• Rise in patients numbers by 12.1 % to well over 1.1 million
• Further growth compared with the same period last year: revenues € 1.3 billion (+2.8%) / net consolidated profit € 84.2 million (+18.6%)
• EBITDA € 161.7 million (+6.8%) / EBIT € 102.3 million (+4.1%)
• Forecast for full-year 2011 reaffirmed

RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG confirms a successful first half of 2011 and is on its targeted growth course:

A total of 1,147,893 patients were treated in the Group’s hospitals in the first six months of 2011. This translates into a rise of 12.1% compared with the same period last year. Revenuesclimbed by 2.8% to reach around € 1.3 billion. Net consolidated profit also rose by 18.6% to reach € 84.2 million in the first half of 2011. During the reporting period, EBITDA stood at € 161.7 million, exceeding the figure of the same period in 2010 by 6.8%. During the same period, EBIT grew by 4.1% to € 102.3 million.

“The results of the first half year show that we have prepared ourselves well (and in the right way) for the challenges brought by the new policy requirements. Our forecast for 2011 is healthy.  Thanks to the strong co-operation within the Group network of hospitals, we will continue steadfastly our path towards becoming an integrated healthcare provider in the best interest of patients also in the second half of the year”, emphasised Wolfgang Pföhler, chairman of the Board of Management of RHÖN-KLINIKUM AG.

Operating cash flow grew by 15.4% and reached € 143.4 million in the first six months of the current financial year.

After deducting minority interests in profit of € 2.4 million from net consolidated profit of the first half, earnings per share (EPS) stands at € 0.59 (previous year: € 0.49).

Outlook

Based on the trend in service volumes and earnings for the first half, the chairman of the Board of Management continues to expect financial year 2011 as a whole – even without further acquisitions and under the currently known statutory framework conditions – to post revenues of roughly € 2.65 billion, an operating EBITDA of € 340 million and a net consolidated profit of € 160 million, with the last two figures potentially fluctuating within a range of plus or minus 5%.

“Strong growth in the medical growth fields of tomorrow”

Looking to 2011, Pföhler underscored that strong organic growth will be continued also in the current financial year by ensuring the future viability of the Group’s care offerings. “We recognise requirements and changes in the structure of medical care early on and help shape these. For this purpose we continuously promote the development of our healthcare services in both the inpatient and the outpatient areas, and thanks to our attractive offerings in the medical growth fields of tomorrow we are ideally prepared for the future and continued buoyant growth.”, Pföhler said in conclusion.