DGAP-News: CEWE increases freefloat by placing shares

DGAP-News: CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA / Key word(s): Corporate Action CEWE increases freefloat by placing shares 09.04.2014 / 08:05 --------------------------------------------------------------------- CEWE increases freefloat by placing shares - Proceeds of issue at approximately EUR 27 million - Shares placed in only one hour - Increasing freefloat complies with requirements of large institutional investors - Increased financial capacity enlarges strategic freedom - Reduction of debts - increase of equity Oldenburg, April 9, 2014 - Within one hour, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA (SDAX, ISIN: DE 0005403901) has placed yesterday 500,000 of its own shares (6.76% of the share capital). The sale has been fully and successfully completed. By way of an accelerated bookbuilding, the shares were offered to qualified investors in Germany and Europe and placed at a price of EUR 54. CEWE's gross proceeds amount to approximately EUR 27 million. The exchange of the shares against payment of the placement price is envisaged for April 11, 2014. Freefloat increases to 69.2% "During the previous months, we were approached by institutional investors informing us that an increased freefloat was an important precondition for an investment. The trade volume has already grown by nearly 20% over the course of 2013; this is, however, apparently not enough for numerous investors. Due to this, we have decided to put our own shares on the market in order to increase the freefloat", says Dr. Olaf Holzkämper, CFO CEWE Group. He continues that this measure was reasonable for all shareholders as only a part of the shareholdings was used as acquisition currency and, by selling the shares, CEWE was not only able to increase the freefloat but also to raise the equity ratio as well as reduce debts at the same time. Following this placement, CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA now has a shareholding of 205,667 in its own shares (2.8% of the equity capital). The freefloat has now increased to 69.2%. More strategic freedom By selling the shares, the liquidity potential, i.e. available credit facilities plus cash funds, augmented. Holzkämper welcomes the strategic possibilities that have now increased: "By acquiring Saxoprint and thus extending its business activities to online printing, CEWE has shown that it is also capable of successfully pursuing inorganic development. In addition to making our shares more attractive to large institutional investors, the recent capital market measure has also provided an excellent starting point to further explore this route." Moreover, CEWE could further develop in the online printing as well as the photo finishing business segments, including related segments. This press release does not constitute an offer for the sale or purchase of securities in the US. An offer or sale of CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA's shares in the US must be registered in advance pursuant to the provisions set forth by the U.S. Securities Act 1933 as amended from time to time, unless exempted from the registration requirement. The shares are not publicly offered in the US. Should you have any queries, please contact: CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA, Axel Weber (Investor Relations) Tel.: 0441 / 404 - 2288, Fax: 0441 / 404 - 421, e-mail: IR@cewe.de Internet: www.cewe.de , www.cewe-fotobuch.de , www.cewe-print.de , www.viaprinto.de , www.saxoprint.de Available in app stores: The CEWE Investor Relations app for your iPad(R) or Android tablet, including annual reports and quarterly reports as well as sustainability reports. Financial schedule: 13 May 2014 Publication of the Q1 2014 interim report 13 May 2014 Analysts' telephone conference on Q1 4 June 2014 Annual General Meeting, Weser-Ems-Halle,Oldenburg 13 August 2014 Publication of the H1 2014 half-year financial report 13 August 2014 Analysts' telephone conference on H1 19 September 2014 Capital Market Day @ photokina, Cologne 12 November 2014 Publication of the Q3 2014 interim report 12 November 2014 Analysts' telephone conference on Q3 24 November 2014 German Equity Forum, Frankfurt About CEWE: The photo and online print service company CEWE, with 11 highly-technical production operations and a staff of around 3,200 employees in 24 European countries, is both market and technological leader. In 2013 CEWE delivered around 2.37 billion prints, 5.8 million CEWE PHOTO BOOK and photo gift articles to more than 34,000 retail partners to generate consolidated turnover of 528.6 million euros. CEWE is a "first mover" in the introduction of new digital technologies and products. In the new business segment of online printing, printed material for advertising is marketed through the sales platforms CEWE-PRINT.de , saxoprint and viaprinto. In 1961 CEWE was founded by Senator h.c. Heinz Neumüller. The company went public under the leadership of Hubert Rothärmel in 1993. CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA is listed on the SDAX. End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 09.04.2014 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: CEWE Stiftung & Co. KGaA Meerweg 30-32 26133 Oldenburg Germany Phone: +49 (0)441 40 4-1 Fax: +49 (0)441 40 4-42 1 E-mail: IR@cewe.de Internet: www.cewe.de ISIN: DE0005403901 WKN: 540390 Indices: SDAX Listed: Regulierter Markt in Berlin, Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 262294 09.04.2014