Hamburg, 19 June 2006. The wine trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) continues to post sales figures in the current fiscal year 2006 well above those of the previous year. At the company's annual general shareholders' meeting in Hamburg today, CEO Alexander Margaritoff reported that by the end of May Hawesko's sales had risen by 8% over the same period in the previous year. EBIT and the post-tax result recorded a considerably stronger percentage change than this against last year's figures. For the entire year of 2006 the management board's original planning calls for an increase in sales as well as EBIT from the existing operations. Start-up expenses for new activities - in particular for the first test stores of a new specialty format which are to open from September - are expected to lower EBIT in a magnitude between Euro 0.5 million and Euro 1.0 million. Assuming that the good business development up until now continues, especially on into the important fourth quarter, there would be a good chance of reaching last year's EBIT even with these additional expenses. In fiscal year 2005 the Hawesko Group achieved sales of Euro 287 million, EBIT of Euro 18.9 million and profit per share of Euro 2.44.

 

The company's annual shareholders' meeting approved the proposed regular dividend of Euro 1.40 per share (previous year: Euro 1.25) as well as the proposal of an additional bonus payment of Euro 0.60 per share. Furthermore, it approved a two-for-one share split which will take effect if the share price reaches Euro 45.00 for a sustained period, as well as a profit and loss transfer agreement with the mail order subsidiary Hanseatisches Wein- und Sekt-Kontor. The other proposals of the management and supervisory boards were also approved by the shareholders' meeting; these included primarily a renewed authorization to purchase treasury shares.

 

Hawesko Holding AG is the leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes in Germany. Its sales channels include specialist wine retail (Jacques' Wein-Depot), wholesale (Wein Wolf und CWD Champagner und Wein Distributionsgesellschaft) and mail order (particularly Hanseatisches Wein- und Sekt-Kontor). The Group employed an average of 566 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 German Entrepreneurial Index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

 

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

 

Web site:
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   
Phone:  +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
Phone:  +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax     +49 (0)40 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko.com