Business News

Axel Springer shareholders receive another record dividend of EUR 4.40

Monday 26. April 2010 - Share placement intended within the first half of 2010

The Annual General Meeting of Axel Springer AG agreed with the suggestion made by the supervisory board and board of directors in Berlin on April 23, 2010 to use a sum amounting to EUR 131.2 million from the balance sheet profit of EUR 145.1 million for the payment of a dividend for the 2009 fiscal year and to transfer the remaining sum of EUR 13.9 million into retained income. This corresponds once again to a record dividend of EUR 4.40 per dividend-bearing share (previous year EUR 4.40).

Dr. Mathias Döpfner, CEO Axel Springer AG, stressed in his speech to shareholders: “Axel Springer was again highly profitable in the difficult year 2009 and has gained market share. With a dividend of EUR 4.40 per share, our shareholders receive, as they did in 2008, the highest dividend ever paid out by Axel Springer.” Döpfner also mentioned the placement of treasury stock which the company plans in the current quarter at the same time as a block of shares from the portfolio of Deutsche Bank AG. A total of about 17 percent of the capital stock will be placed on the market. “Through the placement of our stock, we intend to significantly increase the free-float and trading volume and make our company even more attractive,” the CEO said.

Based on preliminary figures Axel Springer AG generated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of EUR 119.2 million in the first quarter of 2010. This surpassed the EBITDA of the corresponding quarter from the previous year by 48.4 percent. Group sales increased substantially as a result of the dynamic growth of the Digital Media segment in the first quarter of 7.0 percent to EUR 663.7 million. Against the background of higher than expected business development in the first quarter of 2010 and a positive assessment of the advertising market, the management board anticipates a significant increase in Group turnover in the current fiscal year. The increase in Group EBITDA is expected to be well above 10 percent.