Ad-hoc | 19 April 2005 07:49

BASF AG: BASF plans to buy back shares for a further EUR1.5 billion

Ad hoc announcement §15 WpHG shares buy back BASF AG: BASF plans to buy back shares for a further EUR1.5 billion Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. —————————————————————————— The Board of Executive Directors of BASF Aktiengesellschaft has decided to continue with the company’s share buyback program, and plans to buy back shares for a further EUR1.5 billion in the course of 2005. The buyback can start in April. The aim of buying back shares is to reduce the equity ratio and increase earnings per share. The shares will be cancelled after the buy back program has been completed, thus reducing the share capital of BASF Aktiengesellschaft accordingly. The share buyback program announced in February 2004, which was increased by EUR500 million to EUR1 billion in October 2004, was completed at the end of March 2005. As part of this program, a total of 21.3 million shares were bought back at an average price of EUR46.95. Of the repurchased shares, 15.4 million have already been cancelled. The remaining 5.9 million shares will also be cancelled in the short term. Since the beginning of 1999, BASF has bought back more than 102 million shares for about EUR4.25 billion. This corresponds to 16.4 percent of BASF’s share capital as of 31.12.1998. BASF AG Carl-Bosch-Straße 38 67056 Ludwigshafen Deutschland ISIN: DE0005151005 (DAX) WKN: 515 100 Listed: Amtlicher Markt in Berlin-Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hamburg, Hannover, München und Stuttgart; London; Paris End of ad hoc announcement (c)DGAP 19.04.2005 190749 Apr 05