METRO AG 27.11.2014 18:07 Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- On November 27, 2014, Palatin Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Essen, Germany, informed us according to sec. 27a para. 1 WpHG in connection with exceeding or reaching of the 10%-threshold or a higher threshold on November 3, 2014, as follows: 'Preliminary remark: The acquisition of the voting rights by the notifying party is the consequence of the termination of a voting rights restriction agreement between the Haniel and Schmidt-Ruthenbeck groups of shareholders. Both family groups have so far held voting rights in joint companies. As a consequence of the termination, a transfer was conducted of the voting rights attributable to the Schmidt-Ruthenbeck family group from the joint companies to the notifying party. I. As regards the objectives pursued in connection with the acquisition of the voting rights: 1. The investment serves the implementation of strategic objectives. 2. It is not intended to obtain additional voting rights in METRO AG within the next twelve months by way of acquisition or otherwise. 3. Mr Peter Küpfer is currently a member of the Supervisory Board of METRO AG. It is the intention of Palatin Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH to be represented on the Supervisory Board of METRO AG also in the future. 4. There are no intentions to bring about a significant change in the capital structure of METRO AG, in particular with regard to the equity/debt financing ratio or the dividend policy. II. As regards the origin of funds used: All shares in the notifying party are held by BVG Beteiligungs- und Vermögensverwaltung GmbH, Essen, Germany. The voting rights previously attributed to BVG Beteiligungs- und Vermögensverwaltung GmbH pursuant to sec. 22 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 2 WpHG and held by METRO Vermögensverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG and 1. HSB Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG were transferred to the notifying party. This transfer was made due to the termination, with effect as of November 1, 2014, of the voting rights restriction agreement existing until such date between the Haniel and Schmidt-Ruthenbeck groups of shareholders by the Haniel group of shareholders and the separation of the voting rights which until such date had been jointly held through METRO Vermögensverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG and 1. HSB Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH & Co. KG. For this reason, no provision of information regarding the origin of the funds used is required.' 27.11.2014 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: METRO AG Metro-StraÃe 1 40235 Düsseldorf Germany Internet: www.metrogroup.de End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DGAP-PVR: METRO AG: Release according to sec. 26 para. 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution
| Source: EQS Group AG