DGAP-News: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG (english)

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG: RHÖN-KLINIKUM continues its growth course



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG / Key word(s): Quarter Results



04.11.2010 07:00

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After nine months:

- Number of patients grows by 13.3% to over 1.53 million

- Revenues grow by 10.5% to EUR 1.90 billion

- EBITDA rises by 9.0% to EUR 228.5 million and EBIT by 9.7% to EUR 147.9

million

- Net consolidated profit improves by 10.4% to EUR 107.2 million



Forecast for 2010 specified:

- Revenues of EUR 2.55 billion

- Net consolidated profit of EUR 145 million



Positive outlook for 2011 despite challenging policy environment:

- Revenues: EUR 2.65 billion

- EBITDA: EUR 340 million (± 5%)

- Net consolidated profit: EUR 160 million (± 5%)



Bad Neustadt a.d. Saale, 4 November 2010. Three quarters into financial

year 2010, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG remains right on course. Patient numbers,

revenues and earnings have once again witnessed a very positive performance

in the third quarter. For the full year, the Company now expects revenues

of EUR 2.55 billion (2009: EUR 2.3 billion) and net consolidated profit of

EUR 145 million (2009: EUR 131.7 million).

'The very positive trend in our key ratios shows that our strategic

direction is right', said Wolfgang Pföhler, chairman of the Board of

Management of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG. 'Patients have a high level of trust in the

work and quality of our medical care. Having made considerable investments

in our hospitals, we will further expand our service offering'.



In the first nine months of the current financial year, the Group's network

of 54 hospitals and 31 medical care centres (MVZs) treated a total of over

1.53 million patients. Compared with the same period last year, this

translates into a growth of 13.3%. Revenues rose over the same period by

10.5% to reach EUR 1.90 billion. After nine months, EBITDA stood at EUR

228.5 million, which corresponds to a 9.0% rise compared with the previous

year. EBIT rose by 9.7% to EUR 147.9 million, and operating cash flow by

8.5% to EUR 188.7 million.

Net consolidated profit improved in the period from January to September by

10.4% to EUR 107.2 million. After deducting minority interests in profit

of EUR 4.2 million, earnings per ordinary share (EpS) now amounts to EUR

0.75. The change in the number of shares following the capital increase in

2009 restricts the representative character of a year-on-year comparison

(previous year: EUR 0.83). Based on the higher number of ordinary shares

after the capital increase in 2009, an EpS of EUR 0.67 is calculated for

the previous year.



Positive outlook for 2011 despite challenging policy environment



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG sees itself well prepared for financial year 2011 as well.

'The framework conditions of policy are challenging', Pföhler said with a

view to the German government's healthcare reform. 'Nevertheless, we will

further expand our care offering and continue our growth course. Also in

2011, the key elements being planned for hospital financing will not be

able to completely offset the actual cost increases. How high our growth

will be next year will also ultimately depend on the specific terms of

remuneration that are worked out in the new legislation.'



Based on information available thus far, the hospital group is targeting

revenues of EUR 2.65 billion for financial year 2011. This revenue target

is accompanied by an EBITDA forecast of EUR 340 million and an expected net

consolidated profit of EUR 160 million. Given the uncertainty over the

final legislative environment, fluctuations in the range of ± 5% are

considered possible.



Helping shape system change



RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG intends to help shape this system change. This change is

being marked in particular by a shift of many inpatient services into the

outpatient area along with advances in medical technology; at the same

time, though, demographic trends are also calling for new answers. 'Our

objective is unchanged: we seek to ensure a high quality of medical care

for all patients at reasonable costs, whilst escorting the Group's

development towards becoming an integrated healthcare provider', Pföhler

said. For example, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG has prepared its market entry into the

field of ophthalmology so as to provide patients with innovative service

offerings. Like almost no other field, ophthalmology provides a prime

example of how inpatient services are being shifted into the outpatient

segment.



Working together with the state as an effective partner in providing basic

services



As planned, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG this year began integrating into the Group's

network the MEDIGREIF Group (comprising five hospitals and two medical care

centres in the federal states of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania and

Saxony-Anhalt), thus succeeding in broadening its healthcare network.

Integration of Klinik Hildesheimer Land GmbH with its focus on geriatrics

have got off to a good start. Here Group is planning to strengthen its

medical care networks in the area of acute geriatrics as well as geriatric,

cardiological and orthopaedic rehabilitation.



According to Pföhler, RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG is among best placed companies in

the sector when it comes to further acquisitions. Given the tight budget

situations of many municipalities, the question is not whether but when

further privatisations will take place. This becomes very clear from the

example of the Kiel-Lübeck university hospital. 'We must not make cut-backs

at the expense of medical care in cities and municipalities', Pföhler said.

'I am certain that competent and reliable partners for basic public medical

care like RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG will continue to be much sought after. We have

many years of expertise and experience in the area of restructuring and

medical care which we offer for this end - but of course not at any price.

We are confident of being able to expand our network by further facilities

in specific areas', Pföhler said in conclusion.



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 33 medical care

centres (MVZs) throughout Germany. We employ more than 37.000 persons. In

financial year 2009, roughly 1.8 million patients were treated in the

Group's facilities.

More information is available under: www.rhoen-klinikum-ag.com.







Esther Walter

Head of Group Press and Public Relations

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Schlossplatz 1

D-97616 Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale

Phone: +49 9771 65 - 1322

Fax: +49 9771 65 - 1820

E-mail: esther.walter@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com



Boris Tramm

Head of Investor Relations

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Schlossplatz 1

D-97616 Bad Neustadt a. d. Saale

Phone:+49 9771 65 - 1318

Fax: +49 9771 99 - 1736

E-mail: boris.tramm@rhoen-klinikum-ag.com















04.11.2010 07:00 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP -

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Language: English

Company: RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG

Schlossplatz 1

97616 Bad Neustadt a.d.Saale

Deutschland

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 Hamburg, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart



End of Announcement DGAP News-Service



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