DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG Increases Sales and Earnings in the First Quarter of 2018

DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG / Key word(s): Quarter Results
SMA Solar Technology AG Increases Sales and Earnings in the First Quarter of
2018

09.05.2018 / 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 Increases Sales and Earnings in the First Quarter of
2018


Overview Q1 2018:

- 1.8 GW inverter output sold (Q1 2017: 1.7 GW)

- Sales of EUR182.5 million (Q1 2017: EUR173.2 million) and EBITDA of
EUR17.5 million (Q1 2017: EUR15.9 million) in line with the Managing Board's
guidance

- Financial stability thanks to solid equity ratio of 50.1% (December 31,
2017: 50.3%) and high net cash of EUR444.8 million (December 31, 2017:
EUR449.7 million)

- High order backlog of EUR647.3 million, of which EUR256.3 million is
attributable to the product business

- Managing Board confirms its sales and earnings guidance for fiscal year
2018


Niestetal, May 9, 2018 - In the first quarter of 2018, SMA Solar Technology
AG (SMA/FWB: S92) sold inverters with a total output of around 1.8 GW (Q1
2017: 1.7 GW) and increased its sales in comparison to the first three
months of the previous year by 5.4% to EUR182.5 million (Q1 2017: EUR173.2
million). From January to March 2018, EBITDA rose to EUR17.5 million (EBITDA
margin: 9.6%; Q1 2017: EUR15.9 million; 9.2%). The year-on-year jump in
earnings is significant because the previous year's earnings included an
amount in the high single-digit millions as a one-time item from the sale of
SMA Railway Technology GmbH. Sales and earnings in the first quarter were in
line with the Managing Board's guidance published on March 28, 2018. The
sales increase is attributable in particular to the positive development in
the regions of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific
(APAC).

Net income amounted to EUR2.8 million in the first quarter of 2018 (Q1 2017:
EUR6.3 million). Earnings per share thus amounted to EUR0.08 (Q1 2017:
EUR0.17). With net cash of EUR444.8 million (December 31, 2017: EUR449.7
million) and an equity ratio of 50.1% (December 31, 2017: 50.3%), SMA
continues to have an extremely solid balance-sheet structure. In addition,
the company has a long-term credit line of EUR100 million from domestic
banks.

"We are satisfied with the development of our core business in the first
quarter of 2018," explained SMA CEO Pierre-Pascal Urbon. "In the first three
months of the fiscal year, demand for our products and services was at a
similarly high level as in the previous quarters. We also expect a stronger
second half of the year and are therefore optimistic that we will achieve
the annual targets. We are systematically pressing ahead with adding energy
services to our business. Based on our extensive application expertise, we
have developed a vertical energy management platform with ennexOS that can
be used to connect and optimize different technologies at the local level.
The open architecture also allows the connection to a cloud solution. SMA is
thus a trendsetter in the field of decentralized energy and a sought-after
cooperation partner for companies seeking to benefit from this growth
segment."

In light of the development in the first quarter of 2018 and the continued
high order backlog, the SMA Managing Board confirms its sales and earnings
guidance for the 2018 fiscal year, 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.

The quarterly statement for January to March 2018 can be found at
www.SMA.de/IR/FinancialReports. SMA's Annual General Meeting will be held on
May 24, 2018 in Kassel.


About SMA
The SMA Group with sales of around EUR900 million in 2017 is a global leader
for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. 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 and digital energy 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 1,100 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 TecDAX 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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09.05.2018 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



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683911 09.05.2018