Corporate | 19 December 2008 12:29
AURELIUS AG / Acquisition 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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- • Acquisition of Britain’s biggest mail-order bookseller • All shares acquired from DirectGroup Bertelsmann • Group revenue in the mid double-digit million euro range Munich, 19 December 2008 – The Munich-based industrial holding AURELIUS is taking over the biggest British mail-order bookseller, Book Club Associates (BCA), with effect from 1 January 2009. Contracts governing the transaction have now been signed with BCA’s parent, Bertelsmann AG. Beyond a traditional book club for general interest, Book Club Associates also comprises six special-interest book clubs catering to different target groups. The theme clubs cover everything from children’s books to Fantasy & Science Fiction through to history books and collector’s publications. The company currently counts almost 700,000 members. In 2008, BCA had total revenue in the mid double-digit million euro range, generated exclusively by the Club business. In July, Bertelsmann had announced its plans to initiate the selling process for DirectGroup’s operations in nine countries and thereby focus DirectGroup’s business on the major European markets. The takeover by AURELIUS shows that attractive companies in transition and special situations can successfully be taken over abroad even without having a subsidiary in that country. 'AURELIUS already has subsidiaries in France, Ireland and Switzerland. Book Club Associates is the first company we’ve bought in the UK,' comments Donatus Albrecht, the AURELIUS board member in charge of acquisitions. Commenting on the sale, BCA's CEO George Saul says, 'I am delighted that this exciting deal was successfully concluded. Over the past four years we have created a promising platform and I believe that AURELIUS will bring the enthusiasm and expertise to BCA's business which will ensure that it prospers in the future.' After losses in the past, the company is expected to return to profitability in 2009. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential. The transaction is expected to close by the end of January. For more information on AURELIUS, we are happy to serve you: Ingo Middelmenne Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Fon +49 (89) 544799 - 56 Fax +49 (89) 544799 - 55 ingo.middelmenne@aureliusinvest.de About AURELIUS AG AURELIUS AG with headquarters in Munich acquires medium-sized businesses and group subsidiaries, which no longer correspond to the core business of its former owner. AURELIUS also acquires companies with complex structures and actively continues to develop them. With the help of a separate, specialized task force the company lifts the potential for added value of its subsidiaries for the benefit of all stakeholders and is well aware of the related social responsibility. The shares of AURELIUS AG are traded in the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8). About the DirectGroup Bertelsmann DirectGroup Bertelsmann is comprised of media clubs as well as bookstores and internet, publishing and distribution businesses in 16 countries. Here, the group operates an extensive sales network of more than 800 club centers and bookstores. Its clubs include renowned brands like Der Club in Germany, France Loisirs in France and Círculo de Lectores in Spain. DirectGroup is France’s second-biggest book retailer with its Chapitre.com brand, and No.1 in Portugal with its Bertrand brand. In Spain, the Bertrand bookselling chain is being expanded to reflect the development of its sister company in Portugal. DirectGroup also draws on its decades of direct-marketing expertise in the media business to sell other products to members and new groups of customers. DirectGroup has its headquarters in Gütersloh, Germany, and is wholly owned by Bertelsmann AG. Press contact DirectGroup Bertelsmann: Matthias Wulff Senior Director Corporate Communications Fon +49 (5241) 80 - 42403 Fax +49 (5241) 80 - 642403 matthias.wulff@bertelsmann.de 19.12.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP ----------------------------------------------------------------------