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With a 16.8% increase to DKK 5,220m, revenue rose to above DKK 5bn for the first time ever in ECCO’s history. In 2007, the sales volume went up by 14.5% to 16.9 million pairs. Profit before tax rose to DKK 756m, corresponding to 14.5% of revenue, and profit after tax of DKK 538m – ECCO’s best-ever performance

“The strong performance was mainly driven by two factors,” says ECCO CEO Dieter Kasprzak. “Our products, which we improve every time we make a new shoe, and our employees. No other shoe company has so many competent people in all positions all over the world.”

“We strive to be the world’s best shoe company,” says Kasprzak, “and to achieve that, we need to develop the best shoes, have the best designers and make sure that the right products reach the right shelves at the right time, that they are supported by sales material and that our shop training programme is in place. This makes heavy demands on production and logistics, but equally as much on our IT and marketing functions. The 15,000 employees at our tanneries, shoe factories, centralised functions, distribution centres, wholesale and retail organisations can all take credit for our outstanding performance.”

The continued growth produced satisfactory results. Operating profit (EBIT) was DKK 833m, against DKK 759m the year before, corresponding to a 9.7% increase. Consolidated profit before tax rose by 6.5% to DKK 756m from DKK 709m in 2006. Profit after tax excluding minority interests was DKK 538m, against DKK 489m the year before, corresponding to an increase of 9.8%.

To see the complete press release and the 2007 Annual Report, please go to Download center