Ellomay Capital Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year of 2017

TEL AVIV, Israel, March 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellomay Capital Ltd. (NYSE American: ELLO) (TASE: ELLO) ("Ellomay" or the "Company"), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe and Israel, today reported its unaudited financial results for the three and twelve month periods ended December 31, 2017.

Change in Presentation Currency

Effective December 31, 2017, the Company changed its presentation currency from the United States dollar to the euro. The Company ceased using the U.S. dollar as its presentation currency to assist investors to evaluate its financial results as the Company's functional currency is the euro and a substantial portion of its assets, revenues and liabilities is denominated in euro. Furthermore, the change is expected to reduce the impact of the volatility of the euro/USD exchange rate on the Company's operating results. The consolidated financial results for all prior years presented have been translated into euro.

Due to the change in presentation currency and the cancellation of the translation adjustments reserve, the Company's equity as of December 31, 2017 reflects a one-time decrease in the aggregate amount of approximately €6.8 million. This decrease is comprised of amounts that would have been included in the translation adjustments reserve prior to the change in presentation currency as follows: (i) finance expenses in the amount of approximately €3.2 million recorded in connection with euro/ US$ forward contracts previously executed by the Company in order to reduce the effect of the euro/ US$ exchange rate fluctuations on its results, a significant portion of which were closed following the change in presentation currency, and (ii) foreign currency euro/ US$ translation adjustments in the amount of approximately €3.6 million recorded in connection with the Company's cash reserves and marketable securities, that were held in US$ and majority of which were converted into euro following the change of presentation currency.

Financial Highlights

• Revenues were approximately €13.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €11.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, representing an increase of 17%. The increase in revenues is mainly a result of higher electricity spot rates and higher radiation levels in Italy and Spain during the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to the year ended December 31, 2016, as 2016 was characterized by low levels of radiation. In addition, the revenues for 2017 reflect the commencement of operations of a waste-to-energy project in the Netherlands and the results of the Talmei Yosef project since the acquisition date (i.e., the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2017).
• Operating expenses were approximately €2.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in operating expenses is mainly attributable to an insurance indemnification received in 2016 that partially offset operating expenses for that year and to additional operating expenses resulting from the commencement of operations of a waste-to-energy project in the Netherlands and from the acquisition of the Talmei Yosef project. Depreciation expenses were approximately €4.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €4.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.
• Project development costs were approximately €2.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €2.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in project development expenses is mainly attributable to consultancy expenses in connection with the acquisition of the Talmei Yosef project in October 2017 and expenses in connection with the Talasol project.
• General and administrative expenses were approximately €2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €2 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in general and administrative expenses resulted mainly from adjustments in 2016 made in connection with dissolutions of non-operating subsidiaries that reduced 2016 general and administrative expenses and from increased expenses in 2017 resulting from the commencement of operations of a waste-to-energy project in the Netherlands and the acquisition of the Talmei Yosef project.
• Share of profits of equity accounted investee, after elimination of intercompany transactions, was approximately €1.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €1.4 million in the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in the Company's share of profit of equity accounted investee is mainly attributable to an increase in sales of electricity to Dorad's customers, resulting in an increase in operating profit, partially offset by legal expenses incurred by U. Dori Energy Infrastructures Ltd., in which the Company holds 50%, in connection with legal proceedings in which Dorad's shareholders are involved.
• Operating profit was approximately €3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, representing an increase of 25%.
• Financing expenses, net was approximately €9.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €2.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in financing expenses was mainly due to: (i) the reevaluation of the Company's euro/ US$ forward transactions and marketable securities in the aggregate loss amount of approximately €3.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to a profit of approximately €0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, and (ii) expenses in connection with exchange rate differences amounting to approximately €3.6 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, mainly in connection with US dollar denominated cash and marketable securities, resulting from exchange rate differences caused by the 14% revaluation of the euro against the US$ during 2017, compared to approximately €0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Following the change of presentation currency, the Company converted the majority of its cash and marketable securities from US dollar to euro.
• Taxes on income were approximately €0.4 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €0.6 million in the year ended December 31, 2016. This decrease in taxes on income compared to the corresponding period in 2016 resulted mainly from the adjustment of a provision in connection with estimated tax liabilities, partially offset by expenses resulting from the decrease of loss carry forwards for several of the Company's Italian subsidiaries following a tax inspection.
• Loss for the year was approximately €6.6 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2016.
• Total other comprehensive loss was approximately €0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to a profit of approximately €0.7 million in the year ended December 31, 2016. The change was mainly due to changes in fair value of cash flow hedges and from foreign currency translation differences on New Israeli Shekel denominated operations, as a result of fluctuations in the euro/NIS exchange rates.
• Total comprehensive loss was approximately €6.9 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to total comprehensive loss of approximately €0.06 million in the year ended December 31, 2016.
• Total equity was approximately €77.5 million as of December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €84.4 million as of December 31, 2016. The decrease in total equity was mainly due to increased financing expenses as a result of the reevaluation of the Company's euro/ US$ forward transactions and increased expenses resulting from exchange rate differences.
• EBITDA was approximately €7.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €6.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The increase in EBITDA is mainly due to increased revenues and an increase in gross and operating margin.
• Net cash from operating activities was approximately €2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2017, compared to approximately €7.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The decrease in net cash from operating activities is mainly attributable to interest payment received during 2016 on a loan to an equity accounted investee.
• On October 18, 2017, the Company completed the purchase of the Talmei Yosef project. Therefore, the results of the Talmei Yosef project are only partially included in the results for the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2017.
• As of March 1, 2018, the Company held approximately €25.3 million in cash and cash equivalents, approximately €2.2 million in marketable securities and approximately €6.8 million in restricted short-term and long-term cash and marketable securities.
• Estimated 2018 CF projection from projects are:
• Consideration for sale of electricity and gas of €21.9 million.
• Total 2018 estimated net cash flow from projects (including Dorad) of €11.8 million.

For more information concerning the Company's cash flow projections see the Company's Immediate Report on Form 6-K furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 1, 2017.

Ran Fridrich, CEO and a board member of Ellomay commented: "Ellomay continues improving the performance of its portfolio of operating projects, presenting a 17% increase in revenues, a 25% increase in operating profit compared to 2016 and a strong cash flow from operations. 2017 was characterized by intensive project development activities, including the Talasol project in Spain, the bio-gas projects in the Netherlands, the successful acquisition of the Talmei Yosef photovoltaic project in Israel and the continuing development of the Manara pumped storage project in its new 156 MW configuration." Mr. Fridrich continued: "The Company decided to change its presentation currency from the US$ to euro as the majority of the Company's projects are in Europe and the remainder is in Israel, this change will assist in simplifying the understanding of the Company's financial situation."

Information for the Company's Series A and Series B Debenture Holders

As of December 31, 2017, the Company's Net Financial Debt (as such term is defined in the Deeds of Trust of the Company's Debentures) was approximately €39.8 million (consisting of approximately €53.3 million of short-term and long-term debt from banks and other interest bearing financial obligations and approximately €57.6 million in connection with the Series A Debentures issuances (in January and September 2014) and the Series B Debentures issuance (in March 2017), net of approximately €26.1 million of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities and net of approximately €45 million of project finance and related hedging transactions of the Company's subsidiaries).

Use of NON-IFRS Financial Measures

EBITDA is a non-IFRS measure and is defined as earnings before financial expenses, net, taxes, depreciation and amortization. The Company presents this measure in order to enhance the understanding of the Company's historical financial performance and to enable comparability between periods. While the Company considers EBITDA to be an important measure of comparative operating performance, EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for net income or other statement of operations or cash flow data prepared in accordance with IFRS as a measure of profitability or liquidity. EBITDA does not take into account the Company's commitments, including capital expenditures, and restricted cash and, accordingly, is not necessarily indicative of amounts that may be available for discretionary uses. Not all companies calculate EBITDA in the same manner, and the measure as presented may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures presented by other companies. The Company's EBITDA may not be indicative of the historic operating results of the Company; nor is it meant to be predictive of potential future results. A reconciliation between results on an IFRS and non-IFRS basis is provided in the last table of this press release.

About Ellomay Capital Ltd.

Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are registered with the NYSE American and with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "ELLO". Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe and Israel.

To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy and Spain, including:

• Approximately 22.6MW of photovoltaic power plants in Italy, approximately 7.9MW of photovoltaic power plants in Spain and a photovoltaic power plant of approximately 9 MW in Israel;
• 9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel's largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850 MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel's total current electricity consumption;
• 75% of Chashgal Elyon Ltd., Agira Sheuva Electra, L.P. and Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., all of which are involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel;
• 51% of Groen Gas Goor B.V. and of Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V., project companies developing anaerobic digestion plants with a green gas production capacity of approximately 375 Nm3/h, in Goor, the Netherlands and 475 Nm3/h, in Oude Tonge, the Netherlands, respectively.

Ellomay Capital is controlled by Mr. Shlomo Nehama, Mr. Hemi Raphael and Mr. Ran Fridrich. Mr. Nehama is one of Israel's prominent businessmen and the former Chairman of Israel's leading bank, Bank Hapohalim, and Messrs. Raphael and Fridrich both have vast experience in financial and industrial businesses. These controlling shareholders, along with Ellomay's dedicated professional management, accumulated extensive experience in recognizing suitable business opportunities worldwide. Ellomay believes the expertise of Ellomay's controlling shareholders and management enables the Company to access the capital markets, as well as assemble global institutional investors and other potential partners. As a result, we believe Ellomay is capable of considering significant and complex transactions, beyond its immediate financial resources.

For more information about Ellomay, visit http://www.ellomay.com.

Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements

 This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company's management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company's plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements.  The use of certain words, including the words "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company's forward-looking statements, including weather conditions, regulatory changes, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of our facilities (such as waste and natural gas), changes in demand and technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by us. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.