Ad-hoc | 21 February 2001 20:30

Ad hoc-Service: Villeroy & Boch AG english

Ad-hoc announcement sent by DGAP. The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Mettlach, 21 February 2001 Ad-hoc Notification in Accordance with § 15 WpHG Villeroy & Boch: Dividends for the Financial Year 2000 Villeroy & Boch Group sales rose by 12.6 % to around Euro 940 million in the financial year 2000 a figure which ensued partly as a result of acquisitions as compared with a total of Euro 834.2 million in the previous financial year. Though as yet not finally completed, the Consolidated Financial Statements show the result from ordinary operations as totalling around Euro 36 million, roughly 40 % above the Euro 25.8 million result of the previous financial year. Owing to the higher burden of taxes on income than in the previous financial year, it is expected that net retained profit will be roughly on the level of that in the previous financial year. At the Supervisory Board Meeting on Financial Statements in April, the Executive Board will propose a dividend distribution in the amount of Euro 0.50 (previous year: Euro 0.50) for each ordinary share and in the amount of Euro 0.55 (previous year: Euro 0.55) for each preference share. A tax credit of roughly Euro 0.12 per ordinary share and roughly Euro 0.13 per preference share is linked to the distribution for domestic tax-paying shareholders. A rise in gross dividends of roughly 24 % therefore results. The Executive Board end of Ad hoc-announcement, (c) DGAP 21.02.2001 ———————————————————————– WKN: 765723; Index: SMAX Listed: Amtlicher Handel in Frankfurt; Freiverkehr in Berlin und Düsseldorf und Hamburg 212030 Feb 01