DGAP-News: Axel Springer AG: Main shareholders and management will not participate in share repurchase offer

Axel Springer AG / Share Buyback/Quarter Results

22.07.2008 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Revenue growth in the first half of 2008 of app. 11 percent / EBITDA above
previous year/ Forecast for full year confirmed

The main shareholders of Axel Springer AG - Axel Springer Gesellschaft für
Publizistik GmbH & Co, the investment companies H&F Rose Partners L.P. and
H&F International Rose Partners L.P. controlled by Hellman & Friedman, Good
Media Investment Holdings S.á r.l. and TriAlpha Oceana Concentrated
Opportunities Fund Ltd., companies associated with Michael Lewis, and
Friede Springer - and the members of the management have declared that they
will not participate in the current repurchase offer of Axel Springer AG to
buy - back up to 918,000 shares of the company in the form of a share
repurchase offer against a payment of a cash consideration in the amount of
EUR 80.00 per share. They will therefore not sell any shares to the
company. The main shareholders and the management members believe that the
repurchase offer of EUR 80.00 per share does not reflect the true value
potential of the company.

In the first half of 2008 the group`s total revenues increased roughly 11
percent year-on-year to approximately EUR 1.3 bn. The EBITDA in the first
half year, adjusted for non recurring items and purchase price allocation
effects, surpassed the previous year figure as well. Revenues and the
adjusted EBITDA are preliminary figures.

The Management Board confirms its forecast for the year as a whole. The
EBITDA, adjusted for earnings from the Kirch insolvency and dividends from
the divested stakes in ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, and total revenues for the
full year 2008 will both be higher than the corresponding year-ago figures.
The Interim Report January – June 2008 will be published on 13 August,
2008.


Investor Relations Contact:
Claudia Thomé
+49 (0)30 2591-77421
claudia.thome@axelspringer.de

Press Contact:
Edda Fels
+49 (0)30 2591-77600
edda.fels@axelspringer.de


DGAP 22.07.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       Axel Springer AG
              Axel-Springer-Straße 65
              10888 Berlin
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)30 2591-77421
Fax:          +49 (0)30 2591-77422
E-mail:       ir@axelspringer.de
Internet:     www.axelspringer.de
ISIN:         DE0005501357, DE0005754238
WKN:          550135, 575423
Indices:      SDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Hannover, München, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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