Net sales totaled €2,579 million, up 6% on the prior-year figure (2014/2015: €2,427 million). Operating profit, i.e., earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA), reached €194 million (2014/2015: €102 million) without accounting for non-recurring items and was thus up €4 million on the figure most recently projected by the company. On this basis, Wincor Nixdorf AG recorded one of its best fiscal years since its inception. Fiscal 2015/2016 produced the highest net sales and second highest operating profit in the history of the company. This was the result of major progress made by the Group in its efforts to adapt its business to changing market conditions. The Delta program of transformation, which entered its second year of execution in fiscal 2015/2016, moved forward with great success and better than planned. This strong performance by Wincor Nixdorf also provides a solid foundation for the new company to be created, Diebold Nixdorf. Integration efforts within this area are progressing well. A number of important milestones have been reached in recent months as the basis of a successful start for Diebold Nixdorf. These include the official closing and joint corporate planning as well as the approval of a domination and profit and loss transfer agreement by shareholders at a recently convened Extraordinary General Meeting.

In pursuing the business combination with full corporate integration, the two companies have charted a well-judged course for the future: Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf complement each other perfectly in respect of geographic coverage. Alongside the benefits of synchronized R&D efforts and sales portfolios within the area of Hardware, the combined group will be in a position to provide more extensive resources for Software and Services, the aim being to support customers effectively as they make the transition toward the digital age of connected commerce. Retail business within the US market will also provide opportunities for growth.

Operating profit totals €198 million in fiscal 2015/2016 after non-recurring items.

Non-recurring items totaled €4 million. They comprised €20 million in costs associated with the restructuring program and €24 million in positive one-time effects attributable to M&A activities. Correspondingly, operating profit after non-recurring items stood at €198 million (2014/2015: €22 million). Having accounted for transaction costs of €54 million attributable to the business combination with Diebold, profit for the annual period totaled €102 million (2014/2015: €8 million).
Successful, fast-paced program of restructuring and strategic repositioning continues in fiscal 2015/2016.

The objective of the seven-point Delta program is to accelerate the process of transformation towards Software and IT Services together with a profitable Hardware business. By fiscal 2017/2018 the program is expected to produce a positive effect on earnings equivalent to €120 million per year. Wincor Nixdorf has been moving towards this target faster than it had anticipated at the start of Delta. The boost to earnings in fiscal 2015/2016 was as much as €90 million, visibly higher than the figure of €50 million originally predicted for this period. The non-recurring expenses associated with corporate restructuring measures had originally been budgeted at approx. €120 million. However, Wincor Nixdorf managed to scale this expense item back to €100 million. In total, €80 million of these one-time costs were incurred in fiscal 2014/2015 and the remaining €20 million in fiscal 2015/2016.

Growth spanning all regions, with Asia being held back by China.
Business developed well throughout all regions; expressed in local currencies, net sales were up by a notional 9% in the fiscal year just ended. The industrialized nations proved to be major growth drivers. The emerging markets performed at a level comparable to the prior-year figure, although the company's positive performance as a whole was dampened in particular by sales in China.

In Germany, net sales rose by 2% to €565 million (2014/2015: €555 million). This was fueled by growth in both the Banking and Retail segments. On this basis, Germany's share of the Group's total net sales stood at 22% (2014/2015: 23%). In Europe (excluding Germany), net sales rose by 11% year on year to €1,223 million (2014/2015: €1,097 million). This performance was driven to a large extent by buoyant Retail business, while net sales in the Banking segment were just slightly lower than in the previous year. As a result, Europe's (excluding Germany) share of the Group's total net sales increased to 48% (2014/2015: 45%). The Asia/Pacific/Africa region saw net sales fall by 2% in total to €471 million (2014/2015: €480 million). This was attributable primarily to a marked downturn in China, the world's most important market for banking systems. The adverse effects on business dealings by Western suppliers persisted over the course of the year. The overall contribution by Asia/Pacific/Africa to the Group's total net sales fell to 18% (2014/2015: 20%).

As a region, the Americas recorded growth of 8%, taking net sales to €320 million (2014/2015: €295 million). While North America produced a substantial upturn in business, sales in some of the countries in Latin America were severely impacted by deteriorating economic conditions. Thus, the proportion of Group net sales generated in the Americas was unchanged year on year at 12% (2014/2015: 12%).

Banking segment slightly down - Retail expands markedly.
The Banking segment recorded a slight downturn in net sales in the fiscal year just ended. By contrast, the Retail segment generated significant forward momentum. Having felt the impact of sluggish investment spending on the part of major retailers in fiscal 2014/2015, particularly in Europe, the Retail segment generated sizeable growth within this specific area of business during the 2015/2016 financial year. The Banking segment accounted for 60% of total net sales (2014/2015: 65%), while the Retail segment contributed 40% (2014/2015: 35%) to total net sales.

Hardware as growth driver, further expansion in Software/Services.

Hardware business developed favorably in the fiscal year just ended, so much so that it proved to be the principal growth driver for the Group. Software/Services, by contrast, expanded only slightly over the course of the financial year. At €1,134 million, consolidated net sales attributable to Hardware were up 12% on the previous year (2014/2015: €1,015 million). This significant year-on-year increase was due primarily to several large-scale orders within the Retail segment. The emphasis in this area was on business relating to EPOS systems. The Banking segment also saw a year-on-year increase in shipments. Business expansion within the area of high-end systems proved encouraging in both segments, the focus being on deposit systems in the Banking segment alongside self-checkout and retail cash management systems in the Retail segment. As a result of this performance, the contribution made by the Hardware business to total consolidated net sales grew to 44% (2014/2015: 42%). Net sales from Software/Services rose by 2% to €1,445 million in the fiscal year just ended (2014/2015: €1,412 million). The share of Software/Services in total net sales for the Group fell to 56% (2014/2015: 58%).

Fast-paced restructuring of personnel base.
As of September 30, 2016, the Group's total headcount was 9,080 worldwide, compared with 9,100 at the end of the previous fiscal year. This modest reduction in absolute terms does not reflect the scale of personnel restructuring driven primarily by the company's Delta program, changes in the make-up of the consolidated group, and various acquisitions. Measures under the Delta program alone had envisaged downsizing of 1,100 jobs in total by the end of fiscal 2017/2018. By the end of fiscal 2015/2016, however, as many as 1,370 jobs had been cut or outsourced; according to the company's original plans, the downsizing target set within this specific area had been 650 jobs.

R&D spending slightly up on previous year.
Research and development costs (excluding transaction expenses) totaled €94 million (2014/2015: €90 million), a year-on-year increase of €4 million or 4%. The R&D ratio stood at 3.6% (2014/2015: 3.7%).

Dividend proposal and guidance to follow at the beginning of December 2016.
Details relating to the dividend proposal and the company's guidance for the current fiscal year 2016/2017 will be published at the beginning of December together with the annual report for fiscal 2015/2016.

Control and profit transfer agreement as well as change of name to Diebold Nixdorf.
Against the backdrop of the takeover of Wincor Nixdorf AG by Diebold and in view of the business combination of the two companies, shareholders represented at an Extraordinary General Meeting of Wincor Nixdorf AG held on September 26, 2016, adopted a resolution on the conclusion of a domination and profit and loss transfer agreement with Diebold Holding Germany Inc. & Co. KGaA. The domination and profit and loss transfer agreement specifies an exit compensation payment of €55.02 per share for external shareholders of Wincor Nixdorf AG. The fixed annual compensation is €3.13 gross and €2.82 net per Wincor Nixdorf AG share. Additionally, the Extraordinary General Meeting adopted the proposal to change the company name to Diebold Nixdorf Aktiengesellschaft. A legal challenge in the form of actions for annulment (so-called Anfechtungsklagen) has been made against the resolution passed by the Extraordinary General Meeting regarding the conclusion of a control and profit transfer agreement. As a result, entry of this agreement into the Commercial Register has initially been delayed. In February 2016, Diebold published a voluntary public tender offer to all shareholders of Wincor Nixdorf AG. On expiry of the specified acceptance period this takeover offer was accepted by shareholders representing approx. 69.1% of the share capital of Wincor Nixdorf AG. Taking into account the treasury shares held by Wincor Nixdorf, Diebold had thus secured approx. 76.7% of the voting rights in respect of Wincor Nixdorf AG. Following official approval by various antitrust authorities, the business combination of the two companies was finally announced on August 15, 2016. Plans with regard to corporate integration are progressing well and remain on target.