Ad hoc announcement acc. to Sec. 15 WpHG: United Internet cancels 15 million treasury shares, reduces capital stock by EUR 15 million to EUR 200 million and resolves new share buyback program
Montabaur, January 7, 2013. Based on the authorization granted by the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of United Internet AG (ISIN DE0005089031) on May 31, 2012 regarding the acquisition and use of treasury shares, and with the approval of the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board today resolved to cancel a total of 15,000,000 shares from the company's stock of treasury shares, purchased in the course of share buyback programs, and thus reduce the capital stock of United Internet AG by EUR 15 million, from EUR 215 million to EUR 200 million. The capital reduction is aimed at optimizing the company's balance sheet and capital structure.
Following the cancellation of these 15,000,000 shares, United Internet will still hold 5,662,202 treasury shares.
At the same time, capital stock will be reduced by EUR 15,000,000 from EUR 215,000,000 at present to EUR 200,000,000. The number of shares issued will decrease correspondingly from 215,000,000 shares to 200,000,000 shares. Issued shares will continue to represent a notional share of capital stock of EUR 1 each. United Internet AG expects the capital reduction to become effective as of January 8, 2013.
The Management Board of United Internet AG has also resolved to launch a further share buyback program, which will begin once the cancellation and capital reduction have become effective. In the course of this new share buyback program, up to 5,000,000 company shares (corresponding to 2,50 % of the reduced capital stock of EUR 200 million) are to be bought back via the stock exchange. The buyback follows an authorization of the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of May 31, 2012 to buy back shares representing up to 10 % of the company's capital stock. The authorization was issued for the period up to November 30, 2013.
Treasury shares can be used for all purposes stated in the authorization of the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of May 31, 2012, in particular for current and future employee stock ownership plans and / or as an acquisition currency, but may also be cancelled.