DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Annual General Meeting on 13 June in Frankfurt/Main (english)

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Annual General Meeting on 13 June in Frankfurt/Main



DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG / Key word(s): AGM/EGM

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: Annual General Meeting on 13 June in Frankfurt/Main



13.06.2012 / 16:59



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Results for financial year 2011

- 11.5 % increase in patient treatments is once again proof of the trust in

the high quality of medical services

- Growth in revenues and earnings despite tougher framework conditions

demonstrate sustainability of growth course

- Net consolidated profit, EBITDA, EBIT and operating cash flow at record

level

- Dividend rises according to proposal of Board of Management and

Supervisory Board by 22 % to 0.45 EUR per non-par share



Q1 2012 results

- Rise in patient numbers by 5.2 % to a total of 609,896 cases underscores

our good start into the new financial year

- Revenues climb 5.4 % to reach EUR 682.3 million

- Net consolidated declines by 10.3 % to EUR 34.1 million



Record figures in 2011 - Growth despite difficult framework conditions

'Last year, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG again broke records and confirmed its growth

course. This result was achieved despite the legislated cuts in healthcare

spending that entered into force at the beginning of 2011 and confirms the

Company's growth course', said the chairman of the Board of Management of

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG, Wolfgang Pföhler, on Wednesday at the Annual General

Meeting of the Company in Frankfurt.



The path taken for the development of the Company from classic operator of

hospitals to an integrated healthcare provider had once again proven to be

the right growth path for the Company. During the year 2011 also, the

hospitals within the network of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG had demonstrated that even

amid a difficult environment they can raise service volumes and realise

efficiency reserves to meet their earnings targets.



In the first quarter of 2012, the positive growth trend continued. Between

January and March a total of 609,896 patients were treated at the Group's

facilities, 5.2 per cent more than in the same period last year. Revenues

totalled 682.3 million EUR, a rise of 5.4 per cent compared with the first

quarter of 2011.



Despite the higher patient numbers, net consolidated profit showed a slight

decline compared with the previous year and stands at 34.1 million EUR.

This slight decline comes chiefly as a result of demands on the part of the

health insurance funds regarding the remuneration discount on surplus

volumes to be agreed as well as the discounts of 65 per cent for service

volumes exceeding that. Besides the issue of surplus service volumes, the

quarterly result was burdened by additional costs in the personnel area and

delays in payment for the medical faculties of the university hospitals of

Gießen and Marburg.



According to Pföhler, the result of financial year 2012 was particularly

affected by the acquisition of Dr. Horst Schmidt Kliniken (HSK) in

Wiesbaden. The result would be diluted by the assumption of the current

losses by an amount in the low double-digit range at HSK, which was

included in the group of consolidated companies as at 30 April 2012. In

addition, it was already foreseeable today that the takeover offer by

Fresenius, regardless of the outcome, would have an impact on the Company's

performance. Firstly, in this special situation there was additional

expenditure for consultancy fees. Secondly, the uncertainty that this

potential transaction is creating was having a noticeable effect on the

day-to-day business. However, these effects could not be precisely

quantified at the present time. It was therefore premature to speak of

possible consequences for the full-year forecast.



This year, too, Pföhler expects demand for hospital services to rise. That

said, he urged the regulator to come up with solutions for the future

because growth in service volumes and efficiency were being penalised by

discounts - and that generally and regardless of the causes. Despite the

hospital financing measures that were currently the subject of political

debate, there was still no solution to the fundamental problem of how

rising demand for medical services should be financed in future. Given the

surpluses within the system of statutory health insurance, Pföhler

emphasised that not only did the question of the correct distribution of

the money have to be raised but that new ways of financing the system of

statutory health insurance also had to be discussed. Higher burdens and

overregulation would have a permanent adverse impact on the healthcare

industry which already today was one of Germany's largest employers.



Besides giving some examples of medical excellence among the Group's

facilities, Pföhler also addressed the subject of Gießen and Marburg

University Hospital (UKGM). Pföhler underscored that the public debate

currently being witnessed obscured the view of the positive facts. At the

biggest employer of Central Hesse, more persons were employed than at the

time of the privatisation. The investment commitments were being made good

on and since 2006 had exceeded the amount of 367 million EUR. With the

completion of the modern new buildings early 2011 in Gießen, the Company

had once again demonstrated its expertise. Pföhler called on all those

involved to pursue 'a joint strategy for a successful future of UKGM.' 'We

must engage in a dialogue with one another constructively. In this regard

we will not always share the same opinion and will arrive at a solution by

way of compromise. This compromise then also has to be accepted by all

sides.'



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG is one of the largest healthcare providers in Germany. Its

corporate objective is high-quality medical care for everyone. Currently,

our Group counts 54 hospitals at 43 sites as well as 39 medical care

centres (MVZs) throughout Germany. We employ about 43,000 persons. In

financial year 2011, more than 2.2 million patients were treated in the

Group's facilities. Further information is available at:

www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com



Max Müller

Head of Corporate Communications

Friedrichstraße 82

D-10117 Berlin

Phone: +49 30 20603-700

Fax: +49 30 20603-70

Email: max.mueller@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com



Dr. Kai G. Klinger

Head of Investor Relations

Schlossplatz 1

D-97616 Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale

Phone: +49 9771 65-1318

Fax: +49 9771 99-17 36

Email: kai.klinger@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com





End of Corporate News



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Language: English

Company: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Schlossplatz 1

97616 Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale

Germany

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

Fax: +49 (0)9771 - 97 467

E-mail: rka@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

Internet: www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com

ISIN: DE0007042301

WKN: 704230

Indices: MDAX

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

Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart





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