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Undeterred by the global economic crisis, Rohde & Schwarz closes the fiscal year with positive results

22nd October 2010

Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG

ES Admin

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Despite a challenging economic environment, Rohde & Schwarz closed the past fiscal year (July 2009 through June 2010) with a positive operating result. The group of companies recorded a turnover of EUR 1.3 billion, slightly above the previous fiscal year's level. As soon as the economic crisis took hold, the Executive Board set a course based on rigorous cost management combined with the continued implementation of all growth-promoting measures. The launch of new product lines and the ongoing improvement in business since the end of 2009 contributed to the good results. Rohde & Schwarz started the new fiscal year with its workforce still numbering 7400 employees. The family-owned company continued to forge ahead with its global orientation, especially through the expansion of activities in Asia. The company maintained its high level of investment in research and development at 15 percent of turnover.

In fiscal year 2009/2010, the Rohde & Schwarz electronics group made positive headway in its four business fields: test and measurement, broadcasting, secure communications, and radiomonitoring and radiolocation. The test and measurement business field benefited above all from the strong recovery of the wireless communications market: Investments made by user equipment manufacturers in additional production capacity, especially for smartphones, and in fourth-generation wireless technology (4G/LTE) gave wireless communications T&M a strong boost. Rohde & Schwarz succeeded in expanding its market share in aerospace and defense. Other milestones included the addition of broadband amplifiers to the product portfolio and the company’s debut into the oscilloscope business.

In secure communications, Rohde & Schwarz maintained its standing in all market segments and actually gained market share in army communications and air traffic control. In the year under review, broadcasting built on the previous years’ growth and slightly increased its market share. This was partly the result of growing demand for broadcasting T&M equipment and transmitters. The radiomonitoring and radiolocation sector matched the incoming order levels of the previous two years.

Rohde & Schwarz surmounted the economic challenges of 2009/2010 and recorded a positive operating result. The company took quick action to counter the effects of the crisis by imposing rigorous cost management measures. Both material expenses and outsourcing of development orders were significantly reduced, and the available scope of short-time work was utilized. It has now been possible to lift almost all of the introduced measures.

Manfred Fleischmann, President and CEO of Rohde & Schwarz, commented on the current annual report: Thanks to a strong finish, we completed fiscal year 2009/2010 with a considerably better result than we expected at the beginning. Now we have to take the positive momentum and carry it over into the new fiscal year in order to be able to focus our efforts again on sustained growth.

The situation looks promising: Fourth-generation wireless technology is ready for takeoff, digital terrestrial television is gaining ground, and the DVB-T2 standard is preparing to replace DVB-T. The new oscilloscopes and broadband amplifiers promise to generate additional business in previously unaddressed market segments. Major projects and the increasing demand for integrated systems open up new growth opportunities in secure communications.

High among Rohde & Schwarz priorities is its global orientation. The current focus is on rapidly building up development activities in Singapore and local production so that the company is better able to meet the needs of regional growth markets while expanding its global presence. In light of this overall picture, Manfred Fleischmann views the future with confidence: Rohde & Schwarz has set the right course for the future. Barring any renewed turbulence in the financial markets, we are forecasting increasing revenues and healthy growth for fiscal year 2010/2011.