Press Release
Pratteln, March 23, 2010:
The Highlight Group - despite difficult general conditions - systematically continued its income-oriented growth course in fiscal year 2009.

• At CHF 517.9 million, consolidated revenues were at the previous year’s level (CHF 518.4 million) and above the planning corridor of CHF 490 million to CHF 510 million.
• Profit from operations came in at CHF 52.9 million (2008: CHF 57.8 million). The net profit of Highlight shareholders increased by 7.4% to CHF 32.0 million (2008: CHF 29.8 million).
• The same applies to earnings per share of EUR 0.46, which exceeded 2009 planning of EUR 0.42 to EUR 0.44.
• Highlight Group’s equity increased in comparison to the previous year by CHF 12.6 million to CHF 110.8 million. As a result, the adjusted equity ratio was 29.3% at the end of fiscal year 2009 (December 31, 2008: 26.3%).

Revenues of the Sports- and Event-Marketing segment increased to CHF 93.4 million (2008: CHF 76.3 million). Segment earnings improved to CHF 37.0 million (2008: CHF 33.3 million).

External revenues of the Film segment of CHF 424.5 million were down 4% as against the previous year’s figure (CHF 442.0 million). Segment earnings decreased from CHF 31.3 million to CHF 21.8 million as a result of a rise in amortization and impairment on film assets.

The cash and cash equivalents of the Highlight Group amounted to CHF 201.1 million as of December 31, 2009 – an increase of CHF 13.6 million as against the end of 2008 (CHF 187.5 million). Net debt of CHF 116.8 million was down on the previous year’s level (CHF 117.3 million).

Highlight Group’s revenues forecasts for the current fiscal year are between CHF 420 million and CHF 440 million. In terms of earnings per share, the Company estimates a figure within a range of EUR 0.42 and EUR 0.44.

In response to the Company’s very favorable operating performance in fiscal year 2009, the Board of Directors of Highlight Communications AG will propose a dividend of CHF 0.17 per dividend-entitled share 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 2, 2010.

The Annual General Meeting for fiscal year 2009 will take place on May 28, 2010 at Hotel Hilton in Basel.

The German annual report for 2009 is available for downloading from the Company’s website www.highlight-communications.ch from the evening of March 24, 2010. The English version will be available from March 31, 2010.

For questions, please contact:

HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS AG
Investor Relations
Netzibodenstrasse 23b
4133 Pratteln BL / Switzerland
Phone:  0041 61 816 96 91
E-mail:  ir@hlcom.chir@hlcom.ch

Files:

PM_GJ_09_E.pdf