“Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG has made a successful start to the year 2008. With heavy utilization of our facilities and transport systems, steep increases in volumes, and growth rates in revenues and result outpacing these, in the first quarter we continued our profitable growth course,” stated Klaus-Dieter Peters, CEO of HHLA at the publication of HHLA’s interim report on 15 May covering the period January to March 2008. “We are adhering to our forecast for the year as a whole. On the basis of the trend so far, for 2008 we anticipate total revenues of around 1.3 billion euros. At Group level, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) should for the first time exceed the 300-million-euro threshold.”
SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INDICATORS (JANUARY TO MARCH 2008)
- Revenues up by 15.5 percent at 320.8 million euros.
- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) improved by 26.1 percent to 115. 5 million euros.
- Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by a disproportionate 29.8 percent to 92.6 million euros.
- Profit after tax leapt by 44.5 percent to 59.6 million euros.
In an environment of sustained growth for global transport and logistics chains, during the first three months of 2008 HHLA Group again expanded its operations along the logistics chains between the overseas port and its hinterland in Europe. The main factors powering growth were the container trades with Asia, the Baltic region and the hinterland in Central and Eastern Europe. On a year-on-year comparison, we again managed to boost all the main financial indicators.
HHLA is countering sustained growth in container handling and container transport by systematically implementing its capacity expansion programme. During the period between 2008 and 2012, HHLA will be investing altogether 1.5 billion euros in expanding its handling capacities, its hinterland network and its logistics activities.
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG is one of the leading port logistics companies in the European North Range. With its Container, Intermodal and Logistics segments, HHLA is positioned vertically along the transport chain. Efficient container terminals, high-performance transport systems and a full range of logistics services form a complete network between the overseas port and its European hinterland.