Porsche’s Supervisory Board endorses Share Split and Re-Alignment of CapitalVery Significant Increase in Group Earnings – Special Dividend Proposed
Stuttgart. In its session today, the Supervisory Board of
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, confirmed the pre-tax earnings of the Porsche Group in the 2006/07 year of business, achieving a record figure of Euro 5.857 billion, up very significantly from the previous year’s figure of Euro 2.110 billion. A particularly positive point is the development of Porsche’s core business which, leaving special factors aside, is up from the previous year’s level. These special factors are first and foremost the high three-digit million-Euro development expenditure for Porsche’s fourth model series, the Panamera, and for the hybrid drivetrain of the Cayenne. Another factor is the weaker level of hedging rates versus the US dollar.
These developments are however more than set off by very positive effects from stock option transactions. Re-valuation of Porsche’s share in the Volkswagen Group results furthermore in a one-off, non-recurring addition to the accounts of Euro 520.8 million. Earnings accruing to Porsche on the basis of the 22.5 per cent share held at the end of the business year amounting to Euro 702.4 million. Earnings from stock option transactions contributed Euro 3.593 billion to the overall result.
The Group's net earnings (result after tax) increased in the period under report to Euro 4.242 (previous year: 1.393) billion. The earnings per share amounted to Euro 239.80 (78.10) per common share and Euro 239.86 (78.22) per preferred share. Reflecting the Group figures, pre-tax earnings of Porsche AG likewise increased in the year under report, amounting to Euro 2.918 (1.668) billion. The annual surplus of
Porsche AG was Euro 1.930 (1.254) billion. The shareholders in Porsche are to benefit from this increase in earnings.
An increase in dividends to Euro 6.94 (5.94) per common share and Euro 7.00 (6.00) per preferred share will be proposed to the Annual General Meeting to be held in the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart on 25 January 2008. In consideration of the high non-recurring earnings, a special dividend of Euro 15.00 (3.00) per common and preferred share will also be proposed. This would increase the total dividend payment to
Euro 384 (157) million, equal in relative terms to an increase by approximately 145 per cent.
A split in shares at a ratio of 1:10, together with a re-alignment of stock capital, is also to be proposed to the General Meeting on 25 January 2008 for their decision. Currently the stock capital of
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG amounts to approximately Euro 45.5 million and is split into 8.75 million common and preferred shares, respectively. To give each share a calculated value in the stock capital of Euro 1.- following the split in shares, the stock capital is to be increased from profit reserves to Euro 175 million and will be subsequently re-aligned as 87.5 million common and, respectively, preferred shares. As a result, each current holder of one existing common or preferred share in Porsche would in future hold ten shares of the respective category, the split in shares reducing the current share value, for purposes of calculation, to one-tenth of the current stock value, without the overall value held by shareholders changing as a result. The objective of this re-alignment is to make Porsche stock more manageable for the private investor, in consideration of the price level Porsche stock has reached in the meantime.
The confirmation of the Annual Accounts by the Supervisory Board today is a prerequisite for entering Porsche Automobil Holding SE in the trade register. In this context Uwe Hück, Chairman of the Group Works Council and Member of the Supervisory Board, thanked all representatives of shareholders on the Supervisory Board for clearly endorsing the Co-Determination Agreement of the future Holding in today’s session. Hück stated further that “this strong commitment shows me clearly that the Agreement is fully supported and endorsed by the family partners Porsche and Piëch.“
GO
12.11.2007