The COMPUTERLINKS Group has started the financial year 2006 very successfully. Turnover has increased in the 1 st quarter of 2006 by 74.5% to 90.0 million Euro (1 st quarter 2005: 51.6 million Euro). Organic growth at 37% is also at a high level. EBITDA* (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) rose to 3.1 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2006 compared to 3.0 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2005 (+3.4%). Net income for the period increased in the 1 st quarter of 2006 from 1.7 million Euro (1 st quarter 2005) to 1.9 million Euro. Despite an increase in the number of shares compared to the same period last year (+11.5%) earnings per share rose in the 1 st quarter of 2006 to 0.28 Euro (1 st quarter 2005: 0.27 Euro).

The pleasing start of COMPUTERLINKS North America in 2005 was continued in the 1 st quarter of 2006. Our subsidiary in the USA produced turnover of 7.1 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2006. The Scandinavian Group purchased on 1 st May 2005 also made a successful start to 2006 with turnover of 12.3 million Euro.

The e-security division increased turnover at 78.3 million Euro by more than 80% compared to the 1 st quarter of 2005. Turnover of 9.8 million Euro was achieved in the e-business division compared to 6.8 million Euro in the same period last year, an increase of 43.5%. There was an increase in the Professional Services division from 1.7 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2005 to 1.9 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2006.

Gross profit was 12.6 million Euro in the 1 st quarter of 2006 compared to 9.2 million Euro in the same period of the previous year (+37.2%). Gross margins rose from 13.6% in the 4 th quarter of 2005 to 14.0% in the 1 st quarter of 2006. In the 1 st quarter of 2005 gross margins stood at 17.7% - combined with far lower turnover.

Stephan Link, founder and CEO of COMPUTERLINKS AG commented: "The start of the new financial year has surpassed our expectations with an increase in turnover of 75% in the 1 st quarter of 2006. We can face the challenges of 2006 optimistically as a result of the positioning of the COMPUTERLINKS Group in Europe and the USA."

Results at a glance (in million Euro)

** The percentage changes are based on values which have not been rounded off

* Unlike the previous classification foreign currency gains/losses are shown after the net interest result and are no longer facto rs influencing earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation.