DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG Sets New Sales Record in 2017, Achieves Top End of Earnings Guidance and Anticipates Positive Business Performance in 2018

DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG / Key word(s): Final Results
SMA Solar Technology AG Sets New Sales Record in 2017, Achieves Top End of
Earnings Guidance and Anticipates Positive Business Performance in 2018

28.03.2018 / 07:00
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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SMA Solar Technology AG - Corporate News

SMA Solar Technology AG Sets New Sales Record in 2017, Achieves Top End of
Earnings Guidance and Anticipates Positive Business Performance in 2018

Overview of fiscal year 2017:

- Inverter output sold rises to a new record level of 8.5 GW (2016: 8.2 GW)

- Sales of EUR891.0 million influenced by decline in demand for large-scale
PV power plants in the U.S. (2016: EUR946.7 million)

- Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA)
with EUR97.3 million at top end of the guidance (2016: EUR141.5 million)

- Financial stability thanks to solid equity ratio of 50.3% (December 31,
2016: 48.3%) and high net cash of EUR449.7 million (December 31, 2016:
EUR362.0 million)

- Managing Board and Supervisory Board recommend dividend payment of EUR0.35
per share (2016: EUR0.26 per share)

- Managing Board anticipates sales of approximately EUR180 million and
EBITDA of approximately EUR18 million in first quarter of 2018 and confirms
sales and earnings guidance for the year as a whole


Niestetal, March 28, 2018 - SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA/FWB: S92) generated
a new sales record in 2017 with around 8.5 GW of inverter output sold (2016:
8.2 GW). SMA Group sales were below the previous year's level at EUR891.0
million (2016: EUR946.7 million). The decline was caused primarily by the
sharp decline in demand in the U.S. utility market which could not be
compensated for by the positive development in the Asian and European
business. EBITDA amounted to EUR97.3 million (EBITDA margin: 10.9%; 2016:
EUR141.5 million, 14.9%) and was therefore at the top end of the guidance
raised by the Managing Board in August. All segments were profitable in the
last fiscal year.

Net income was at the previous year's level at EUR30.1 million (2016:
EUR29.6 million). Earnings per share thus amounted to EUR0.87 (2016:
EUR0.85). Due to its attractive business model and increased flexibility,
SMA generated high operating cash flow of EUR116.8 million (2016: EUR147.5
million). Net cash was further expanded to EUR449.7 million (December 31,
2016: EUR362.0 million). With an equity ratio of 50.3% (December 31, 2016:
48.3%) at the end of 2017, SMA has an extremely solid balance sheet
structure. In addition, the company has a long-term credit line of EUR100
million from domestic banks. In light of this financial stability and
positive business prospects, the Managing Board and the Supervisory Board
will recommend that the Annual General Meeting on May 24, 2018, set a
dividend of EUR0.35 per share for the 2017 fiscal year. This corresponds to
a dividend payout ratio of 40% of net income.

"The 2017 fiscal year reflects the dynamics of the solar industry,"
explained SMA Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Pascal Urbon. "Due to the
regulatory environment, our U.S. business saw a sudden decline in demand,
while SMA benefited from the positive market development in Europe and Asia.
Our international positioning has proven its worth, just as expansion in the
storage system and service business has. We are satisfied with the EBIT
generated."

For the first quarter of 2018, the SMA Managing Board is anticipating sales
of approximately EUR180 million (Q1 2017: EUR173.2 million) and earnings
before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of
approximately EUR18 million (Q1 2017: EUR15.9 million). The SMA Managing
Board is confirming its sales and earnings guidance for the 2018 fiscal year
as published on January 24, 2018, which forecasts sales of between EUR900
million and EUR1,000 million and EBITDA of between EUR90 million and EUR110
million. For the first time, EBITDA includes expenses of more than EUR10
million for setting up the digital business. The Managing Board estimates
that depreciation and amortization will amount to approximately EUR50
million. "With the positive business development in the first quarter and
our large order backlog, we are well on the way to achieving the goals set
for this year," said Urbon. "We are focusing on introducing new solutions to
further strengthen our competitiveness in the core business. At the same
time, we are investing in digital business models to benefit from the
attractive energy service business in the medium term."

The SMA Annual Report for 2017 is available online at
www.SMA.de/IR/FinancialReports .

About SMA

The SMA Group with sales of around EUR900 million in 2017 is a globally
leading specialist for PV inverters, a key component of all PV systems. SMA
offers a wide range of products and solutions that allow for high energy
yields for residential and commercial PV systems and large-scale PV power
plants. To increase PV self-consumption efficiently, SMA system technology
can easily be combined with different battery technologies. Intelligent
energy management solutions, comprehensive services and operational
management of PV power plants round off SMA's range. The company is
headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, is represented in 20
countries and has more than 3,000 employees worldwide, including 500 working
in Development. SMA's multi-award-winning technology is protected by more
than 1,000 patents and utility models. Since 2008, the Group's parent
company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of
the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and is currently the only company in the
solar industry that is listed in the Tecta index.

SMA Solar Technology AG
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
Germany

Head of Corporate Communications:
Anja Jasper
Tel. +49 561 9522-2805
Presse@SMA.de

Press Contact:
Susanne Henkel
Manager Corporate Press
Tel. +49 561 9522-1124
Fax +49 561 9522-421400
Presse@SMA.de

Disclaimer:
This corporate news serves only as information and does not constitute an
offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities
of SMA Solar Technology AG (the "Company") or any present or future
subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the "SMA Group") nor
should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any
contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any
member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be
offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an
exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

This corporate news can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented
statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also
include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements
are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of
SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time.
Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they
are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of
uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the
financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation
and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has
discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA
website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to
update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events
or developments.


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28.03.2018 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Language: English
Company: SMA Solar Technology AG
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 0
Fax: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 100
E-mail: info@sma.de
Internet: www.sma.de
ISIN: DE000A0DJ6J9
WKN: A0DJ6J
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated
Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich,
Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange



End of News DGAP News Service
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669501 28.03.2018