The Klett Group recorded healthy growth for the fiscal year 2015, thus demonstrating that the educational company is solidly positioned in its business units. Compared to the previous year, revenues rose by more than € 35 million to € 495.1 million (2014: € 459.9 million). Profits before tax increased by € 0.8 million to € 17.1 million for the fiscal year 2015 (2014: € 16.3 million).
Revenues of the individual business units 2015
The Klett Group looks back on a satisfactory year. Despite additional burdens, in particular provisions for pending repayments to VG-Wort and persistently high pension allocations, the Group closed the financial year above last year’s level. “The Klett Group has performed well in its respective markets, and is on track,” says Thomas Baumann, Member of the Management Board, Ernst Klett AG.
Educational publishers at home and abroad
The Klett Group’s educational publishers were able to gain market share in the German school market, which has been stagnant for several years. Klett has remained consistently aware of the industry’s advancing digital transformation, and has actively helped to design this transformation with various products and services for students and teachers.
International business is developing positively outside of German-speaking regions. Particularly in Eastern Europe, the Klett Group was successful in its activities: during the last year, the educational company further expanded and strengthened its position and presence in the European publishing markets through the acquisitions of Novi Logos (Serbia) and Profil Klett (Croatia).
Educational institutions for face-to-face and distance learning
Demand for continued education through Klett’s distance learning schools remains constant. Klett's specialist distance learning schools are holding their own against the competition and recorded a further year of dynamic growth.
With the acquisition of the Cologne Business School – CBS (Cologne, Mainz) and the Europäische Fachhochschule – EUFH (Brühl, Neuss, Aachen, Rostock) in January 2016, the Klett Group has extended its offer in adult and continuing education to include the field of academic face-to-face education. “These acquisitions are important milestones in the expansion of the Group’s face-to-face activities in the higher education segment. This will strengthen our market position in the dynamic adult and continuing education business unit”, states Baumann.
Another of the Group’s mainstays are its nurseries, kindergartens and schools, which have demonstrated dynamic growth. With the acquisition of BEST-Sabel-Bildungszentrum GmbH at the beginning of 2015, Klett expanded its educational facilities, adding further kindergartens and primary schools, as well as a secondary school and a vocational academy to its portfolio.
“The Klett Group is well positioned in its respective business units. My fellow board members and I continue to rely on healthy growth and restrained earnings”, Baumann concludes.
Boardroom-level changes at Ernst Klett AG
Thomas Baumann, a Klett employee since 2004 and member of the Ernst Klett AG Management Board since 2007, is transferring to the Supervisory Board as of 1 October 2016. Lothar Kleiner, CEO of the Deutsche Weiterbildungsgesellschaft mbH (a subsidiary of the Klett Group) since 2008, is moving to the Ernst Klett AG Management Board as of 1 October 2016. The Management Board of Ernst Klett AG also continues to include: Philipp Haußmann (Spokesperson of the Management Board) and Tilo Knoche.
Facts about the Klett Group
The Klett Group is a leading educational company in Europe with its 59 companies at 34 sites in 15 countries. The Group's portfolio encompasses everything from traditional textbooks to modern interactive learning aids; from professional literature to the classics. Moreover, the Klett Group has established itself as the leading private provider of educational and continued education services. The Group companies employ a workforce of 3,206 people and generated a turnover of € 495.1 million in 2015.