DGAP-News: Wacker Chemie AG / Key word(s): AGM/EGM
Wacker Chemie AG: Annual Shareholders' Meeting: Peter-Alexander Wacker Re-elected Chairman of Supervisory Board

09.05.2018 / 13:19
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.


- NEW SUPERVISORY BOARD UNANIMOUSLY ELECTS PETER-ALEXANDER WACKER AS ITS CHAIRMAN AT ITS CONSTITUENT MEETING

- WACKER'S PAYOUT OF EUR4.50 PER SHARE FOR 2017 MARKS ITS HIGHEST-EVER DIVIDEND

- 2018 ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING ADOPTS PROPOSALS OF EXECUTIVE AND SUPERVISORY BOARDS BY LARGE MAJORITIES

- 2018 SALES AND EARNINGS EXPECTATIONS REAFFIRMED

Munich, May 9, 2018 - Peter-Alexander Wacker remains at the helm of Wacker Chemie AG's Supervisory Board. Today, the Board unanimously elected the 67-year-old businessman as its chairman at its constituent session, held directly after the 2018 Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

In 2018, WACKER intends to continue last year's good trend, despite strong currency headwinds. In a speech to some 850 shareholders at the International Congress Center in Munich, Rudolf Staudigl, the CEO of the Munich-based chemical group, reaffirmed sales and earnings projections for 2018. WACKER expects Group sales to rise by a low-single-digit percentage over last year's figure (EUR4.92 billion). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) will increase versus 2017's EUR1.01 billion by a mid-single-digit percentage. WACKER expects net income from continuing operations to rise markedly. In Q1 2018, the Group matched its good sales of a year ago and lifted its EBITDA in spite of negative currency effects and markedly higher raw-material costs. Versus a quarter ago, both sales and EBITDA grew.

In his speech, Staudigl was optimistic: "We want to continue our successful course in 2018," emphasized the CEO. "The global prospects for this year are good. The world economy is expanding and chemical markets are growing. Provided no unexpected events dampen the global economy, we have a chance of beating our current earnings guidance for the full year."

WACKER's total payout of EUR4.50 per share to shareholders for 2017 marks its highest-ever dividend, after EUR2.00 a year earlier. Beside the dividend of EUR2.50 per share, shareholders will receive an extra EUR2.00 per share due to the sale of Siltronic shares, the very good net-financial-debt trend and the company's positive prospects. The dividend payout for 2017 will therefore amount to around EUR224 million. The Executive and Supervisory Boards' other proposals were also adopted by large majorities.

Resolutions and Voting Results

At today's Annual Shareholders' Meeting, 43,251,107 voting shares were represented - 82.93 percent of all eligible shares (number of shares outstanding: 49,677,983). The voting results were as follows for agenda items 2 through 6:

Item 2: Resolution on the Appropriation of Net Retained Profit

The Executive and Supervisory Boards proposed that 2017's retained profit of EUR1.50 billion be appropriated as follows: EUR223.6 million to be distributed to shareholders and EUR1.28 billion to be carried forward to new account. The proposal was adopted. The result was:

- 43,154,444 Yes votes (99.99 percent)

- 1,911 No votes

Item 3: Resolution on the Ratification of the Actions of the Executive Board

The proposal of the Executive and Supervisory Boards to ratify the actions of the members of Wacker Chemie AG's Executive Board during 2017 was adopted. The result was:

- 42,377,299 Yes votes (98.25 percent)

- 754,322 No votes

Item 4: Resolution on the Ratification of the Actions of the Supervisory Board

The Executive and Supervisory Boards' proposal to ratify the actions of the members of Wacker Chemie AG's Supervisory Board during 2017 was adopted. The result was:

- 41,114,139 Yes votes (95.77 percent)

- 1,817,020 No votes

Item 5: Resolution on the Choice of Auditor

The Supervisory Board's proposal to appoint KPMG AG as auditor for fiscal 2018 was adopted. The result was:

- 41,664,315 Yes votes (96.41 percent)

- 1,551,919 No votes

Item 6: Supervisory Board Elections

The Supervisory Board's proposal to elect Dr. Andreas H. Biagosch, Dr. Gregor Biebl, Matthias Biebl, Franz-Josef Kortüm, Ann-Sophie Wacker, Dr. Peter-Alexander Wacker, Dr. Susanne Weiss and Prof. Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker to the Supervisory Board until the 2023 Annual Shareholders' Meeting was adopted. The voting results for the individual candidates have been published at: www.wacker.com.

Information for editorial offices:all documents relating to the 2018 Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Wacker Chemie AG can be downloaded from WACKER's website (www.wacker.com)under Investor Relations.

 

This press release contains statements about the resolutions of the 2018 Annual Shareholders' Meeting. Said statements are not binding and serve the sole purpose of providing an overview. They may not always correspond to the exact wording and full extent of the resolutions adopted at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

This press release contains forward-looking statements based on assumptions and estimates of WACKER's Executive Board. Although we assume the expectations in these forward-looking statements are realistic, we cannot guarantee they will prove to be correct. The assumptions may harbor risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual figures to differ considerably from the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such discrepancies include, among other things, changes in the economic and business environment, variations in exchange and interest rates, the introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance for new products or services, and changes in corporate strategy. WACKER does not plan to update the forward-looking statements, nor does it assume the obligation to do so.

For further information, please contact:
Wacker Chemie AG
Media Relations & Information
Christof Bachmair
Tel. +49 89 6279-1830
christof.bachmair@wacker.com



09.05.2018 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.
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Language: English
Company: Wacker Chemie AG
Hanns-Seidel-Platz 4
81737 München
Germany
Phone: 0049-89-6279-1633
Fax: 0049-89-6279-2933
E-mail: investor.relations@wacker.com
Internet: www.wacker.com
ISIN: DE000WCH8881
WKN: WCH888
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange

 
End of News DGAP News Service

684259  09.05.2018 

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