Dürr shareholders approve dividend of 40 cents per share
05/02/2008
Stuttgart, May 2, 2008 – Dürr AG plans a dividend increase for 2008. “We intend to improve our earnings further and let shareholders participate in that,” explained CEO Ralf Dieter at today’s annual general meeting in Stuttgart. With a large majority of votes, the shareholders approved payment of a EUR 0.40 per share dividend for 2007.
Before about 350 shareholders and shareholder representatives, Ralf Dieter announced the intention to increase the company’s EBIT margin in 2008 from 3.8% to about 5%. Dürr is aiming at sales growth of up to 10% (2007 sales: +8.5%). “We already made an important contribution to achieving our growth targets in the first quarter,” said Ralf Dieter. EBIT improved to € 10.4 million from Q1 2007 (€ 3.0 million), while sales rose 17% to € 356.2 million (€ 304.1 million). Dürr registered new orders of € 517.8 million in Q1 2008 and thus surpassed last year’s high order intake (€ 508.3 million) as well.
The annual general meeting approved the actions of the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board with 99.99% of the votes each. It again appointed Ernst & Young AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft Steuerberatungsgesellschaft as auditor. The annual meeting also ratified all other proposed resolutions by a large majority.
Dürr is a mechanical and plant engineering group at the top of the world market in its areas of activity. It generates about 85% of its sales in business with the automotive industry. It furthermore supplies sectors such as the aircraft, machinery, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries with innovative production and environmental technology. The Dürr Group operates in the market with two divisions. The Paint and Assembly Systems division supplies production and painting technology, especially for car bodies. Machinery and systems from the Measuring and Process Systems division are used in engine and transmission manufacturing and in final vehicle assembly, among other areas. Worldwide, Dürr has 47 business locations in 21 countries.
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