DGAP-News: creditshelf achieves significant revenue growth and reaches break-even in Q1 2022

creditshelf achieves significant revenue growth and reaches break-even in Q1 2022

• Significant revenue growth of 43% to kEUR 2,366.4 driven by increased new business volume and strong margins
• Expenses further reduced without curbing growth and scaling
• creditshelf achieves positive EBIT and net result for the first time in company history
• Expansion of the investor base as major lever in growth strategy
• Forecast for fiscal year 2022 confirmed

Frankfurt am Main, May 11, 2022 - creditshelf, the leading financier for digital SME loans in Germany, is publishing its figures for Q1 2022.

creditshelf achieved significant revenue growth of 43% to kEUR 2,366.4 in Q1 2022 (Q1 2021: kEUR 1,657.5) driven by a 10% increase in new business volume and strong margins. The positive margin development resulted from large tickets with long tenors and attractive yields for working capital loans as well as M&A financing. At the same time, the company expects a growing need for liquidity in the SME sector caused by supply bottlenecks and rising energy prices. This should further increase demand over the course of the year.

creditshelf CEO Dr. Tim Thabe commented on Q1 2022: "The current geopolitical and macroeconomic developments have left their mark on the German SME financing market. From this, we see opportunities arising for alternative financiers like us. Therefore, we expect to further establish our product offering in the market and convince entrepreneurs based on our superior speed and flexibility. The refinancing side of our platform was not left unaffected by the current developments, either. As a result, it is a top priority for us to broaden our investor base and lay the foundation for strong growth in the further course of the year. Currently we find ourselves in numerous promising talks with institutional investors."

At the same time, the company was able to reduce total expenses driven by lower personnel expenses for employee incentive programs as well as a further sharpened, target customer-oriented marketing approach. As a result of the positive business development, EBITDA improved significantly to kEUR 700.0 (Q1 2021: kEUR -400.7). After ordinary depreciation and amortization of kEUR 144.9 (Q1 2021: kEUR 317.5), creditshelf reached break-even on EBIT level. EBIT improved significantly to kEUR 555.1 (Q1 2021: kEUR -718.2). Net result after financial expenses was also positive for the first time in company history and stood at kEUR 514.6 (Q1 2021: kEUR -727.4).

"Q1 2022 clearly shows the scaling potential of our business model. Over the course of the year, we want to take advantage of the growth opportunities that lie ahead of us and make additional investments. At the same time, our portfolio is behaving very robustly, even against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. This underscores the quality of our risk analysis and active selection of promising business models in the German SME sector. I am very confident that we will further strengthen the refinancing side and continue our growth path," creditshelf CFO Dr. Daniel Bartsch explained.

The Management Board confirms the forecast published on March 30, 2022, as part of the annual report. The range for group revenue remains unchanged at EUR 10 to 12 million. Also unchanged and at group level, the Management Board expects an EBIT of minus EUR 0.5 million to plus EUR 0.5 million against the backdrop of the existing macroeconomic uncertainties.
 

Key Figures at a Glance

The full quarterly statement for Q1 2022 is available for download effective today from the companys investor relations website, ir.creditshelf.com.

Communications & IR:

creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft
Maximilian Franz
Head of Communications & Content
Mainzer Landstrasse 33a
60329 Frankfurt
Germany
Tel.: +49 69 348 719 113
ir@creditshelf.com
www.creditshelf.com

About creditshelf

ir.creditshelf.com

creditshelf is the leading financier for digital SME loans in Germany. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company arranges bank-independent, flexible financing solutions via its constantly growing network. creditshelf caters to complementary needs: SME entrepreneurs gain easy access to attractive alternative financing solutions, institutional investors can invest directly in German SMEs, and the companys partners can support their clients as innovative providers of new credit solutions. creditshelf's business model revolves around its unique, data-driven risk analysis and unbureaucratic, fast digital processes. creditshelf covers the entire value chain: Its platform is used to select suitable credit projects, analyze potential borrowers credit quality, perform credit scoring, and price risk adequately. The company receives fees from both borrowers and investors for these services.

creditshelf has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchanges Prime Standard segment since 2018. The experts making up its team have many years experience of SME financing and are trusted partners and visionaries for building tomorrows businesses.