Corporate | 10 August 2009 16:09
ARAGON AG / Miscellaneous Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer / publisher is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - ARAGON plans acquisition of MLP Austria - Further acquisitions planned Aragon AG and MLP have in principle agreed the acquisition by Aragon of MLP Finanzdienstleistungen AG, Vienna, an international subsidiary of MLP Finanzdienstleistungen AG, Wiesloch. The contract is scheduled to be signed in autumn this year. With the acquisition of MLP in Austria, which has been represented there since 1995 with a team of 59 advisers servicing around 15,000 customers, ARAGON is consistently pursuing the expansion of its Financial Consulting division, created earlier this year to provide consultancy services for retail customers. As of 31 December 2008, MLP Austria had total assets under management of EUR 81.8m and achieved sales totalling EUR 8.3m. Commenting on the planned transaction, Dr. Sebastian Grabmaier, CEO of Aragon AG, explained: 'We are delighted to offer a new home here at Aragon to the highly qualified Austrian MLB brokers. Together, we intend to maintain the proven quality of MLP's independent expertise for our customers in Austria while continuing to grow profitably on the basis of the synergies arising with our existing subsidiary in Austria, Jung, DMS & Cie.' Wulf Ulrich Schütz, Aragon's COO added: 'This will be our third transaction this year and is unlikely to be the last. Our pool of funds earmarked for acquisitions remains well stocked and we feel strong enough to implement further transactions. We aim to use the current market phase to gain market shares both in broker pool business and in the financial consulting segment, especially in Germany and Austria, and further enhance our profitability through optimum exploitation of synergies within our Group.' About Aragon AG Aragon AG is a broadly diversified financial services company, with the divisions: Broker Pools, Financial Consulting, Institutional Sales and Holding (incl. Banking & Banking Services). Aragon is active in the marketplace with multiple independent subsidiaries. The company's aim is to integrate various distribution models under one roof, without disturbing the individual identity of each sales company. The result is a wide diversification across various asset classes and distribution types, which generates a high stability in corporate earnings. Further information about the company and its subsidiaries can be viewed on the website: www.aragon.ag. About MLP Finanzdienstleistungen AG MLP is the leading financial services supplier for academics and other discerning clients. The company integrates a number of products and services of several banking-, insurance- and investment companies into a financial concept tailored for each individual customer. MLP clients enjoy an integrated advisory approach in all economic issues that is guided by their respective requirements and their stages in life. Contact: Aragon Aktiengesellschaft Ralf Funke Investor Relations Tel.: +49(0)611 890 575-0 Fax: +49(0)611 890 575-99 E-Mail: ir@aragon.ag 10.08.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP ----------------------------------------------------------------------