0 202 ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL REPORT 2020 HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS AG HIGHLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS AG NETZIBODENSTR. 23B · 4133 PRATTELN/SWITZERLAND [email protected] · k +41 (0)61–816 96 96 highlight-communications.ch KEY FIGURES in TCHF 2020 2019 EVENTS CONSOLIDATED Balance sheet total 661,291 673,948 BALANCE SHEET Film assets 161,975 174,673 Cash and cash equivalents 48,178 52,970 Financial liabilities* 172,735 187,731 2021 Equity 207,025 197,688 Equity ratio 31.31 % 29.33 % CINEMA Cannes Film Festival May 12 – 19 Sales 486,813 CONSOLIDATED INCOME 414,567 Locarno Film Festival August 1 – 11 STATEMENT W Film 261,358 303,578 Venice Film Festival September 2 – 12 W Sports- and Event-Marketing 61,463 64,689 Toronto Film Festival September 6 – 16 W Sports 92,245 119,013 Profi t from operations (EBIT) 25,573 29,545 UEFA Europa League fi nal May 27 W Film 13,262 16,389 FOOTBALL W Sports- and Event-Marketing 27,241 29,162 UEFA Champions League fi nal May 26 W Sports –9,036 –8,237 Net profi t (Highlight shareholders) 12,179 25,173 INVESTOR Interim reports May/August/November Earnings per share (CHF) 0.21 0.44 RELATIONS Annual General Meeting June Earnings per share (EUR) 0.2 0.4 German Equity Forum November 26 – 28 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT Cash fl ow from operating activities 71,211 125,589 OF CASH FLOWS Cash fl ow for investing activities –48,501 –111,693 thereof payments for fi lm assets –41,036 –93,730 Cash fl ow for/from fi nancing activities –26,961 –11,822 thereof dividend payments –1,176 –12,595 Cash fl ow for/from the reporting period –4,251 2,074 PERSONNEL Average number of employees 1,440 1,428 CONTENTS – EVENTS IN 2020 02 CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 84 FOREWORD BY THE CHAIRMAN 04 – Consolidated balance sheet 86 – Consolidated income statement 88 MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 06 – Consolidated statement of comprehensive income/loss 89 – Consolidated statement of changes in equity 90 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 07 – Consolidated statement of cash flows 92 – Notes to the consolidated financial statements 94 REMUNERATION REPORT 15 REPORT OF THE STATUTORY AUDITOR 161 REPORT OF THE STATUTORY AUDITOR 23 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 169 HIGHLIGHT STOCK 24 – Balance sheet 170 REPORT ON THE HIGHLIGHT GROUP’S SITUATION 30 – Income statement 172 – Notes to the financial statements 173 – Basic information on the Group 32 – Proposal for the appropriation of retained earnings – Economic report 36 and the legal reserves from capital contribution 176 – Report on business performance and REPORT OF THE STATUTORY AUDITOR 177 the situation in the segments: W FILM 38 EVENTS 2021 back inside cover W SPORTS- AND EVENT-MARKETING 44 W SPORTS 50 – Results of operations, net assets and financial situation of the Highlight Group 56 – Personnel report 61 – Report on risks and opportunities 61 – Forecast 77 1 Contents EVENTS IN 2020 Q1 Q2 JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY Having already been The 70th edition of the Readers and website 70 years of Constantin At the allocation of funding crowned the most Berlinale is held in Berlin users of Cinema and TV Film: Successful movies by the German Federal successful German film in from February 20 to Spielfilm vote “Das made in Germany. The Film Board (FFA), 2019, the Constantin Film March 1, 2020. Alongside perfekte Geheimnis” from production company has Constantin Film again in-house production “Das movie premieres and the director Bora Dagtekin as its creativity to thank for receives the “Golden FFA perfekte Geheimnis” exciting competition, the the winner in the “Best its incredible success over Industry Tiger” for 2019 in remains a magnet for Bulgari X Constantin Film German Movie” category such a prolonged period, the categories of “Produc- moviegoers in the early Party is one of the at the 2020 Jupiter says CEO Martin tion” and “Distribution”. part of the year, with the highlights of the multi-day Awards, Germany’s Moszkowicz. Enjoying This means Constantin total audience topping five film festival. biggest audience award continuous success with Film is the most successful million on the third for cinema and TV. good ideas is also the producer and distributor of weekend of January 2020. Constantin Film announces legacy of Bernd Eichinger German movies for the The comedy of manners the production of the Covid-19 spreads through- – and has been for 70 13th year in succession. also receives the “Golden series “Der Palast”, to be out Europe from early years. Screen” award at the directed by the successful March onward, with public German Film Ball in German TV and movie life in large parts of the The movie and the series JUNE Munich. The remake of director Uli Edel. The continent coming to a halt of the same name, “Berlin The Annual General the Italian theatrical movie six-part series is set in the by the end of the month. Berlin”, are launched Meeting of Highlight “Perfetti Sconoscuiti” GDR in 1987, with the Filming on various simultaneously on Netflix. Communications AG for focuses on a group of Friedrichstadt-Palast in productions has to be sus- With cinemas in Germany fiscal 2019 is held. All of friends and the question: Berlin serving as the pended and scheduled having been closed since the motions brought by How well do you really backdrop for an emotion- theatrical releases are late March, there is no the Board of Directors are know each other? al, musical and suspense- postponed indefinitely. theatrical release. All four approved by the share- ful family tale spanning seasons and the movie holders. This includes the On January 19, producer the German-German UEFA is also hit by the are available on Netflix re-election of the Lena Schömann receives border. The Covid-19 Covid-19 pandemic. The from May 8. President of the Board of the Bavarian Film Award in pandemic means the start 2019/2020 edition of the Directors, Bernhard the “Production” of filming is delayed from Champions League is With its total audience Burgener, for a further category. The Audience March until November. suspended in mid-March. having topped the five term of office. Award goes to director Ed million mark in January, Herzog for his Eberhofer “Das perfekte Geheimnis” Alexander Studhalter has adaptation “Leberkäs- receives the “Lola” for the been elected as a new junkie”. The Constantin highest-grossing movie of member of the Board of adaptation of Rita Falk’s the year at the German Directors. All other bestselling novel was seen Film Awards on April 24. members of the Board of by more than a million Directors have also been moviegoers in 2019. Bavarian Film Award: German Film Award (Lola): The Hager Moss Film re-elected. “Das perfekte Geheimnis” “Das perfekte Geheimnis” production “Ein Dorf wehrt sich” is recognized at the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2020, winning the Gold Award in the “Entertainment Program: Drama” category. Golden Screen: Bavarian Film Award: Movie and series on Netflix: Gold Award at the New York “Das perfekte Geheimnis” “Leberkäsjunkie” “Berlin, Berlin” Festivals TV & Film Awards: “Ein Dorf wehrt sich” 2 Q3 Q4 JULY SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Back to movie theaters at The contract of SPORT1 Casting begins for the SPORT1 reaches a new With movie theaters last: “Das Beste kommt CEO Olaf Schröder is adaptation of Felix milestone with the launch remaining closed until the noch” debuts on July 9. A extended. Lohbrecht’s best-seller, of eSportsONE, a new end of the year as part of film about two friends, “Sonne und Beton”. pan-European channel the measures to contain each of whom believes Constantin Film produces Constantin Film is bringing aimed at driving ahead the the Covid-19 pandemic, the other only has months “Resident Evil” as a the novel to the big screen brand’s internationaliza- the planned theatrical left to live. They decide to live-action series for with David Wendt in the tion. The pay TV channel releases for December are make the most of their Netflix. Inspired by director’s chair. eSportsONE is distributed postponed. The adapta- remaining time – and Capcom’s legendary via the M7 platforms TV tion of the video game learn a lot about life in the Resident Evil video game The mini-series “Ehrenpfle- Vlaanderen, CanalDigitaal “Monster Hunter” starring process. Constantin Film series, the first season gas” starts on YouTube on and Skylink at launch. Milla Jovovich, the ensures continuity in its consists of eight episodes. October 12 – developed by tragicomedy “Contra” and Management Board by the German Federal The Constantin TV “Ostwind – Der große extending the contracts of At the Zurich Film Festival, Ministry for Family Affairs, production “Gott” by Orkan” are now all Martin Moszkowicz and Iris Berben is honored with Senior Citizens, Women Ferdinand von Schirach scheduled for theatrical Oliver Berben. the “Golden Eye” award for and Youth in cooperation achieves viewing figures release in 2021. her career. The Constantin with Constantin Television of 3.88 million (11.3 %) production “Contra”, and the Hirschen Group. when broadcast on ARD. Constantin Film and AUGUST directed by Sönke The mini-series offers pithy The TV event movie Doron Wisotzky extend The Constantin produc- Wortmann, also celebrates snapshots from the addresses the ethical their exclusive coopera- tion “Nicht tot zu its world premiere. The everyday lives of nursing debate around assisted tion for a further three kriegen”, starring Iris tragicomedy, based on the trainees, with well-known dying. years from January 1, Berben, is broadcast to French original “Le Brio” faces like Lena Klenke, 2021. The successful mark the 70th birthday of and starring Nilam Farooq Danilo Kamperidis and Lisa Following its great screenwriter says: “I have the “grand dame” of and Christoph Maria Vicari in the starring roles.