Hamburg, 3 June 2004. The wine trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) reaffirms its targets for 2004: Chief Executive Officer Alexander Margaritoff stated today at the company's annual general meeting in Hamburg that Hawesko is optimistic about achieving the planned increase in sales as well as profit for the entire fiscal year 2004. The figures to be surpassed would thus be the Euro  279 million in sales and EBIT of  Euro  15.1 million (earnings per share of Euro  1.37) achieved in 2003.

The Hawesko annual general meeting passed a resolution to distribute a dividend of Euro  1.10 per share (previous year: Euro  1.00). Ms. Angelika Jahr-Stilcken and Professor Dr. Franz Jürgen Säcker were elected as new members of the supervisory board. The meeting also approved other proposed decisions and motions of the management and supervisory boards, which related primarily to a renewed authorisation to purchase the company's own shares.

With regard to the expectations for the further course of the current year, CEO Margaritoff explained: "Despite the present consumer climate, which is still very difficult, the Hawesko Group is doing very well. On 1st April and according to plan, our wholesale subsidiary Wein Wolf added the wines of the world-renowned Baron Philippe de Rothschild S.A. to its product range and commenced exclusive distribution. Jacques' Wein-Depot has posted an increase in sales in absolute terms as well as on a like-for-like basis, and the Hawesko mail order division will continue to celebrate its anniversary with many special activities which should further contribute to its success. We remain very optimistic about the year-end business in the fourth quarter - traditionally  we earn approximately one third of our annual sales and over two thirds of our operating profit during this period. Thanks to its status in the market, Hawesko will benefit proportionately greater when the economy revives again."

Hawesko Holding AG is a leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes in Germany.  Its sales channels include mail order/e-commerce (particularly Hanseatisches Wein- und Sekt-Kontor), specialist wine retail (Jacques' Wein-Depot) and wholesale (Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner- und Wein- Distributionsgesellschaft). The Group employed an average of 568 staff members during the past fiscal year. The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

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Published by:
Hawesko Holding AG
Postfach 20 15 52
20205 Hamburg, Germany

 

Internet:
http://www.hawesko.com
(Company information)
http://www.hawesko.de  
(Online shop)
http://www.jacques.de   
(Information about Jacques' Wein-Depot)

 

Press/Media:     
Vera Maria Bau, VMB Consulting   
Tel.  +49 (0)228 4496 220    
Fax   +49 (0)228 4496 298    
E-mail:  vmb.pr@t-online.de    

 

Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson, Hawesko Holding AG
Tel. +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax  +49 (0)40 39 21 05 05
E-mail:  ir@hawesko.com