International ARM Firm EOS Consolidated Remains on Growth Course

Hamburg, Germany – Despite the international financial and economic crisis, in 2009/10 EOS Consolidated achieved a result slightly higher than the previous year’s figure: earnings before taxes (EBT) amounted to EUR 61.6 million in the financial year 2009/10 – compared with EUR 61.1 million in 2008/09. Consolidated sales generated by the international provider of receivables management, marketing and risk information, and payment services increased by EUR 16.7 million to a total of EUR 314.0 million. This represents a growth rate of 5.6 per cent. Hans-Werner Scherer, Chairman of the EOS Group’s Board of Directors, comments: ‘The quality of our services – even in more demanding circumstances – has convinced our clients so far. We will continue to focus on this aspect.’

The sales of EOS Consolidated on the German market rose by 1.7 per cent, from EUR 180.7 million in the past year to their current level of EUR 183.7 million. Germany’s share of aggregate sales was 58.5 per cent (60.7 per cent in 2008/09).

In the previous financial year, EOS Consolidated continued to grow in the Western European markets. The increase of 18.4 per cent in sales, taking them to EUR 55.2 million (EUR 46.6 million in 2009/2010), results above all from the 100 % acquisition of EOS Acción de Cobro España S.A. from the Spanish Banco Pastor Group in September 2009. The Belgian company and the three Swiss companies also made positive contributions to sales.

In Eastern Europe, the effects of the financial crisis are evident. While previous financial years were shaped by dynamic growth, sales at the Eastern European EOS companies fell by 9.2 per cent to EUR 35.2 million (EUR 38.8 million in 2008/2009) due to the difficult economic circumstances.

EOS Consolidated bucked the difficult overall economic trend on the US market and significantly strengthened its solid competitive position – amongst others due to acquisitions –, increasing its sales by 26.0 per cent to some EUR 39.2 million in the process.

Growth will continue to define the EOS strategy in future. While it expects to see a continuation of solid development in Germany, Western Europe and the US, it is anticipating significant improvements in profits in Eastern Europe. EOS remains true to its goal of attaining or maintaining a top-three position in all relevant countries over the next few years.

For more information, please refer to the current issue of our annual publication ‘EOS Insights’, which can be downloaded at www.eos-solutions.com/insights

The EOS Group
The EOS Group, an Otto Group subsidiary, is a leading international provider of tailor-made services covering the entire life cycle of a customer relationship – from customer acquisition to electronic payment processing, debt collection and purchase of receivables portfolios. The core business is receivables management. EOS is committed to high standards of debt collection to protect creditors and consumers. With over 5000 employees, EOS serves its 20,000 customers in more than 20 countries worldwide through over 40 subsidiaries. More information: www.eos-solutions.com