LAIQON AG — Share Issue/Capital Change 2008

Jan 18, 2008

News Details

Corporate | 18 January 2008 08:00

Lloyd Fonds: 50 percent increase in equity placements in 2007

Lloyd Fonds Aktiengesellschaft / Miscellaneous

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• Growth of EUR 150 million in equity placements to EUR 452 million
• Successful diversification across six asset classes
• New asset classes accounting for an increased share in total volume

Hamburg-based fund initiator Lloyd Fonds AG placed equity EUR 452 million
for its investors last year, equivalent to an increase of 50 percent over
the 2006 figure of EUR 301 million. Says Dr. Torsten Teichert, CEO of Lloyd
Fonds AG: 'This result testifies to the appeal of our products, our
Company’s extensive retailing skills and the successful forays into new
asset classes. Equity placements were up across all distribution channels.'
Back in the summer of 2007, Lloyd Fonds AG had increased its equity
placement forecast from EUR 420 million to EUR 450 – 470 million.

Once again, shipping was the strongest asset class, with Lloyd Fonds AG
placing equity of EUR 253 million in closed-end ship funds, an increase of
19 percent or EUR 40 million over the previous year. Initiated by Lloyd
Fonds, the world's first open-end ship fund 'LF Open Waters OP' achieved an
increase in equity of EUR 64 million to a total of EUR 73 million at the
end of the year. Three real estate investment funds were on offer in 2007.
The funds investing in German office and hotel buildings as well as an
exclusive fund comprising Dutch real estate for the Austrian market
attracted equity of some EUR 40 million, marking an increase of EUR 38
million over the previous year.

With the A340-600 'Emmeline' aircraft leasing fund, Lloyd Fonds was able to
revive a model which had formerly been used for tax optimization purposes,
reintroducing it as a high-yield investment product. The follow-up fund
'Air Portfolio II' is investing in two A319 Airbuses leased to charter
company Hamburg International. This young asset class contributed EUR 45
million to total equity placements in 2007. Funds investing in traded UK
endowment policies attracted equity of EUR 40 million in 2007, down EUR 32
million or 44 percent over the previous year in line with general market
trends. The private equity segment was heavily influenced by fluctuation in
the capital markets, accounting for only EUR 9 million in total placement
volumes.

            2007     2006      Δ        Δ     2007     2006  
             in mn Euro      in mn    in %    share in equity
                              Euro

Closed-end
ship funds 253 213 40 19% 56% 71%
Open-end
ship fund 64 13 51 392% 14% 4%
Real Estate 40 2 38 1900% 9% 1%
Aircraft 45 0 45 n.a.% 10% 0%
Endow. Policies 40 72 -32 -44% 9% 24%
Private Equity 10 1 9 900% 2% 0%
==============================================================
Total 452 301 151 50% 100% 100%

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of which
Austria 15 6 9 150% 3% 2%

The placement figures reflect the success of the Company’s diversification
strategy, which Lloyd Fonds has implemented since the IPO. The share of 56
percent in closed-end shipping funds was significantly beneath the 71
percent share of the previous year. Simultaneously the share of the
open-end ship fund, which adresses in particular institutional investors,
increased from 4 percent to 14 percent. The other asset classes contributed
already 30 percent (previous year 25 percent) to the placement figures.

Last year also saw the introduction for the first time of the 'Premium
Portfolio', a fund series investing in different products initiated by
Lloyd Fonds. Since being launched on the market at the end of September,
this multi-asset fund has attracted equity of almost EUR 4 million. A
further fund in this series is also being readied for the Austrian market.

In Austria, Lloyd Fonds was able to achieve a further increase in equity
placements, which rose to EUR 15 million in 2007 in this market, an
increase of EUR 9 million or 150 percent over the previous year. Demand was
particularly strong for funds investing in Dutch office real estate.

'This year as well, we will continue on our growth trajectory thanks to
growing asset class diversification,' says Dr. Marcus Simon COO Sales and
Marketing at Lloyd Fonds AG. 'Given the weak conditions in the stock market
and new tax legislation, we expect to see further growth in demand for
investments in physical assets. We will be offering attractive investments
in all asset classes right from the beginning of the year.'

The preliminary figures for 2007 will be released on February 14, with the
annual report to be published on April 17, 2008.

Contact:
Dr. Goetz Schlegtendal
Lloyd Fonds AG
Amelungstraße 8-10
20354 Hamburg
Tel: +49-40-325678-0
Fax: +49-40-325678-99
Mail: ir@lloydfonds.de

18.01.2008 Financial News transmitted by DGAP

Language: English
Issuer: Lloyd Fonds Aktiengesellschaft
Amelungstr. 8-10
20354 Hamburg
Deutschland
Phone: +49 (0)40 32 56 78-0
Fax: +49 (0)40 32 56 78-99
E-mail: info@lloydfonds.de
Internet: www.lloydfonds.de
ISIN: DE0006174873
WKN: 617487
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München, Stuttgart

End of News DGAP News-Service

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