k, compared to EUR 17,559 k. Sales revenues from CENIT Consulting and Services totaled EUR 49,776 k and thus declined by 6.6% on-year (2017: EUR 51,618 k). Especially due to the acquisition of the KEONYS Group, sales of third-party software increased by around 27% to EUR 104,299 k (2017: EUR 82,362 k).

CENIT achieved EBITDA in the amount of EUR 11,948 k (2017: EUR 15,269 k/-21.8%) and EBIT of EUR 9,028 k (2017: EUR 12,836 k/-29.7%). Earnings per share were EUR 0.73 EUR (2017: EUR 1.07 EUR/-31.8%).

Order Intake
During the 2018 business year, orders received by CENIT Group totaled EUR 177,902 k (2017: EUR 161,955 k). Orders in hand on December 31, 2018 amounted to EUR 53,389 k (2017: EUR 45,477 k).

Asset and Financial Situation
On the balance-sheet date, the company's equity capital was EUR 39,102 k (2017: EUR 40,855 k), representing an equity ratio of 49.4% (2017: 46.8%). On the balance-sheet date, bank deposits and liquid assets totaled EUR 18,041 k (2017: EUR 23,692 k). On the other hand, there are current financial liabilities in amount of EUR 3 k (2017: EUR 3,152 k). Operative cash flow amounted to EUR 9,617 k (2017: EUR 3,917 k). In 2018, cash flow was influenced by a dividend payment to shareholders in the total amount of EUR 8,368 k and investments in the amount of EUR 3,826 k.

Employees
On December 31, 2018 CENIT Group employed 757 staff worldwide (2017: 764). Consolidated personnel expenditures during the reporting period were EUR 58,571 k (2017: EUR 53,060 k). CENIT currently provides training for 52 young professionals in a variety of occupations. Trainees include informatics and economics students from the Dual University of Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) and vocational trainees in the field of information technology.

Dividend
The Management and Supervisory Boards will propose to the General Meeting of Shareholders on May 24, 2019 that a dividend of EUR 0.60 per share, be distributed from CENIT AG's unappropriated profit in the amount of EUR 5,021 k.

Outlook
An equity ratio of almost 50% places CENIT on very secure footing. This lets CENIT act as a strong and reliable partner to its customers.

The forecast for the 2019 business year is based on sales at the previous year's level of around EUR 170,000 k and EBIT of EUR 10,000 k.

The complete 2018 Annual Report is available in a German and English version on the CENIT homepage: www.cenit.com/reports.

About CENIT:
CENIT is your partner for successful digital transformation. With a broad solutions and services portfolio, CENIT enables clients to optimize their horizontal and vertical business processes. Our solutions are based on innovative technologies in: product lifecycle management, the digital factory and enterprise information management. With interdisciplinary knowledge of the processes involved and their considerable expertise in the field, CENIT consultants provide customers with end-to-end advice to ensure that solutions are implemented with an understanding of the entire value chain. With a holistic approach and based on trusted partnerships, CENIT takes responsibility for solutions on behalf of our clients. From the initial consultation to the introduction of innovative IT solutions, right through to ensuring a cost-effective operation. The CENIT team adapts to each client, taking a practical approach, which enables measurable operational optimizations. CENIT has been helping prestigious customers in key industries to gain competitive advantages for 30 years. CENIT has over 800 employees worldwide who work with customers from: automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, tool and mold manufacturing, financial services, and trade and consumer products industries.
www.cenit.com

Please address queries to:

CENIT AG
Investor Relations
Tanja Marinovic
Industriestrasse 52-54, D-70565 Stuttgart
Tel.:+497117825-3320
Fax:+49711782544-4320
Email: [email protected]

Additional Information:

This press release/ad hoc report may contain future-oriented statements regarding the business, financial and earnings situation of, as well as profit projections for, CENIT. Such future-oriented statements are characterized by terms or statements such as "the company may" or "the company will", "expects", "assumes", "is considering", "intends to", "plans", "believes", "will continue to" and/or "estimates", as well as similar terms and statements. Such statements contain no guarantee that the projections will in fact be achieved. Rather, such statements involve risks, imponderables and assumptions that are difficult to predict and, in addition, are based on assumptions as to future events which may prove to be incorrect. For this reason, actual events may diverge significantly from the assumptions contained in the respective statement. In a future-oriented statement by which CENIT expresses expectations or assumptions with regard to future events, these expectations or assumptions are made in good faith, and it shall be assumed that they are made upon an appropriate basis; however, it cannot be guaranteed that the said statements, expectations or assumptions shall indeed occur, or be attained or fulfilled. The actual operative result may diverge significantly from such future-oriented statements and is subject to certain risks. In this regard, please refer to the Annual Report of CENIT AG.