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Interim / Quarterly Report • May 12, 2009

News Details

Corporate | 12 May 2009 08:09

HCI Capital AG shows continuous placement activity

HCI Capital AG / Interim Report

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HCI Capital AG shows continuous placement activity
* Placement result of EUR 30.1 million in first quarter
* Difficult market environment leads to investor restraint
* HCI reduces material costs by 19% as planned

Hamburg, 12 May 2009 - HCI Capital AG, one of Germany's leading independent
issuing houses for closed-end funds, reports sales down markedly in the
first three months of 2009. Due to general restraint on the part of
investors, the amount of equity placed fell to EUR 30.1 million. With its
extensive sales network and diversified product range, the HCI Group was
however able to place funds in all product classes offered.

The ongoing worldwide financial and economic crisis continued to shape
investor behaviour in the first quarter of 2009. The unchanged market trend
in closed-end funds is still characterised by considerable restraint on the
part of investors. Against this background the amount of capital the HCI
Group placed in the first quarter of the 2009 business year was down
sharply on the year to a total of around EUR 30.1 million.

The HCI Group nevertheless continued to place products from all segments
with investors. With a total EUR 21.5 million of capital placed,
investments in ships remain the strongest asset class in the HCI
portfolio,consisting of EUR 10.4 million in classic closed-end ship funds,
EUR 5.7 million in the form of asset creation plans and EUR 5.4 million in
guarantee products. In the aircraft asset class EUR 1.4 million was placed
in investments in HCI Aircraft One and in the Aufbauplan 8 asset creation
plan. About EUR 2.0 million in capital investment was generated for the HCI
Deepsea Oil Explorer. In the Real Estate product area HCI Real Estate G7
achieved a placement result of EUR 0.8 million. In the Secondary Life
Insurance Market product area a total of EUR 4.4 million was placed in the
HSC Optivita XI fund and in asset creation plans.

Q1 result marked by placement decline - Cost reduction programme takes
effect

Due to the weak course of placement, the HCI Group has a negative net
result for the period of EUR -2.5 million to report for the first quarter
of 2009. With a reduction of around 19% in material costs the cost
reduction programme initiated at the beginning of the year has made an
impact and is within the corridor of around EUR 7 million in planned cost
reductions for the full year. The HCI Group's equity ratio as at 31 March
2009 was 50.8%. The Group also earned a positive first-quarter cash flow
and held at the end of the quarter cash and equivalents of EUR 31.2 million
EUR, 1.9 million slightly higher than at 31 December 2008. Contingent
liabilities were largely unchanged in the first quarter.

HCI makes use of advantages despite difficult market environment

'Against the background of greater investor mistrust of virtual investments
and in view of the threat of inflation, the market environment could well
present us with opportunities. Our funds invest in real and tangible assets
that retain a stable value especially in times of rising inflation. That is
why I believe that during the year we will have the chance to convince
investors with innovative tangible asset concepts and generate significant
placement momentum,' said Dr. Ralf Friedrichs, Chairman of the Management
Board of HCI Capital AG. In the second quarter of 2009 the HCI Group has
already started marketing a capital-guaranteed version of the Deepsea Oil
Explorer and the Group's first solar power fund, HCI Energy 1 Solar. For
the second half of the year HCI is also planning to intensify product
development around established business segments and, in particular, to
launch a ship fund focusing on opportunity-driven investments that will
make use of the advantages offered by the current market situation.

About HCI:
Established in 1985, the HCI Group creates closed-end funds and investments
with a capital guarantee, in the areas of Transport and Logistics, Energy
and Commodities, Real Estate and Secondary Life Insurance. More than
120,500 clients have invested approximately EUR 5.8 billion in 497 issues,
with an investment volume totalling more than EUR 14.6 billion (figures as
at 31 March 2009), making HCI one of the leading independent issuing houses
in Germany. HCI Capital AG has been listed on the stock exchange since
October 2005.

Dr. Olaf Streuer
HCI Capital AG
Head of Corporate Communication
Phone: +49 40 88 88 1-125

12.05.2009 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

Language: English
Issuer: HCI Capital AG
Bleichenbrücke 10
20354 Hamburg
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)40 88881-0
Fax: +49 (0)40 88881-199
E-mail: hci@hci.de
Internet: www.hci.de
ISIN: DE000A0D9Y97
WKN: A0D9Y9
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hamburg;
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Hannover, Stuttgart, München,
Düsseldorf

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