DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG: Annual General Meeting

DGAP-News: SMA Solar Technology AG / Key word(s): AGM/EGM SMA Solar Technology AG: Annual General Meeting of SMA grants full discharge to the Managing Board and Supervisory Board with a clear majority 27.05.2014 / 15:43 --------------------------------------------------------------------- SMA Solar Technology AG-Corporate News Annual General Meeting of SMA Solar Technology AG grants full discharge to the Managing Board and Supervisory Board with a clear majority Niestetal, May 27, 2014-SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA/FWB: S92) shareholders granted full discharge to the Managing Board and Supervisory Board for the fiscal year 2013 with a clear majority of over 99% at today's 2014 Annual General Meeting in Kassel. The remaining items on the agenda were also passed with a large majority. More than 260 shareholders attended the 2014 Annual General Meeting of SMA Solar Technology AG, and 86% of those with voting rights were present. The Annual General Meeting accepted the proposal of the Managing Board and Supervisory Board that no dividend be distributed for the 2013 fiscal year. "SMA has distributed an average annual dividend of EUR1.20 per share since the initial public offering. Our dividend policy provides for a distribution share of between 20% and 40% based on consolidated net profit. This was negative in the fiscal year ended. In view of the continuing volatile market environment, we do not consider that payment of a dividend is justifiable. Our shareholders as well as the shareholder representatives DSW and SdK expressly support this view. In order to return to profitable growth, we will continue to make intensive investments in research and development, as these investments ensure the future of SMA," explained SMA Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Pascal Urbon. The SMA Group generated sales of EUR932.5 million in 2013 and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR-89.1 million. In the best-case scenario, with sales of EUR1.0 billion to EUR1.3 billion, the SMA Managing Board predicts an EBIT of up to EUR20 million for 2014. The forecast is based on the assumption of a stable regulatory environment, particularly in Europe. The presentation given by the Managing Board at the Annual General Meeting, along with further information, can be found on the Internet at www.sma.de/en/investor-relations/annual-general-meeting. About SMA The SMA Group generated sales of EUR932.5 million in 2013 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. SMA offers innovative key technologies for future power supply structures. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 21 countries. The Group employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. SMA's broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all plant sizes. The product range includes both inverters for grid-connected photovoltaic plants as well as off-grid and hybrid system technology. The product portfolio is supplemented by comprehensive services and operational management of utility-scale pv-plants. Since 2008, the Group's parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. SMA Solar Technology AG Sonnenallee 1 34266 Niestetal Germany Head of Corporate Communications: Anja Jasper Tel.: +49 561 9522-2805 Presse@SMA.de Press contact: Susanne Henkel Manager Corporate Press Tel.: +49 561 9522-1124 Fax +49 561 9522-421400 Presse@SMA.de Investor Relations contact: Julia Damm Manager Investor Relations Tel. +49 561 9522-2222 Fax +49 561 9522-2223 IR@SMA.de Disclaimer: This corporate news serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the "Company") or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the "SMA Group") nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This corporate news can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments. End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 27.05.2014 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: SMA Solar Technology AG Sonnenallee 1 34266 Niestetal Germany Phone: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 0 Fax: +49 (0)561 / 9522 - 100 E-mail: info@sma.de Internet: http://www.sma.de ISIN: DE000A0DJ6J9 WKN: A0DJ6J Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 270780 27.05.2014