GEA increases operating margin to 10% in Q3/2011

GEA recorded an order intake of €1,402.8 million ($1,940.95 million) in Q3 of 2011, up 21.7% yearon- year (organic growth at 11.4%). Revenue increased by 24.2% year-on-year to €1,397.4 million (organic growth at 13.5%). Operating profi t, which was before purchase price allocation effects, grew in the reporting period, rising 46.8% to €139.1 million.

"Predictions concerning the development of the global economy are more diffi cult than in the past, nevertheless we would like to confi rm our outlook for fi scal year 2011 as we gave it in the second quarter. We expect the fourth quarter will be our strongest", said CEO Jürg Oleas. Taking into account all acquisitions, the company predicts an order intake in the range from €5.4-5.6 million and revenue in the range from €5.1-5.3 billion.

Excluding the new GEA Convenience-Food Technologies Segment (GEA CT), the company predicts operating earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin of between 9.3% and 9.5%. For the new GEA CT Segment, the company predicts an operating EBIT margin before non-recurring integration expenses of between 8.5% and 9.0%.