ASO - Austro Group Limited - Trading Statement

ASO - Austro Group Limited - Trading Statement                                  
Austro Group Limited                                                            
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)                                  
(Registration number 2001/029771/06)                                            
Share code: ASO   ISIN: ZAE000090882                                            
("Austro" or "the Group")                                                       
TRADING STATEMENT                                                               
In terms of the Listing Requirements of the JSE Limited, companies are required 
to publish a trading statement as soon as they are satisfied that a reasonable  
degree of certainty exists that the financial results for the period to be      
reported upon next will differ by at least 20% from the financial results for   
the previous corresponding period.                                              
Accordingly, shareholders are advised that, for the six months ended 29 February
2012, Austro anticipates earnings per share and headline earnings per share to  
be more than 20% lower compared to the previous corresponding period.           
Some of the major negative variances affecting the comparison include an onerous
lease expense in respect of one of the Group`s premises;  the impairment of     
goodwill and a higher tax expense due to the Austro Wood (Pty) Ltd taxable loss 
and the impact of not raising a deferred tax asset on the taxable loss.         


                                  29 February 2012           28 February        
                                                             2011               
                                  Unaudited estimate         Unaudited          
(Loss)/earnings per share (cents)  Between (34,3) and (40,3)  1.1               
Headline (loss)/earnings per       Between (3,1) and (3,7)    1.1               
share (cents)                                                                   
                                                                                
The financial information on which this trading statement has been prepared has 
not been reviewed or reported on by Austro`s auditors.                          
Austro`s unaudited interim results for the six months ended 29 February 2012    
will be released on SENS at the latest 30 May 2012.                             
16 May 2012                                                                     
Sponsor                                                                         
Java Capital                                                                    
Date: 16/05/2012 17:28:01 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za                     
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