KOBLENZ (dpa-AFX) - The software provider Compugroup, which specializes in medical practices and clinics, is cutting its annual forecast for sales and earnings after a weak second quarter. For the year as a whole, revenue is now likely to fall by up to two percent and, in the best-case scenario, only remain stable, as the group announced in Koblenz on Tuesday. Compugroup is factoring out exchange rate effects as well as acquisitions and disposals of parts of the company. Previously, the plans of CEO Michael Rauch included a plus 4 to plus 6 percent. The management expects earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization adjusted for special effects to be between 220 and 250 million euros. Previously, the range had been between 270 and 310 million euros.

On average, analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had recently expected sales growth and an operating result of 271 million euros. The SDax-listed share fell significantly in the afternoon.

In the second quarter, turnover slipped by 9 percent year-on-year to 277 million euros, according to preliminary figures. Business with doctors' surgeries (AIS) in particular was weaker. This was mainly due to one-off effects in the same period of the previous year./men/he