mobilezone acquires Germany's TPHCom GmbH

21.12.2017

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PRESS RELEASE

Regensdorf, Switzerland, 21 December 2017

mobilezone acquires Germany's TPHCom GmbH

Regensdorf, 21 December 2017 – mobilezone plans to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Münster-based German telecommunications provider TPHCom GmbH via its German subsidiary einsAmobile. TPHCom specialises in mediating mobile and fixed-network contracts. The acquisition will significantly strengthen einsAmobile's future market position in Germany.

mobilezone has concluded an agreement with TPHCom's shareholders for the purchase of 100 per cent of TPHCom shares via einsAmobile in Germany. The signing of the definitive purchase contract is scheduled for the second half of January 2018.

 

TPHCom specialises in mediating mobile and landline contracts in Germany. With a workforce of around 30 employees, TPHCom expects sales of around EUR 120 million for the 2017 financial year with an adjusted EBIT of around EUR 9 million. In the event of acquisition, TPHCom's results will be included in the consolidated financial statements of the mobilezone Group as of 1 January 2018. The company TPHCom will continue to run independently under the existing name and management of its two former managing directors Ralf Grundhoff and Enis Ramadanovski.

 

New growth potential in core market of Germany with attractive margin synergies

Until now, TPHCom has been indirectly held by the two members of the mobilezone Group's Executive Management, Murat Ayhan and Akin Erdem. A close business partnership between einsAmobile and TPHCom already exists. The acquisition of TPHCom by einsAmobile means that the ownership structure can be simplified and growth potential as well as margin synergies in the German telecommunications trading and distribution market (mobile and fixed network contracts) can be used. Markus Bernhard, CEO of mobilezone: “The acquisition is another important strategic step for mobilezone in implementing its growth strategy. The strengthened position of einsAmobile together with TPHCom opens up new opportunities in Germany for our sales partners and customers.” Murat Ayhan and Akin Erdem, Managing Directors of einsAmobile, are also convinced that the acquisition will allow them to harness valuable synergies: “The acquisition makes us a large distributor/partner for every network operator, which will significantly advance our market situation and market penetration. Both companies will benefit from each other, and this will lead to additional growth.”

 

Purchase price and application for capital increase

The purchase price is expected to be EUR 50 million, which corresponds to a multiple of 5.5 of the expected adjusted 2017 EBIT of around EUR 9 million. The plan is to finance the growth investment with equity capital: mobilezone will apply for a capital increase of around CHF 80 million at an Extraordinary General Meeting in March 2018. It is envisaged that the capital increase will be implemented by means of a rights offering to existing shareholders. In addition, the capital increase also serves to strengthen the mobilezone Group's current assets and balance sheet. The capital increase will be supported by Bank Vontobel AG. The invitation to the Extraordinary General Meeting will be sent to the shareholders in due course.

 

mobilezone intends to maintain its attractive dividend policy and to apply for a dividend of CHF 0.60 per share at the Annual General Meeting on April 5, 2018.

 

Inquiries from journalists via mobilezoneholding@mobilezone.ch will be answered today, Thursday, until 7.00 pm.

 

Interested analysts and journalists can take part in a conference call on Friday, 22 December at 9.00 am. Please register at mobilezoneholding@mobilezone.ch by Friday, 22 December at 8.30 am.

 

 

For further information or questions

Markus Bernhard                     

Chief Executive Officer            

mobilezone holding ag 

mobilezoneholding@mobilezone.ch

Company profile of mobilezone

Established in 1999, mobilezone holding ag (stock ticker symbol SIX: MOZN) achieved sales of CHF 1,088 million and a consolidated profit of CHF 36.1 million in fiscal year 2016 and is Switzerland’s leading independent telecom specialist.

The mobilezone Group employs a staff of more than 900 employees in its locations in Regensdorf, Urnäsch, Zweidlen, Zug, Vienna (Austria), and Obertshausen (Germany). The company offers the complete product line of mobile phones as well as subscription plans of all major providers for mobile and fixed-line telephony, digital TV, and Internet. Independent consulting and services for individual and business customers as well as repair services round out mobilezone’s range of offerings. Independent consulting and services for individual and business customers as well as repair services round out mobilezone’s range of offerings. The services and products are offered in 125 mobilezone shops in Switzerland as well as in 66 Ashop locations in Germany (Partnershops) and online via various web portals. In addition, mobilezone Group is active in Germany in the wholesale trade and also as supplier for specialist retailers.

Company portrait of TPHCom

TPHCom is a German distribution company that markets service contracts (mobile and fixed network contracts) and related hardware in the telecommunications market. In-house systems and efficient processes make it possible to handle transactions with distributors as subdistributors and retailers. TPHCom specialises in online providers, who it supports as an interface between network operators and partners.

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