Corporate | 2 April 2014 07:00

AURELIUS to buy international advertising marketing agency Publicitas

AURELIUS AG / Key word(s): Acquisition

02.04.2014 / 07:00

AURELIUS to buy international advertising marketing agency Publicitas

– Strong international brand with commercial activities in 20 countries worldwide

– Seller PubliGroupe to concentrate its business units

– Transformation into a cross-media advertising service provider

Munich, April 2, 2014 – The AURELIUS Group (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8) is set to acquire Publicitas, an international advertising marketing agency based in Switzerland. Publicitas is a subsidiary of the listed Switzerland-based PubliGroupe, a leading provider of marketing and media sales services with its registered office in Switzerland and an international presence in selected markets. PubliGroupe is to concentrate on its digital business and growth markets in the future. Publicitas generated gross revenues (including the value of the advertising space) of over EUR 657 million in 2013 (net revenues: EUR 110 million). The transaction is thus one of the biggest in the history of AURELIUS. The purchase price is in the low double-digit million euro range and contains downstream components. The transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant anti-trust authorities and the PubliGroupe shareholders’ meeting, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2014.

The 860 or employees of Publicitas advise advertising customers and agencies on the best placement of their promotional message for the respective target group from over 10,000 advertising offerings. The company boasts a strong brand and can trace its roots back over 124 years. It has a worldwide presence of 70 offices in 20 countries. The Publicitas name stands for increasingly automated planning, booking and handling of advertising in all types of media. Publicitas maintains long-term partnerships with media providers and advertising customers. The company’s large, international network guarantees a local presence close to customers throughout the world.

“Publicitas has a very good market position and a strong brand both in Switzerland and internationally. We intend to build on this foundation to press ahead with the transformation into a cross-media service provider that has already been initiated,” says Dr. Dirk Markus, CEO of AURELIUS AG.

Today, Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at 2.00 pm CET the Executive Board of AURELIUS will conduct a telephone conference for interested investors and members of the press. To sign-up, please send an email to investor@aureliusinvest.de .

ABOUT AURELIUS
AURELIUS has been successfully operating in the international market for company acquisitions for many years. The focus is on companies and corporate spin-offs in markets with plenty of potential for development. Once under the AURELIUS umbrella, the acquisitions are given a long-term strategic orientation and their potential developed. Building on active operational support, the subsidiaries benefit from the management experience and financial strength of the parent company. This is what makes AURELIUS a “good home” for companies and their employees.
At present, the AURELIUS Group encompasses 18 subsidiaries around the globe with facilities in Europe, Asia and the United States. Among others, these include traditional names like Blaupunkt and Berentzen together with numerous industrial enterprises. Companies are acquired in accordance with strict investment criteria, although there is no specific industry focus. Shares of AURELIUS AG are listed in the m:access segment of the Munich Stock Exchange and are traded on all German stock exchanges under ISIN DE000A0JK2A8.
To find out more, visit www.aureliusinvest.de .

CONTACT
Anke Banaschewski
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone +49 (89) 544799 – 0
Fax +49 (89) 544799 – 55
investor@aureliusinvest.de

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