Somehow, amid the weakest equity markets since the Second World War, Deutsche Brse had a record year in 2002. Preliminary figures which the company presented today show that sales including net interest income from banking business rose from Euros 760.3 million to Euros 1.17 billion in the year just ended. The company’s EBIT increased 26 percent to Euros 351.2 million, and EPS from Euros 2.04 to Euros 2.18. euros.
How did Deutsche Borse do it? The segment reporting shows Eurex to be the strongest performer in the group, raising revenues from Euros 268.8 million to Euros 331.6 million. Clearstream, whose sales were included in the segment reporting only since the acquisition was completed on 1 July 2002, contributed Euros 277 million. The Xetra segment was down, contributing Euros 210.8 million euros against Euros 243.1 million in 2001.
“The year 2002 was another very successful year for Deutsche Brse,” says Mathias Hlubek, chief financial officer of Deutsche Brse AG. “We benefit from our diversified business model, which was rounded out by the successful acquisition of Clearstream in the area of settlement.”
According to Hlubek, the Executive Board of Deutsche Brse will propose that the dividend per share be raised 22 percent to Euros 0.44.