DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG (english)

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Q3-2006 asnd 1-9/2006



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG / Quarter Results/Results Forecast



26.10.2006



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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale



Q3 2006:

- Revenue EUR 489.8 million / net consolidated profit EUR 24.5 million before

consideration of earnings share of minority owners EBITDA EUR 58.6 million /

EBIT EUR 39.3 million

Q1 - Q3 2006:

- Revenue EUR 1,427.9 million / net consolidated profit EUR 70.1 million before

consideration of earnings share of minority owners

- EBITDA EUR 162.2 million / EBIT EUR 110.4 million

- Growth in revenues and net consolidated profit underpin own forecast for

full-year result

As at reporting date (30 September 2006), the Group has 45 hospitals with

14,690 beds/places at a total of 34 sites

A total of 1,037,764 patients were treated in the Group's facilities in

the first nine months

30,611 persons were employed with the Group as at 30 September 2006



Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale, 26 October 2006 ----- The key results for Q3 2006

published today by RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, the listed hospital group with

headquarters in the Rhön, underpin the Group's own forecasts for full-year

2006: revenue of EUR 1.9 billion, net consolidated profit of EUR 93.0 million,

earnings per share of EUR 1.72.



In the third quarter of 2006 the Group generated revenues of EUR 489.8

million (Q3 2005: EUR 356.4 million); looking at the first 9 months of 2006,

revenues totalled EUR 1,427.9 million (9M 2005: EUR 1,044.7 million). 'The

36.7% rise in revenues in the first nine months of 2006 was mainly driven

by the first-time consolidation of Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg

GmbH contributing EUR 280.9 million (with 2,262 beds/places) from 1 February

2006 and of two further hospitals, Frankenwaldklinik in Kronach and

Heinz-Kalk-Krankenhaus in Bad Kissingen, adding revenue of EUR 30.0 million

(with 398 beds/places, from 1 January 2006)', said Dietmar Pawlik, CFO of

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG. 'Adjusted for accounting changes in connection with the

promotion of training and education, organic growth versus the same period

last year was EUR 39.6 million (3.6%).'



Net consolidated profit (before consideration of earnings share of minority

owners of 1.0 / previous year: 0.9 million) reached EUR 24.5 million in the

third quarter of 2006, a rise of 7.9% over the previous year's figure of EUR

22.7 million. With reference to the first nine months of 2006 the rise in

net consolidated profit (before consideration of earnings share of minority

owners of 3.1 / previous year 3.2 million) was 4.5% (2006: EUR 70.1 million /

last year: EUR 67.1 million). At the end of the first nine months, earnings

per share stood at EUR 1.29 (previous year: EUR 1.23). The result for the first

nine months of 2006 was burdened by the EUR 6.5 million loss at

Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg as expected, but this was offset by

improvements at the other hospitals.



'The restructuring of Gießen/Marburg is moving ahead as planned', explained

Gerald Meder, chairman of the management board of Universitätsklinikum

Gießen und Marburg GmbH and deputy chairman of the Board of Management of

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG.



In the third quarter of 2006 the key ratio EBITDA saw an improvement by

16.3% to EUR 58.6 million (previous year: EUR 50.4 million) and EBIT gained

10.1% to reach EUR 39.3 million (up from EUR 35.7 million the year before);

earnings before tax (EBT) also improved, by 6.6% to EUR 33.8 million (vs. EUR

31.7 million last year). Over the first nine months of 2006 EBITDA rose by

8.8% to EUR 162.2 million (previous year: EUR 149.1 million), EBIT by 5.7% to

EUR

110.4 million (previous year: EUR 104.4 million) and EBT by roughly 4.0% to EUR

96.3 million (previous year: EUR 92.6 million).



The disproportionate rise in materials and consumables used recorded in the

first nine months of 2006 (9M 2006: EUR 364.9 million / previous year: EUR

259.6 million) as well as the strong rise in the employee benefits item (9M

2006: EUR 842.7 million / previous year: EUR 589.1 million) are attributable to

the hospitals newly consolidated in the current financial year. These have

rationalisation potential due to unfavourable structures versus our

long-standing facilities.



At 30 September 2006, cash and cash equivalents showed an increase by EUR

86.9 million to EUR 224.6 million (previous year: EUR 137.7 million). The Group

enjoys sound financial structures. 'We have continued to improve our

internal financing strength', explained Pawlik. 'In the first nine months

of financial year 2006, our operating cash flow rose 8.9% to EUR 122.0

million (previous year: EUR 112.0 million).' In the third quarter of 2006,

cash flow was EUR 43.8 million (EUR 37.4 million).



As at the reporting date 30 September 2006, the Group has 45 hospitals with

14,690 beds/places at a total of 34 sites. In the first nine months a total

of 1,037,764 patients (previous year: 729,522; + 308,242) were treated in

the Group's facilities, with the third quarter accounting for 360,149 of

these (previous year: 241,687; + 118,462).



At the reporting date 30 September 2006, the Group employed 30,611 persons

(at 31 December 2005: 21,226), with 9,677 added by the facilities newly

consolidated in 2006.



'It is now known what impact the health reform will have. These burdens can

be compensated by numerous countermeasures. With its solution and industry

expertise RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG has repeatedly shown it knows how to respond to

such changes.', explained Wolfgang Pföhler, chairman of the Board of

Management of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG.



Thanks to its future-oriented concepts - from the flow principle to the

electronic patient file as well as a new professional model for doctors -

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG enjoys a leading competitive position in the privatisation

of university hospitals. RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG sees its strategy of profitable

growth as wholly confirmed.

***************************







Brigitte Sallwey

Sallwey & Partner

Telemannstr. 18

D-60322 Frankfurt/Main

(+49)069 97 203 628





DGAP 26.10.2006

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Language: English

Issuer: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Salzburger Leite 1

97616 Bad Neustadt/ Saale Deutschland

Phone: +49 (0)9771 - 65-0

Fax: +49 (0)9771 - 97 467

E-mail: fire.ir@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

WWW: www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

ISIN: DE0007042301

WKN: 704230

Indices: MDAX

Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), München;

Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart



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