Mixed results for Zooplus

The online pet supplies company Zooplus has presented its figures for the last fiscal year 2011. An increase in total sales is counterbalanced by a negative operating result. The company’s overall sales increased by 33 per cent to € 257.1 mio, of which € 12.3 mio was attributable to other operating income (previous year: € 15.8 mio). On the other hand, the company’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) showed a negative at € -7.6 mio (previous year: € 3.3 mio), although a positive EBIT was achieved again in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to Zooplus, once the migration of the company’s logistics was complete. The operating result before interest, taxes, amortisation and depreciation (EBITDA) was € -6.8 mio (previous year: € 3.9 mio). At € -6 mio the consolidated result after taxes was much poorer than in the previous year, when Zooplus recorded a consolidated result of € 2 mio. Zooplus says that the result for 2011 primarily reflects expenses arising during the first half of the year for the now completed development of the new logistics centre in Eisenach-Hörselgau. The centre is expected to increase the operating capacity of Zooplus substantially to over € 400 mio in annual sales.