Deutsche Börse AG

Earnings Release • Feb 19, 2008

News Details

Ad-hoc | 19 February 2008 21:55

Deutsche Börse AG: Deutsche Börse achieves record result, publishes dividend proposal and continues Capital Management Program

Deutsche Börse AG / Preliminary Results/Dividend

Release of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by
DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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According to the preliminary figures the sales revenues climbed by 18
percent to €2,185.2 million in 2007 (2006: €1,854.2 million). The company
earned a further €230.8 million in net interest income from banking
business (2006: €150.7 million). Costs of €1,323.5 million were 'in-line'
with the company's guidance and include exceptional items such as
provisions for the restructuring and efficiency program targeting €100
million in cost savings per annum as well as provisions for stock based
compensation against the background of a 95 percent share price increase in
2007. EBITA (Earnings before interest, tax and goodwill impairment)
increased 31 percent to €1,345.9 million (2006: €1,029.1 million) and
includes a non-taxable book gain of some €120 million from the sale of
property in Luxembourg in the fourth quarter. The net income for 2007
reached €911.7 million, as against €668.7 million in the previous year.
Basic earnings per share, calculated on the basis of a weighted average
number of 194.1 million shares outstanding, increased by 40 percent to
€4.70 (2006: €3.36 on the basis of 198.9 million shares outstanding).
Based on the strong start to the current financial year and the cost
guidance in place for 2008 the company reiterates its expectation to
achieve a new record result in 2008. The Executive Board of Deutsche Börse
AG proposes to increase the dividend from €1.70 to €2.10 per share. This
would correspond to a dividend distribution ratio of 51 percent, adjusted
to exclude the gain on the sale of property. Continuing past practice,
Deutsche Börse aims for a full distribution of profits to shareholders in
2008 through dividends and share buybacks, subject to rating requirements
and financing needs for investment projects. Furthermore, the company plans
to cancel 5 million shares from the shares held in treasury prior to the
Annual General Meeting in May 2008. This measure will reduce the number of
shares in the company from 200 million to 195 million.

In addition, the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse AG has completed a
review of potential options to further increase the financial flexibility
of the Group. In its discussions with the rating agencies, the company
identified several options that could enhance Deutsche Börse’s debt
capacity by several hundred million euros, while maintaining Clearstream’s
AA credit rating. The Executive Board will discuss these options with the
Supervisory Board in its next meeting in March 2008.

Contact:
Walter Allwicher
Tel.: +49-69-21 11 15 00

19.02.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

Language: English
Issuer: Deutsche Börse AG
Neue Börsenstraße 1
60487 Frankfurt am Main
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)69 211 - 0
Fax: +49 (0)69 211 - 12005
E-mail: ir@deutsche-boerse.com
Internet: www.deutsche-boerse.com
ISIN: DE0005810055
WKN: 581005
Indices: DAX
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Hannover, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart;
Terminbörse EUREX

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