Luxembourg, 8 February 2012 - Aperam, a leading producer of stainless and specialty steels, announces its detailed dividend payment schedule for 2012. As announced on 6 February 2011, Aperam's Board of Directors will submit to the shareholders' vote, at the next annual general meeting, a proposal to maintain the quarterly dividend payment at USD 0.1875 per share. The dividend payments would occur on a quarterly basis for the full year 2012 on 13 March 2012, 14 June 2012, 10 September 2012 and 10 December 2012, taking into account that the first quarterly dividend payment to be paid on March 13, 2012 shall be an interim dividend.
Dividends are announced in US dollars. They are paid in US dollars for shares traded in the United States on the over-the-counter market in the form of New York registry shares and paid in Euros for shares listed on the European Stock Exchanges (Netherlands, France, Luxembourg). Dividends to be paid in Euros are converted from US dollars to Euros based on the European Central Bank exchange rate at the date mentioned in the table below.
A Luxembourg withholding tax of 15% is applied on the gross dividend amounts.
| 1st Quarter 2012 (interim) | USA, NYSE Euronext, Luxembourg |
| Ex-Dividend | 17 February |
| Record Date | 21 February |
| Payment Date | 13 March |
| FX Echange Date | 16 February |
| 2nd Quarter 2012 | USA, NYSE Euronext, Luxembourg |
| Ex-Dividend | 23 May |
| Record Date | 25 May |
| Payment Date | 14 June |
| FX Echange Date | 22 May |
| 3rd Quarter 2012 | USA, NYSE Euronext, Luxembourg |
| Ex-Dividend | 20 August |
| Record Date | 22 August |
| Payment Date | 10 September |
| FX Echange Date | 17 August |
| 4th Quarter 2012 | USA, NYSE Euronext, Luxembourg |
| Ex-Dividend | 19 November |
| Record Date | 21 November |
| Payment Date | 10 December |
| FX Echange Date | 16 November |
About Aperam
Aperam is a global player in stainless, electrical and specialty steel, with operations in more than 30 countries. The business is organized in three divisions: Stainless & Electrical Steel, Services & Solutions and Alloys & Specialties. Aperam has 2.5 million tonnes of flat stainless steel capacity in Brazil and Europe and is a leader in high value added niches - alloys and specialties. Aperam has a highly integrated distribution, processing and services network and a unique capability to produce stainless and specialty from low cost biomass (charcoal). Its industrial network is concentrated in six main plants located in Brazil, Belgium and France. Aperam has about 10,500 employees. Aperam commits to operate in a responsible way with respect to health, safety and the well-being of its employees, contractors and the communities in which it operates. It is also committed to the sustainable management of the environment and of finite resources. In 2011, Aperam had revenues of USD 6.3 billion and shipments of 1.75 million tonnes. For further information, please refer to our website at www.aperam.com
Contacts:
| Aperam | |
| Investor Relations Michael Bennett: +352 27 36 27 36 | |
| Media Jean Lasar: +352 27 36 27 27 |