Corporate | 4 December 2009 08:00
ARAGON AG / Miscellaneous 04.12.2009 Dissemination 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 acquires majority stake in inpunkto GmbH - One of the leading specialist health insurance distributors created - MEG transaction successfully recapitalized Aragon AG, one of the leading financial services companies in the German-speaking markets, has increased its stake in inpunkto GmbH, a successful specialist distributor of health insurance products, from 25.1 to 70.0 percent. Mönchengladbach-based inpunkto GmbH is a specialist distributor focused on delivering private health insurance brokering and consulting services for consumers (B2C) and full-service financial sales companies (B2B). Since being established in 2008, inpunkto has built up a network of regional offices across Germany, currently numbering 14, with a total of 130 specialist consultants. inpunkto also has what is known as a 'partial liability umbrella' that enables consultants to act as insurance brokers in conformity with the Insurance Mediation Directive while still undergoing training to become IHK-registered brokers. One of the leading specialist health insurance distributors created inpunkto will close the fiscal year 2009 in the black with revenue of some EUR 6 million and growth in sales of over 100%. With more than 200 brokers and profitable revenue of about EUR 20 million in 2010, inpunkto will, from a standing start, become the number 2 German specialist health insurance distributor following the insolvency of MEG AG. Its objectives for 2010 are to expand the network of regional offices to deliver comprehensive nationwide coverage and to establish the inpunkto brand on the market. MEG transaction successfully recapitalized The shares were acquired by way of a combined cash/non-cash contribution that included the assets acquired through the MEG transaction. inpunkto will be fully consolidated into the group from 01.12.2009. 'We are delighted with the transaction, firstly because inpunkto is one of the few growing distributors on the market at the moment and, secondly, because we have been able to recapitalize our investment in MEG AG, despite its insolvency, to bring in a profit for Aragon AG. That makes the MEG transaction a financial success for Aragon', explained Wulf Schütz, a member of Aragon AG's Management Board. 'With this further milestone and our other activities in 2009, our revenue next year will move beyond the EUR 100 million mark.' About Aragon AG Aragon AG is a broadly diversified financial services company with Broker Pools, Financial Consulting, Institutional Sales and Holding divisions. 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 found at www.aragon.ag. About inpunkto GmbH Mönchengladbach-based inpunkto GmbH is one of Germany's leading specialist distributors focusing on delivering private health insurance brokering and consulting services for consumers (B2C) and full-service financial sales companies (B2B). The company has a network of regional offices across Germany, currently numbering 14, with about 130 specialist consultants. inpunkto also has a partial liability umbrella that enables consultants to act as insurance brokers in conformity with the Insurance Mediation Directive while still undergoing training to become IHK-registered brokers. Further information about the company can be found at www.inpunkto-gmbh.de. 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 04.12.2009 Financial News distributed by DGAP. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de ---------------------------------------------------------------------------