EANS-News: PUMA AG Rudolf Dassler Sport / PUMA AG announces its consolidated financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2010

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Financial Figures/Balance Sheet

Herzogenaurach (euro adhoc) - Highlights Second Quarter:

• Consolidated sales up by 2.5%
• Gross profit margin improved to a strong 50.3%
• Overall cost structure continues to improve
• Operating result at EUR 64.1 million, up 1.7%
• EPS rise 16.4% from EUR 2.55 to EUR 2.97
• Integration of Cobra Golf according to schedule
• Share-buyback program initiated

Highlights January-June:
• Consolidated sales post a slight increase of 0.1%
• Gross profit margin up versus last year at 51.3%
• Strong improvement in cost structure as a result of the cost reduction
program
• Operating result before special items improved to EUR 183.2 million , up
3.4% versus last year
• EBT increase by 185,5% to 181 million with EPS jumping to EUR 8.48 from
EUR 2.92 last year
• Working Capital and Cash position continue to improve

Outlook 2010:
• Management confirms expected sales growth in the low to mid
single-digits due to a strong improvement in the overall outlook
• EBIT before special items is expected to increase compared to last year
• Phase 4 Revisited (2011-2015): New refined strategy to unfold PUMA´s
long-term potential will be presented with Q3 results

Jochen Zeitz, CEO: "PUMA performed according to plan in the second
quarter and we are gearing up for solid growth in the second half of
the year based on a strong outlook. Given an overall improvement of
the global economies as well as our decisive measures taken in the
past 18 months to adjust our organization and processes to the new
market realities, we feel ready to re-engage with our long-term
expansion plan as of next year. "Phase IV revisited 2011-2015" shall
enable us to significantly tap into PUMA's long-term sales potential
of 4 billion Euros and beyond."

Sales and Earnings Development

Global Brand Sales
PUMA´s brand sales in the second quarter - comprised of consolidated and
license sales - increased by 1.3% in Euro terms.

Consolidated Sales
Consolidated sales in the second quarter increased by 2.5% in Euro terms to EUR
615.4 million. Currency neutral, consolidated sales softened by 4.8% on high
comparables after closeout sales and a high inventory availability last year.
Deliveries in June were impacted by late product deliveries and there were no
pre-shipments unlike last year. On a currency-neutral basis, Footwear sales were
down by 9.7% at EUR 321.2 million and Apparel sales fell by 5.3% to EUR 208.6
million. Due to first time consolidations, Accessories sales improved
significantly by 20.6% to EUR 85.6 million.

After the first six months, consolidated sales were down by 3.7%
currency-neutral but increased by 0.1% in reported terms to EUR 1,298.5 million.
Sales in EMEA and Asia/Pacific were below last year´s levels. Sales in the
Americas region, however, increased 12.7% currency-neutral despite of the
overall challenging market environment after both sub regions - North America
and Latin America - sustained their positive performances from the first
quarter. Footwear sales declined currency-neutral by 7.2% to EUR 700.1 million.
Apparel sales decreased by 2.0% to EUR 435.4 million. Accessories sales,
however, advanced by 8.9% to EUR 163.1 million.

Gross Profit Margin
In the second quarter, the gross profit margin improved by 30 basis
points from 50.0% last year to 50.3%. This increase mainly results from a lower
share of closeout sales that more than offset negative impacts from currency
hedging, the regional mix and higher raw material costs. After the first six
months, PUMA´s gross profit margin reached 51.3% after 51.1% last year. Footwear
reported 50.6% compared to 49.7% and Apparel 52.7% versus 52.3%. Accessories
declined to 50.7% from 54.9% last year, which is mainly due to the increase in
the scope of consolidation with the inclusion of Cobra Golf.

Operating Expenses

Operating expenses increased by 3.4% to EUR 250.5 million in the
second quarter due to the inclusion of the Cobra Golf business into
the consolidation as well as currency effects. Omitting these two
factors, OPEX would be below last year. In the first six months
operating expenses declined by 0.7% to EUR 492.8 million, which
translates into a cost ratio of 37.9% after 38.2%.

EBIT
The operating result came in at EUR 64.1 million in the quarter after
EUR 63.1 million last year. As a percentage of sales, the EBIT ratio dropped
slightly to 10.4% from 10.5%. Adjusted by costs stemming from the Cobra
integration, the EBIT margin would have improved compared to last year.
After six months, the operating result before special items increased by
3.4% to EUR 183.2 million from EUR 177.1 million, which translates into an
operating margin of 14.1% versus 13.6% last year.

Financial Result/Income from associated companies
Due to lower interest rates and lower accumulation of interest on purchase price
liabilities from acquisitions, the financial result in the second quarter was
at EUR -1.5 million versus EUR -2.1 million last year. After six months, the
financial result stood at EUR -2.7 million compared to EUR -3.7 million last
year. An income of EUR 0.4 million was generated from associated companies in
the quarter.

Net Earnings
The company´s pre-tax profit (EBT) was EUR 63.1 million in the second
quarter versus EUR 61.0 million last year. Net earnings totaled EUR 44.8 million
versus EUR 38.5 million, representing an increase of 16.4%. This translates into
earnings per share of EUR 2.97 compared to EUR 2.55 last year.

In the first half, EBT rose significantly to EUR 180.9 million from EUR
63.4 million last year. As a result, net earnings improved by 190.4% to EUR
127.9 million from EUR 44.0 million. Earnings per share were at EUR 8.48
compared to EUR 2.92. The operational tax ratio was calculated at 29.3% versus
last year´s 26.5%.

Net Assets and Financial Position

Equity
As of June 30, 2010, total assets were up by 16.1% to EUR 2,377.6
million. The equity ratio improved from 56.6% in last year to 61.7% in spite of
a higher balance sheet total.

Working Capital
Net inventory increased by 5.7% to EUR 456.8 million but decreased 5.7%
on a currency-adjusted basis. Accounts receivable increased by 8.1% from EUR
502.8 million to EUR 543.4 million, which compares to a currency-adjusted
decrease of 0.7%. Working capital improved to EUR 521.7 million from EUR 540.6
million last year - showing again a significant improvement compared to previous
quarters and thus underpinning our strong focus on managing working capital.

Capex/Cashflow
In the first six months, the company invested EUR 23.3 million versus
EUR 27.4 million last year. The reduction in capital expenditure together with a
solid improvement in working capital led to a strong increase in PUMA´s free
cashflow before acquisitions of EUR 77.3 million from EUR 45.1 million last
year. An outflow of EUR 101.9 million versus EUR 61.0 million last year related
to acquisitions.

Cash Position
Given the strong focus on cash management, total cash at the end of June
rose by 49.8% from EUR 302.7 million to EUR 453.4 million and bank debts
declined by 28.8% from EUR 44.8 million to EUR 31.9 million this year. As a
result, net cash was up from EUR 257.9 million to EUR 421.5 million this year,
representing a remarkable increase of 63.4%.

Share Repurchase
PUMA AG started its share buyback program and purchased 55,892 of its own shares
during the second quarter, which equals 0.4% of the share capital and reflects
an investment of EUR 12.9 million.

Other Events

Spain Arbitration Ruling According to an arbitration ruling the
former Spanish license holder Estudio 2000 S.A., which owned several
PUMA trademark rights, has been obliged to vest these to PUMA AG.
Through the vesting of all of the word, image and combined PUMA
trademark rights in Spain, PUMA AG would ultimately own all trademark
rights and take over the operational business in Spain, hence
ensuring a consistent brand management strategy. According to the
arbitration ruling, the vesting of the trademark rights is subject to
a one-time payment of up to 98 million Euros to Estudio 2000 S.A.
However, after a thorough legal assessment, PUMA AG will challenge
the ruling and believes that a favourable outcome is more likely than
not. PUMA now confirms that a cancellation recourse will be filed
within the next days. This potential is classified as a contingent
liability which has not been recognized as a liability in the
financial statements.

PHASE IV Revisited (2011-2015) - New refined strategy to unfold
PUMA´s long-term potential PUMA´s initial Phase IV expansion plan was
slowed down by the global economic crisis that curbed PUMA´s sales
progress. With an improved outlook of the global economy, which
should lead to a reasonable market recovery, PUMA´s management is
revisiting its long term development plan, leading to a refined
strategy, aligned with today´s market realities, to unfold PUMA´s
long-term potential. The strategy and impact of "Phase IV Revisited
2011-2015" will be laid out in detail - together with the release of
PUMA´s third quarter results - on October 26th at the Brand Center of
PUMAVision Headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

Outlook 2010

Given a strong outlook in sales for the second half, we continue to
expect sales growth in the low to mid single digits for the full year
2010. Gross profit margins should remain unchanged to last year´s
level. EBIT before special items is expected to improve compared to
last year.

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: Puma AG Rudolf Dassler Sport
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Kerstin Neuber

Telefon: +49 (0)9132 81-2984

E-Mail: Kerstin.Neuber@puma.com

Branche: Consumer Goods
ISIN: DE0006969603
WKN: 696960
Index: Midcap Market Index, MDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, HDAX,
Prime All Share
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