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SWX: The Twelfth "Kantonalbank" Is Going Public

Date 02/04/2001

The shares of St. Galler Kantonalbank AG were traded today for the first time on the main market of the SWX Swiss Exchange. The offering price was set Sunday night at CHF 160. At the start of trading on SWX, the stock stood 0.6% above that level at CHF 161, representing a total market capitalization for the company of CHF 805 million.

According to the offering prospectus, of the 5'000'000 shares registered in the Commercial Register, 1'650'000, or 33% of the company's outstanding stock, were offered to the public. Should the underwriters elect to exercise their greenshoe option, that proportion could rise to 38%.

The St.Galler Kantonalbank, founded in 1868, acts as a universal bank in catering to clients in the eastern part of Switzerland and neighbouring foreign countries. The bank's range of business activities encompasses classic banking services that are provided both to individual and corporate customers. Private and institutional banking activities have made SGKB the prime address in St. Gallen for financial advice. The bank maintains co-operative relationships with AGI IT Services and Swissca.

The company employs 458 individuals and recorded in 2000 revenues of CHF 359.2 million and a net profit of CHF 89 million.