PR Newswire/Les Echos/
? PRESS RELEASE
Proposed payment of an exceptional dividend
Advance payment of FY 2008 dividend
Senior debt refinancing project
Paris, 12th August 2008:
Groupe VIAL (ISIN: FR0010340406), France's leading independent industrial
joinery discount group, announces that it is calling a combined Ordinary and
Extraordinary General Meeting on 22nd September 2008.
At this Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting, a number of resolutions
will be put to shareholders, the main aim of these being the following:
- The payment of an exceptional dividend of €0.90 per share, for a total
of some €8.5 million entirely taken from "other reserves". Groupe Vial, which
has a comfortable cash position, thus wants to increase shareholder loyalty
within a gloomy economic and stock-market context.
- Authorisations to enable the issuing of convertible bonds reserved for
financial establishments. The aim of this bond issue would be to refinance the
Company's senior debt, optimise the debt load, with no dilution for current
shareholders who so wish
- Implementation of a share buyback programme for a maximum of 2% of the
Company's shares, limited to €5 million.
All detailed resolutions will be available from Wednesday 13th August 2008 in
the official notice of meeting published in the BALO (Bulletin des Annonces
Légales Obligatoires) and on the Company's website: www.groupe-vial.com, in the
"Documentation" section.
Moreover, independently of this Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting, the
Groupe Vial Board of Directors has opted for, on 28th July 2008, the
distribution of an advance payment of the dividend for the financial year to
31st December 2008 of €0.78 per share, for a total of €7.4 million. Indeed,
Groupe Vial will benefit, in 2008, from the distribution of dividends from its
operating subsidiaries resulting from profit recorded in FY 2007. The Board's
aim is to reward shareholders for their trust within an agitated context.
Accordingly, Groupe Vial shareholders will receive, from 22nd September, a
total dividend of €1.68 per share, €0.90 of which will be subject to the
approval of shareholders at the combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General
Meeting of 22nd September 2008.
Next press release:
Half-year 2008 results: 29th October 2008 (after the market closes)
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About Groupe VIAL (www.groupe-vial.com)
Listed on the Eurolist (Compartment B) of Euronext Paris since December 2006,
Groupe VIAL manufactures and distributes aluminium, PVC and wood joinery
products (doors, windows, gates, stairs, etc.) offering unparalleled value for
money through tight control of supply lines; efficient, modern production
facilities and the 60-store VIAL Menuiseries distribution network (including 3
stores in Spain).
Groupe VIAL is France's largest independent discount joinery specialist.
The Group reported 2007 consolidated sales of €107.3m (+22.2%), an operating
margin of 20.2% and net profit of €12.7m.
Public site: www.vial-menuiseries.com
Listed on Euronext Paris compartment B of NYSE Euronext
ISIN: FR0010340406 - Mnemonic: VIA
Reuters: VIA.PA - Bloomberg: VIA FP
Contacts
Groupe VIAL NewCap.
Jean-François Buigues Financial Communications - Investor Relations
Chief Financial Officer Steve Grobet / Pierre Laurent
investisseurs@groupe-vial.com Tel: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 90
vial@newcap.fr
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