Ad hoc: Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG: Record ...

Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG / Misc. matters / Record dividend gladdens Pfeiffer Vacuum shareholders. Stock buyback begins. Top management offers up positive outlook for full 2008 fiscal year. Ad hoc announcement according to §15 WpHG processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG / Misc. matters / Record dividend gladdens Pfeiffer Vacuum shareholders. Stock buyback begins. Top management offers up positive outlook for full 2008 fiscal year. Ad hoc announcement according to §15 WpHG processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- Asslar, Germany, May 28, 2008 This year's Annual Shareholders Meeting of Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG, one of the leading manufacturers of high-quality vacuum pumps, measurement equipment and complete vacuum systems, was held on May 28, 2008, at the Stadthalle in Wetzlar. At 61.21 percent, the attendance level at the Annual Shareholders Meeting was encouragingly high. Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Michael Oltmanns was able to welcome over 400 shareholders, as well as representatives from shareholder associations and banks. Chief Executive Officer Manfred Bender and Management Board member Dr. Matthias Wiemer reviewed the record-setting 2007 fiscal year and offered up an outlook for the year 2008, which has gotten off to a successful start. Sales of between ¤ 202 and ¤ 207 million were cited as the target for the full fiscal year, with an EBIT margin of between 25 and 27 percent. There was lively discussion on the appropriation of retained earnings that was proposed by the Management and Supervisory Boards, calling for a dividend distribution of ¤ 3.15 per share. This represents a distribution rate of around 75 percent and a dividend yield of 5.7 percent. The proposal carried by a vast majority of the votes cast, in total 71.64 percent. This obviated the counter-motion from the U.S.-based Artisan Group calling for a higher dividend distribution. At the Annual Shareholders Meeting, the Chief Executive Officer commented on the status of negotiations relating to potential acquisitions, which had been discussed in detail at a meeting with the Supervisory Board that morning: Pfeiffer Vacuum is currently conducting talks with two interested companies. The one company would complement Pfeiffer Vacuum in a specific high-growth market segment. These talks were halted at short notice by the seller. The second company would broaden Pfeiffer Vacuum's existing product portfolio and improve its position from a regional standpoint. In this case, it will still be necessary to perform due diligence, in particular of a legal nature. Consequently, the Supervisory and Management Boards have not yet reached a final decision. Chief Executive Officer Manfred Bender: "My colleague Dr. Wiemer and I will continue to drive the company's growth. In addition to growth from within, we are also intensively looking at good acquisition candidates. First and foremost in this connection, it is always our endeavor to treat the assets of the company in a responsible manner. So we will not be making any acquisition decisions under time pressure. Instead, we decided together with the Supervisory Board to immediately begin the buyback of treasury shares." The actions of the Management and Supervisory Boards were ratified by more than 99 percent of the votes cast. The authorization of a further stock buyback program and the reelection of Ernst & Young as the company's independent auditor passed with sweeping majorities, too. Contact: Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG Investor Relations Gudrun Geissler Tel. +49 (0) 6441 802 314 Fax +49 (0) 6441 802 365 E-Mail Gudrun.Geissler@pfeiffer-vacuum.de --- End of Message --- Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG Berliner Strasse 43 Asslar Germany WKN: 691660; ISIN: DE0006916604; Index: TecDAX, CDAX, HDAX, MIDCAP, Prime All Share, TECH All Share; Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Prime Standard in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse, Freiverkehr in Börse Berlin, Freiverkehr in Bayerische Börse München, Freiverkehr in Börse Düsseldorf, Freiverkehr in Börse Stuttgart, Freiverkehr in Hanseatische Wertpapierbörse zu Hamburg, Freiverkehr in Niedersächsische Börse zu Hannover, Freiverkehr in Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse;
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