Fraport Annual General Meeting 2016: Good Figures for Fiscal Year 2015

FRANKFURT, Germany, May 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Basis: Good Traffic Growth in Frankfurt - Positive Contribution from External Business with Improved Financial Results - Challenging Conditions for the Current Year  

FRA/rs-rap - At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held today at the Jahrhunderthalle Frankfurt, Fraport AG's executive board chairman Dr. Stefan Schulte explained to shareholders the progress achieved during fiscal year 2015.  He summarized Fraport's successful figures for 2015, which were in keeping with the company's expectations. Revenue advanced noticeably by 8.5 percent to 2.6 billion euros. Climbing at a similar rate of 7.4 percent, the Group's operating profit (EBITDA) grew by almost 60 million euros to some 850 million euros. The Group result increased at an even stronger rate of 18 percent, or 45 million euros, to reach a new record value of almost 300 million euros.

The basis for the strong financial development at Fraport's home location in Frankfurt was the growth in passenger figures, especially intercontinental traffic, as well as strong net retail income per passenger, which jumped by 19 cents to 3.62 euros. Despite diverging results at various locations, Fraport's external business contributed positively to financial success in fiscal 2015. In particular, results from the airports in Lima (LIM) and Ljubljana (LJU), along with the U.S.-based Airmall retail subsidiary more than compensated for the weak performance at Antalya (AYT) and St. Petersburg (LED). The improved financial result also contributed to good annual results in 2015, due to the low interest expenses in the course of lower net debts and declining interest rates. Fraport's CEO expressed his thanks to all the employees for their outstanding contribution every day of the year in serving passengers and airlines: "They are making it possible for us to present such great results to our shareholders," Schulte emphasized.

With a view towards future challenges, Schulte elaborated on Fraport's new mission statement. The new corporate slogan - "Gute Reise! We make it happen" - redefines Fraport's role as an airport manager. To meet the growing competition of international airports, Fraport is focusing even more on the increasing and diverging needs of customers. This includes consistently advancing service initiatives launched in the last few years to make the passenger's stay at Fraport airports even more pleasant and enjoyable. This is also accompanied by intensified digitalization for managing the airport and enhancing the customer experience. As one of the most important examples, Schulte mentioned the new Frankfurt Airport App, which features information and orientation help in various languages, an online-shopping platform for products from the airport shops, as well as a customer loyalty program.

Furthermore, the advanced development of Frankfurt Airport's infrastructure still remains one of the most important tasks of Fraport. Among the numerous measures, Schulte stressed that construction of Terminal 3 is currently the most significant. The construction activities are on schedule. Excavation work is finished and further construction steps are being tendered or are already in the planning stage. Moreover, Fraport wants to maintain and strengthen its role as an international pioneer in the field of aviation noise abatement. At Frankfurt Airport, the "noise-intermission model" will move from the test phase into regular operations. In addition, Fraport wants to emphasize the noise-related component of airport charges.

Along with the Frankfurt home location, Fraport's international business gained in importance during 2015. By the end of 2016, Fraport expects to take over operations of 14 regional airports in Greece. As a next step, the already-signed concession agreements for the regional airports have to be ratified by the Greek parliament. Schulte described this as a win-win project for both sides: "We have presented our company and project plans, both of which have been well received. We consider the Greek market, especially in terms of tourism, still to be very attractive. The Closing for the Greek regional airports is expected by the end of the year."

Schulte reported that the outlook for passenger growth has been affected by a noticeable slowdown in travel bookings - above all for vacation travel, which can be attributed partly to concerns about terror attacks around the world. Fraport expects Frankfurt Airport's passenger traffic to rise by one to three percent in 2016 - FRA's 80th anniversary year. Since the beginning of the year, the retail business has been dampened by the revaluation of the euro and a decline in passenger traffic to China, Russia and Vietnam. Passengers traveling to these destinations contribute significantly to Fraport's retail result. Schulte added that framework conditions have become increasingly difficult - in other words, one has to sail through rough seas now. Commenting on the outlook for the entire year, Schulte said, "We must stretch farther in order to reach our goals." Fraport expects the EBITDA to range slightly above the previous year's level, up to 30-plus million euros. The Group result is expected to equal or exceed the 2015 level. This will enable the dividend recommendation for the 2016 fiscal year to remain stable.  

Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via the photo library located in our Press Center on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading. If you wish to meet a member of our press team when at Frankfurt Aiport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here.

Fraport AG - which ranks among the world's leading companies in the global airport business - offers a full range of integrated airport management services and boasts subsidiaries and investments on three continents. The Fraport Group generated sales of €2.6 billion and profit of about €297 million in 2015. In 2015, some 111 million passengers used airports around the world in which Fraport has more than a 50 percent stake. In its Mission Statement, Fraport places the focus on customers. The Group's commitment to ensuring a "good trip" to all passengers and travelers is also reflected in the corporate slogan: "Gute Reise! We make it happen". This commitment applies to all of Fraport's business activities and services both at Germany's largest aviation hub in Frankfurt and the Group's airports worldwide.

At its Frankfurt Airport (FRA) home base, Fraport welcomed more than 61 million passengers and handled about 2.1 million metric tons of cargo (airfreight and airmail) in 2015. For the current summer timetable, FRA is served by 95 passenger airlines flying to 290 destinations in some 100 countries worldwide. Half of FRA's destinations are intercontinental (beyond Europe) - underscoring Frankfurt's role as a leading hub in the global air transportation system. In Europe, Frankfurt Airport ranks second in terms of cargo tonnage and is the fourth busiest for passenger traffic.  With about 55 percent of all passengers using Frankfurt as a connecting hub, FRA also has the highest transfer rate among the major European hubs.

Frankfurt Airport City has become Germany's largest job complex at a single location, employing more than 80,000 people at some 500 companies and organizations on site. Almost half of Germany's population lives within a 200-kilometer radius of the FRA intermodal travel hub - the largest airport catchment area in Europe. FRA Airport City also serves as a magnet for other companies located throughout the economically vital Frankfurt/Rhine-Main-Neckar region. Thanks to synergies associated with the region's dynamic industries, networked expertise, and outstanding intermodal transportation infrastructure, FRA's world route network enables Hesse's and Germany's export-oriented businesses to flourish in global growth markets. Likewise, FRA is a strategic gateway for companies wanting to access the huge European marketplace. Thus, Frankfurt Airport - which is strategically located in the heart of Europe - is one of the most important hubs in the global logistics chain.  

Fraport AG

Robert Payne
Corporate Communications
Press Office
60547 Frankfurt, Germany

Telephone: +49-69-690-78547

E-mail: r.payne@fraport.de
Internet: http://www.fraport.com
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