EANS-News: Annual Shareholders´ Meeting 2011: Following a Strong First Quarter, WACKER Expects Further Growth
- Executive and Supervisory Boards proposals adopted by large majority of shareholders - Dividend for fiscal 2010 is 3.20 - 2011 sales and earnings forecast reaffirmed
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Annual & Special Corporate Meetings
Subtitle: - Executive and Supervisory Boards proposals adopted by large majority of shareholders - Dividend for fiscal 2010 is 3.20 - 2011 sales and earnings forecast reaffirmed
Munich (euro adhoc) - May 18, 2011 - Following a strong first quarter, Wacker Chemie AG expects further sales and earnings gains for full-year 2011. Rudolf Staudigl, CEO of the Munich-based chemical company, underscored this point at WACKER´s 2011 Annual Shareholders´ Meeting. "WACKER is poised for further growth," he said. Staudigl reaffirmed the full-year forecast and said that sales should cross the EUR5-billion mark, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) should exceed 2010´s EUR1.19 billion level.
Of 2010´s Group net income of EUR497.0 million (2009: EUR-74.5 million), WACKER is paying out a total of EUR159.0 million (2009: EUR59.6 million) to its shareholders. The dividend per dividend-entitled share is EUR3.20 (2009: EUR1.20). The Executive and Supervisory Boards´ other proposals were also adopted by large majorities.
Following a very good fiscal 2010, WACKER further increased both sales and earnings in Q1 2011. Sales at the Munich-based chemicals Group climbed 21 percent to EUR1.29 billion from January through March 2011 (Q1 2010: EUR1.07 billion) - primarily due to higher sales volumes. A positive market environment and strong customer demand fueled WACKER´s continued business growth. The sales gain was additionally supported by higher prices in some key product segments. EBITDA achieved even stronger growth, climbing to EUR351.0 million in Q1 2011 (Q1 2010: EUR253.7 million), up 38 percent.
"After a short lull, WACKER has resumed its growth trajectory," said CEO Rudolf Staudigl, addressing the company´s shareholders in Munich on Wednesday. "The broad economic recovery, spanning every industry, contributed substantially to our strong performance last year. Other factors were just as important, though. When demand slumped in 2009, we neither questioned our strategic course, nor did we abandon our sound core financial policies," the CEO underscored. According to Staudigl, the Group will continue its efforts this year to enhance cost structures, processes and competitiveness. He added that WACKER was optimistic about the future in light of steady strong customer demand.
Resolutions and Voting Results At today´s Annual Shareholders´ Meeting, 42,786,609 voting shares were represented - 82.04 percent of all eligible shares (number of shares outstanding: 49,677,983). The voting results were as follows for agenda items 2 through 7:
Topic 2: Resolution on the Appropriation of Net Retained Profit The Executive and Supervisory Boards proposed that the net retained profit for fiscal 2010, amounting to EUR775.3 million, be appropriated as follows: EUR159.0 million to be paid as a dividend to shareholders, EUR139.8 million to be kept as retained earnings and EUR476.5 million to be carried forward to new account. The proposal was adopted. The result was: - 42,772,448 Yes votes (99.99 percent) - 2,324 No votes
Topic 3: Resolution on the Ratification of the Actions of the Executive Board The proposal of the Executive and Supervisory Boards to ratify the acts of the members of Wacker Chemie AG´s Executive Board during fiscal 2010 was adopted. The result was: - 42,687,373 Yes votes (99.85 percent) - 65,807 No votes
Topic 4: Resolution on the Ratification of the Actions of the Supervisory Board The Executive and Supervisory Boards´ proposal to ratify the acts of the members of Wacker Chemie AG´s Supervisory Board during fiscal 2010 was adopted. The result was: - 42,681,899 Yes votes (99.84 percent) - 69,136 No votes
Topic 5: Resolution on the Appointment of Auditor The Supervisory Board´s proposal to appoint KPMG AG as auditor for fiscal 2011 was adopted. The result was: - 41,873,201 Yes votes (97.90 percent) - 900,213 No votes
Topic 6: Approval of the Profit-and-Loss Transfer Agreement between Wacker Chemie AG and Wacker-Chemie Achte Venture GmbH The Executive and Supervisory Boards´ proposal to approve the draft of the profit-and-loss transfer agreement between Wacker Chemie AG and Wacker-Chemie Achte Venture was adopted. The result was: - 41,973,165 Yes votes (98.13 percent) - 801,232 No votes
Topic 7: Resolution on Changes to the Articles of Association The Executive and Supervisory Boards´ proposal to rescind performance-related compensation for Supervisory Board members effective January 1, 2011 and, in turn, increase their fixed compensation and flat fees was adopted. The result was: - 40,970,987 Yes votes (95.79 percent) - 1,802,856 No votes
Information for editorial offices: All documents relating to Wacker Chemie AG´s 2011 Annual Shareholders´ Meeting can be downloaded from WACKER´s website (www.wacker.com) under Investor Relations.
This press release contains statements about the resolutions of the 2011 Annual Shareholders´ Meeting. Said statements are not binding and serve the sole purpose of providing an overview. They may not always correspond to the exact wording and full extent of the resolutions adopted at the Annual Shareholders´ Meeting.
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates of WACKER´s Executive Board. Although we assume the expectations in these forwardlooking statements are realistic, we cannot guarantee they will prove to be correct. The assumptions may harbor risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual figures to differ considerably from the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such discrepancies include, among other things, changes in the economic and business environment, variations in exchange and interest rates, the introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance for new products or services, and changes in corporate strategy. WACKER does not plan to update the forwardlooking statements, nor does it assume the obligation to do so.
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company: Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
D-81737 München
phone: +49 (0) 89 6279 01
FAX: +49 (0) 89 6279 1770
mail: info@wacker.com
WWW: http://www.wacker.com
sector: Chemicals
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
indexes: Midcap Market Index, MDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, HDAX, Prime All
Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt
language: EnglishFurther inquiry note:
Christof Bachmair
Media Relations & Information
Tel.: +49 (0)89 6279 1830
E-Mail: christof.bachmair@wacker.com
Branche: Chemicals
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
WKN: WCH888
Index: Midcap Market Index, MDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, HDAX,
Prime All Share
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Original content of: Wacker Chemie AG, transmitted by news aktuell