Nextrom Holding AG announces 2005 results

Over the last few years Nextrom has been exposed to extremely tough market conditions in the optical fiber and fiber optic cable industry. The once largest machine manufacturer in these fields had to alter all of its corporate structures. The struggle to survive was permanently on top of priorities. During 2005, the company was confronted with two changes of the major shareholder, a new auditor, and a complete replacement of the board and the management team.

Nextrom’s gross sales in 2005 were CHF 18.07 million (2004: CHF 21.0 million). Gross loss came in at CHF 1.8 million (2004: profit of CHF 7.0 million). The operating result was a negative CHF 13.77 million (2004: CHF 11.1 million negative). Negative equity from end of 2004 (CHF 47.6 million) was brought to a positive of CHF 3.5 million, mainly due to waivers of shareholders loans (CHF 67.5 million). Please bear in mind that above-mentioned figures also include activities from the loss-making discontinued units. As of 31 October 2005, these have been divested.

The balance sheet has improved substantially due to a waiver of debt mainly by Nokia, former longtime major shareholder of Nextrom Holding. As of the end of 2005, Nextrom Holding’s situation improved significantly, with the following parameters:

• a debt-free balance sheet
• all loss-making industrial activities in the optical fiber and fiber optic cable industry have been divested
• the industrial activity in Shanghai, fast growing and break-even expected at the end of 2006
• substantial tax loss carry forwards
• a listing on the SWX

The board is therefore convinced that based on the progress made within the last six months, Nextrom Holding is now ready to capitalize on carefully evaluated opportunities.

The annual report 2005 is available on Nextrom Holding’s web-site, http://www.nextrom-holding.com. Further information will be given by Mr. Lorenzo Schmid, Chairman, by way of a telephone conference on Tuesday, 9 May 2006 at 4 p.m. CET.

To register for this meeting, please contact Mrs. Cornelia Wyss, tel.: +41 41 368 98 08.

For further information please contact:

Mr. Lorenzo Schmid, Chairman of the Board
Phone +41 41 368 98 38
lorenzo.schmid@mindsetholding.ch

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