• Sales increase to EUR 1,111 m in 2017 (2016: EUR 909 m)
• Double-digit growth achieved in all 30 regional markets
• Number of registered new customers in the fourth quarter rises 38% year-on-year
• Sales growth continues to accelerate reaching a level of 25% in the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter in the prior year

Munich, January 25, 2018 - Based on the company's preliminary figures, zooplus AG (WKN 511170, ISIN DE0005111702, ticker symbol ZO1), Europe's leading online retailer of pet supplies, achieved sales in the 2017 financial year of EUR 1,111 m. This represents a year-on-year increase in sales of EUR 202 m and sales growth of 22% (2016: EUR 909 m). Currency adjusted sales growth was 23% versus the prior year. Based on this performance, zooplus was able to successfully continue its strong growth trend during the 2017 financial year and consolidate its position as Europe's market leader in online pet supplies. Double-digit growth rates were achieved again in all 30 regional markets in the financial year.

The acceleration in sales growth continued as expected in the fourth quarter of 2017 due to the investment in expanding the new and existing customer business. The 25% year-on-year increase in sales (also 25% on a currency-adjusted basis) to a total of EUR 316 m (Q4 2016: EUR 253 m) made the fourth quarter the fastest-growing quarter in the 2017 financial year. This acceleration shows that the actions taken in the second half of the reporting year to boost sales growth and sustainably increase new customer business had the anticipated positive effect.

The number of registered new customers in the fourth quarter of 2017 grew by 38% year-on-year, exceeding the growth rate in the third quarter of 2017, which was 34%. This placed the growth rate for the second half-year as a whole significantly above 30% and higher than the growth rate for the overall business.
The excellent performance of the existing customer business segment - which achieved sales growth of 28% for the full year - also confirmed the substantial sustainability of the growth. The strong loyalty of existing customers is also reflected by the high sales-retention rate of 93% in 2017 on a full-year, currency-adjusted basis.

Sales in the particularly important pet food segment achieved above-average growth of 24% compared to the previous year. The share of the total sales of the pet food segment was slightly higher for the year at a level of 83% (2016: 82%). In the accessories business, zooplus achieved sales growth of 15% in the 2017 financial year. This area also saw an acceleration in growth during the second half of the year.

Dr. Cornelius Patt, CEO of zooplus AG, in his comments on the company's 2017 performance says: "We are very pleased to have surpassed the EUR 1.1 bn sales threshold in the 2017 financial year. Our efforts to accelerate new customer business and strengthen our overall growth took hold, especially in the second half of the year. At 25%, our growth rate in the final quarter even surpassed the rate of 22% achieved in the third quarter. Our focus in the 2018 financial year will continue to be the company's growth and long-term value appreciation. In order to achieve this, we are concentrating on sustainable and promising profitable growth and investing specifically in our product, logistics and IT. Our priority is thus to expand our position as the European leader in online pet supplies."

zooplus will report its final results for the 2017 financial year and its forecast for the 2018 financial year when it presents the consolidated financial statements on March 22, 2018. This information will also be made available on the company's website at http://investors.zooplus.com.

Company profile:
zooplus AG was founded in 1999 and today is Europe's leading online retailer of pet supplies measured by sales. Based on preliminary figures, sales totaled EUR 1,111 m in the 2017 financial year, roughly 75% of which was generated internationally. The company's business model has been launched successfully in 30 European countries. zooplus sells products for all major pet breeds. The product range includes pet food (dry and wet food and food supplements) and accessories such as scratching posts, dog baskets, and toys in all price categories. In addition to a selection of over 8,000 products, zooplus customers benefit from a variety of interactive content and community offerings. The pet supplies market is an important market segment in the European retail landscape. Sales of pet food and accessories within the European Union amount to around EUR 26 bn. Based on the continued vigorous growth anticipated in the European e-commerce market, zooplus expects its dynamic performance to continue.

Online at: www.zooplus.com

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