Ad-hoc | 1 June 2006 14:30
General Meeting of CeWe Color Holding AG
Ad hoc announcement transmitted by DGAP – a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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General Meeting of CeWe Color Holding AG
CeWe Color doubles dividend to EUR 1,20
Oldenburg, June 1, 2006 – The General Meeting of CeWe Color Holding AG
SDAX, ISIN DE 0005403901) voted with a clear majority in favor of the
proposal by the Managing and Supervisory Boards to disburse a dividend of
EUR 1.20 per no-par value share on the share capital carrying dividend
rights totaling EUR 14.0 million after appropriating EUR 10.6 million to
the revenue reserves. The dividend has thus increased 100 % from EUR 0.60
for 2004 to EUR 1.20 for 2005.
Targets and key figures for 2006 – CeWe Color has been able to
substantially improve its competitive position since 2004. As the European
market leader for industrial photofinishing, and bolstered by strong
increases in the sales of digital products, CeWe Color succeeded in
recording pre-tax earnings (EBT) of EUR 25.5 million in 2005, the best EBT
in the last five years. For 2006, CeWe Color is aiming for an EBT of EUR
21.0 million (according to forecast) – its second-highest earnings in the
last six years. ‘In 2006, boosting profits has priority over maximizing
sales,’ noted Dr. Rolf Hollander, Chairman of CeWe Color Holding AG’s
Managing Board. CeWe Color will make further progress in adapting to the
technology and market migration from analog to digital photography in 2006.
The company has already come two thirds of the way. It will increase
product development and marketing to steer consumers’ interest to CeWe
Color’s new products. Changes to capacity and cost cuts in various areas
will be continued. Programs to make products, services and customer
deliveries more profitable will be conducted.
Positive share performance over past few years – The CeWe Color Group’s
sales and earnings growth had a positive impact on our share price. The
share price has lifted since 2002 from EUR 11.50 to the current price of
more than EUR 29.00. Given this 6.0 million listed shares, this corresponds
to an increase in value of more than EUR 100 million. In addition, it has
been possible to increase the average daily trading volume of CeWe Color
shares from 5,458 shares (2002) to 36,015 shares (2006), up 559.9 %. CeWe
Color Holding AG’s investor relations strategy aims to constantly increase
the group of potential investors. This strategy has been successful in the
past few years, in both geographic and numerical terms. The largest
institutional investor is K Capital Partners, Boston with an 11.63 %
interest, followed by M2 Capital Management, New York with 10.15 %, and
Credite Suisse Equity Fund Management Company (Luxembourg) with 5.11. CeWe
Color itself holds 10.0% of the share capital. In the supervisory board
meeting after the general meeting, the Managing Board will make a proposal
to the Supervisory Board to withdraw the 600,000 treasury shares. In
addition, the general meeting approved the buyback by the company of a
further 540,000 treasury shares under agenda item 5. The shares are
designated for possible corporate acquisitions, the Stock option plan
implemented in September 2005 and for a further withdrawal.
For any queries please contact: CeWe Color Holding AG, Hella Hahm,
Tel.: +49 (0)441 / 404 – 400 (Sec. – 234) or +49 (0)171 / 34 50 530, Fax:
– 421, eMail: hella.hahm@cewecolor.de, Internet: www.cewecolor.com
(c)DGAP 01.06.2006
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Language: English
Issuer: CeWe Color Holding AG
Meerweg 30-32
26133 Oldenburg Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)441 40 4-1
Fax: +49 (0)441 40 4-42 1
email: info@cewecolor.de
WWW: www.cewecolor.de
ISIN: DE0005403901
WKN: 540390
indices: SDAX
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Berlin-Bremen, Frankfurt (Prime
Standard); Freiverkehr in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München,
Stuttgart
End of News DGAP News-Service
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