Deutsche Börse Reports Record Profits Again In 2000 - Net Income For The Year Doubles To 146.3 Million Euros - 47 Percent Increase In Sales To 702.3 Million Euros

Deutsche Börse closed business year 2000 with record profits for another year in a row. The annual financial statements show net income without extraordinary earnings of 146.3 million euros, about 108 percent higher than the previous year's figure, with a 47 percent increase in sales to 702.3 million euros. A dividend of three euros per no-par share shall be paid to the shareholders. All shares are entitled to receive a dividend for the business year just ended, including the new shares from the capital increase in the framework of the initial public offering on February 5, 2001.

Chief financial officer Mathias Hlubek said at the annual press briefing in Frankfurt on Tuesday that the successful business year 2000 had been shaped by strong growth in the existing divisions and an expansion of the Group into new markets. "The annual financial statements clearly show the earnings power of our transaction-linked business model, which largely makes our business independent from price trends on the capital markets," as Hlubek put it.

According to Hlubek, the annual financial statements show that the company has continued the quality of the previous years. Deutsche Börse again made substantial gains in the important key figures. The profit to sales ratio rose from about 20 percent for the year 1999 to 31 percent in the business year just ended, and sales per employee from 545 thousand euros to 786 thousand euros. Earnings per share more than doubled, from 9.54 euros to 19.88 euros.

Hlubek pointed out that, unlike the full dividend distribution of past years, the proposed dividend was oriented to high-growth, technology-oriented and established companies. The dividend payout ratio is 21 percent in relation to net income for the year, and the dividend yield is 0.9 percent based on a stock price of 335 euros.