DGAP-Adhoc: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE CONTINUES TRANSFORMATION WITH PORTFOLIO OPTIMISATION


Airbus Group N.V.  / Key word(s): Miscellaneous

16.09.2014 08:19

Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted
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The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Ad-hoc release, 16 September 2014

AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE CONTINUES TRANSFORMATION WITH PORTFOLIO
OPTIMISATION

  - Activities in Space (Launchers and satellites), Military Aircraft,
    Missiles and related Systems and Services are core and to be
    strengthened

  - Businesses in non-core segments will be divested 

  - Reinforce Airbus Defence and Space as a sustainable and successful
    pillar of Airbus Group

After a detailed and comprehensive portfolio assessment, Airbus Defence and
Space has defined Space (Launchers & Satellites), Military Aircraft,
Missiles and related Systems and Services as its future core businesses.
These are the areas in which the Division will further invest to strengthen
its leading position.

Some business areas are identified as divestment candidates as they do not
fit the strategic goals and for which the company sees possibilities to
increase their development potential in different set-ups.

This concerns, first of all, our commercial and para-public communication
business (including Professional Mobile Radio and commercial satellite
communications services activities), which will have better chances for
growth and market success in different ownership structures.
 
Airbus Defence and Space further intends to sell some of its subsidiaries
and participations, including Fairchild Controls, Rostock System-Technik,
AvDef, ESG and Atlas Elektronik.

For the Division's Security and Defence Electronics businesses further
industrial alternatives will be explored in order to best develop and
position these businesses for future growth and value creation.

"The portfolio decisions for Airbus Defence and Space are the logical
follow-up to our Group‎ Strategy Review in 2013. They will foster the
strengths of the division and, hence, will result in an even stronger focus
on our Group's core activities, aeronautics and space," said Tom Enders,
CEO of Airbus Group.
 
"Given the tight budgetary situation in our home countries and increasing
competition on global markets, the portfolio review is an essential element
to further develop our defence and space business and to ensure its
competitiveness", said Bernhard Gerwert, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space.
"We have identified those segments where this is an achievable target and
those where we should explore alternative options. In short, the portfolio
review is a logical next step in the overall transformation process. It
will strengthen Airbus Defence and Space's business core, unlocking its
full potential to drive the defence and space industry forwards,
particularly on critically important international growth markets.
 
All these decisions will of course respect our national security agreements
and will be discussed with employee representatives in a fair and open
way", added Bernhard Gerwert.

The first milestone of the Division's transformation, as announced last
year, was the reorganisation of the three former business entities -
Astrium, Airbus Military and Cassidian - into one single organisation. This
target was achieved on 1 July 2014, according to plan. A next significant
milestone was to secure the future of the Division's space launcher
business, which received a major boost through the planned joint venture
with Safran, as announced in June 2014, and which is currently being
further developed.

About Airbus Group 
Airbus Group is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services.
In 2013, the Group - comprising Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus
Helicopters - generated revenues of
EUR 57.6 billion (restated) and employed a workforce of around 139,000
(restated).

About Airbus Defence and Space
Airbus Defence and Space is a division of the Airbus group, formed by a
merger between the businesses of Cassidian, Astrium and Airbus Military.
This new division is Europe' number one in the space and defence industry,
the world's number two in the space industry and is one of the world's top
ten defence industry companies. It has annual revenues of around EUR14
billion with a workforce of some 40,000 employees.

Contacts: 
Martin Agüera (Airbus Group): + 49 175 227 4369
Maggie Bergsma: + 49 151 461 88 234
Florian Taitsch: + 49 151 168 31 052
Lothar Belz: + 49 171 447 1826
Astrid Emerit: + 33 686 65 45 02
Jeremy Close: + 44 7766 536 572
Kieran Daly: + 34 689 669 661


16.09.2014 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

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Language:     English
Company:      Airbus Group N.V.
              P.O. Box 32008
              2303 DA Leiden
              Netherlands
Phone:        00 800 00 02 2002
Fax:          +49 (0)89 607 - 26481
E-mail:       ir@eads.net
Internet:     www.eads.com
ISIN:         NL0000235190
WKN:          938914
Indices:      MDAX
Listed:       Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr
              in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart
 
End of Announcement                             DGAP News-Service
 
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