DGAP-News: Highlight Group reports considerable improvement

Highlight Communications AG / Final Results

29.04.2008 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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In a difficult environment, the Highlight Group concluded the 2007 fiscal
year with another record result:

  - Earnings from operating activities increased to CHF 52.9 million and
    exceeded last years figure by 10.7%.

  - Net consolidated earnings (Highlight shareholders) increased even more
    strongly, by CHF 4.9 million to CHF 30.7 million, a rise of 19.0%
    compared to the previous year.

  - This results in earnings per share of CHF 0.68 CHF (EUR 0.41), a 
    record in Company history, and significantly higher than the guidance 
    figure of EUR 0.36 to 0.38.

Due to a change of accounting policies in fiscal year 2007, Group revenues
of CHF 481.7 million remained slightly under the published target of CHF
500 to 520 million. This change had an effect on revenues by a range of CHF
20 million. In comparison to the (adjusted) record value of the previous
year (CHF 521.2 million), there was a 7.6% decline. This reduction results
primarily from theatrical distribution, as the distribution slate in 2007
did not match the excellent performance of 'Perfume  The Story of a
Murderer' from the previous year.

This development is also reflected in the figures of the Film division,
which generated revenues of CHF 402.4 million and thus remained below the
figure from the previous year (CHF 445.1 million) by 9.6%. In contrast,
earnings for the division only declined by CHF 0.7 million from CHF 22.2
million in the previous year to CHF 21.5 million this year. The reason for
this development are the very good earnings resulting from fictional and
non-fictional TV entertainment as well as from video/DVD marketing and
licensing of TV rights to broadcasters.

The Sports and Event Marketing division was able to increase revenues by
CHF 3.2 million from CHF 76.1 million to CHF 79.3 million, a growth of
4.2%. This increase is primarily based on the successful sale of commercial
rights to the UEFA Champions League for the 2006/07 to 2008/09 seasons and
the additional marketing of the quarter and semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
These revenues also affected the divisions earnings, which rose
significantly by 24.2% from CHF 30.6 million to CHF 38.0 million.

In terms of liquidity, cash and cash equivalents in the Highlight Group
amounted to CHF 200.5 million as at December 31, 2007. This corresponds to
an increase of CHF 24.1 million as against the previous year (CHF 176.4
million). The net debt declined by CHF 3.4 million in comparison to the
previous year (CHF119.9 million) to 116.5 million.

In response to the Companys favorable operating performance in the fiscal
year 2007, the Board of Directors of Highlight Communications AG will
propose a dividend of CHF 0.15 per dividend-entitled bearer share (as in
the previous year) for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General
Meeting. Assuming that the proposal is accepted by the Annual General
Meeting, the dividend will be paid from June 4, 2008. The Annual General
Meeting for fiscal year 2007 will take place on May 30, 2008 at Hotel
Hilton in Basel.

The annual report for 2007 is available for downloading from the Companys
website www.highlight-communications.ch as of today.



HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS AG
Investor Relations
4133 Pratteln BL / Switzerland
Phone   0041 61 816 96 91
e-mail  ir@hlcom.ch


DGAP 29.04.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       Highlight Communications AG
              Netzibodenstrasse 23b
              4133 Pratteln
              Schweiz
Phone:        +41 61 816 96 96
Fax:          +41 61 816 67 67
E-mail:       info@hlcom.ch
Internet:     www.hlcom.ch
ISIN:         CH0006539198
WKN:          920299
Indices:      SDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Hannover, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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DGAP-News: Highlight Group reports considerable improvement in earnings in fiscal year 2007
