GEISLINGEN/STEIGE – In the third quarter of 2014, the WMF Group increased its revenue by 2% over the previous year’s figure to EUR 718.4 million.
Adjusted for the sale of the Princess Group in May 2013, revenue grew by 4%. EBIT rose from EUR 32.1 million to EUR 50.1 million at 30 September 2014.
This significant increase is particularly attributable to the EUR -13.3 million in charges incurred by Princess in the previous year. Adjusted for Princess, EBIT was 10% higher than in the previous year.
“Strategically speaking, we are still focussing on strengthening our international market position and on a more definite alignment of our brand portfolio,” said Peter Feld, Chairman of the Executive Board of the WMF Group.
“This good performance, especially in our core areas of tableware and kitchen products, as well as in professional coffee machines, shows that we’re on the right track.” In tableware and kitchen products, WMF benefited from greater international demand and increased revenue by 4% to EUR 312.2 million.
In the Coffee Machines business unit, the firm boosted revenue by 7% to EUR 258.7 million. The Hotel business unit also performed well, with revenue increasing by 6% to EUR 17.9 million.
While revenue from the Consumer Electric business unit fell by 22%, it rose by 18% to EUR 28.5 million adjusted for Princess. The decline is to be attributed to store closures and to the streamlining of the product range as part of the strategic transformation programme.
As this programme continues to be implemented, the WMF Group will optimise its brand portfolio.
“We want to offer consumers better orientation in our product range and to focus more on segments in which there is growth, namely tableware and kitchen products and professional coffee machines,” said Peter Feld.
It is with this in mind that WMF has found a strategic solution for its subsidiary brand Alfi, whose high-quality outdoor products have established it on the German market.
Following a careful review of the brand portfolio, Alfi is being sold to the Thermos Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of vacuum flasks.
