Pressmeddelande

ECCO Sko A/S improved performance significantly in 2004

Ecco

2005-03-10 13:47
- Excellent performance and increased earnings

- Growth in all sales regions and product categories

- ECCO continues to move forward on its own - maintaining ownership of and continuing the expansion of its own value chain

With a satisfactory result in 2004, Danish shoe group ECCO continued last year's progress.

Profit before tax rose DKK 86.2 million or 71.7% to DKK 206.4 million from DKK 120.2 million in 2003. Return on assets before tax was 7.0% compared with 4.3% in 2003, and profit after tax and minorities was DKK 150.7 million compared with DKK 61.8 million in 2003.

A major reason for the higher profit was a 7.3% sales increase to 12,045,000 pairs of shoes, a record-high number, and the highest growth rate for the past five years. Growth was recorded in all product categories, in which ECCO has chosen to be in the market: Ladies', Men's, Kids', Golf and Sports shoes.

Net revenue rose to DKK 3,394 million. The rate of increase was 7.1% on the year before. The growth rate would have been 9.8% at unchanged exchange rates.

The performance improvement was generated through growth in all sales regions and continuing significant investments in market penetration in new markets in Asia and Eastern Europe and in an expansion of the network of dedicated ECCO shops.

- In 2004, we took an important step in the right direction. ECCO generated new growth and increased earnings, not least as a result of the forward-looking investments we have made in recent years in areas such as branding, logistics and production plant, comments Mikael Thinghuus, ECCO's COO.

We are confident that control and constant adjustment of the overall process from idea and design via production to marketing and sales will prove the best way forward.

- In a highly competitive market, we generate results through the proactive and conscious choices we make. Several competitors are phasing out and subcontracting their production to third parties. However, it is important to us that our business is based on manufacturing in our own factories, which covers most of our production, continues Tinghuus.

ECCO expects growth to continue in 2005, with special focus on the growth markets in Eastern Europe, Asia and the United States and additional efficiency improvements and general growth in all ECCO's business areas. On this basis, ECCO expects earnings in 2005 to exceed the 2004 level.

Additional information:
Mikael Thinghuus, COO +45 7491 1625

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