Wacker Neuson SE / Key word(s): AGM/EGM26.05.2011 / 15:55Wacker Neuson SE to become a holding companyDividend approved - Healthy order situation as business continues to pickup in 2011(Munich, May 26, 2011) At today's AGM, shareholders of Wacker Neuson SEapproved the Executive Board and Supervisory Board's proposal torestructure Wacker Neuson SE as a holding company. The shareholders alsoapproved a dividend payment of EUR 0.17 per share. The actions of theExecutive Board and Supervisory Board were officially approved for fiscal2010.Holding structure to raise efficiency219 shareholders with a total of 59,922,024 voting rights were representedtoday at the Wacker Neuson SE annual general meeting (AGM). Measuredagainst the authorized capital comprising 70.14 million shares, thisbrought attendance to 85.4 percent. Shareholders at today's AGM agreed withthe Executive Board and Supervisory Board's proposal to transition WackerNeuson SE to a pure holding company. The drop-down and transfer agreementrequired for the move was approved by the vast majority of shareholders.The move comes as a follow-up to the 2007 merger and will align thestructures of both parts of the Group. The former Wacker ConstructionEquipment AG was primarily structured as a parent company, bundling theGerman activities (production, logistics and sales) of the light equipmentsegment under a single legal entity. The former Neuson Kramer BaumaschinenAG was organized as a holding company.Operational activities in Germany will now be dropped down from WackerNeuson SE to three GmbH & Co. KG companies, headquartered in Munich. Thenew companies will be responsible for sales, production and logisticsrespectively. Central Group and corporate functions will remain at WackerNeuson SE. The three new German companies will be wholly owned affiliates.Wacker Neuson SE will continue to own over 30 other affiliates (primarilysales affiliates outside of Germany). The new structure will make WackerNeuson SE a management holding company with a central management structure.The reorganization will not have any impact for Wacker Neuson SEshareholders.The Executive Board outlined the economic benefits of the new structure.One of the core aims is to create a clear, uniform management andorganizational structure across the entire Group, thus raising transparencyover the company's cost structure, product range and areas ofresponsibility. The new structure also aligns with the company's strategy,which outlines a number of ambitious targets to be reached by 2015. TheGroup intends to expand its market share by increasing market penetrationand sales activities, to strengthen its innovative drive, and to alignsales and distribution even more closely with customer needs by focusingmore on user processes and market requirements. The new holding structurewill lead to overall efficiency gains across the Group.Dividend payment of EUR 0.17 approvedIn light of the company's stronger earnings situation and sustainableimprovements to cost structures, shareholders approved a dividend of EUR0.17 per share for the last fiscal year. With 70.14 million eligibleshares, this amounts to a total payout of EUR 11.9 million. The remainingprofit of EUR 1.1 million was carried forward. The distribution ratio pansout at around 50 percent based on Group profit for the year in the amountof EUR 23.9 million.Upswing in business and healthy order situationThe first quarter of 2011 proved a resounding success for the Group. Itspositive performance was fueled by a US-led increase in sales of lightequipment, a rise in compact equipment revenue plus strong results from theservices segment, which was boosted by an early start to the constructionseason. At the start of the second quarter, accumulated order intake forcompact equipment was over 40 percent up on the same quarter last year.With an equity ratio in excess of 75 percent and low net financial debt,Wacker Neuson is in a strong position to capitalize on the upswing. TheGroup expects business to continue to develop positively.Voting on items at the 2011 AGM:Please find the voting results and further information regarding theGeneral Annual Meeting on our webpage:http://corporate.wackerneuson.com/ir/en-agm.phpYour contact partner:Wacker Neuson SE Katrin Yvonne NeufferHead of Corporate Communication /Investor RelationsPreussenstr. 41 80809 Munich, Germany Tel: +49-(0)89-35402-173katrin.neuffer@wackerneuson.com www.wackerneuson.comAbout Wacker NeusonWacker Neuson SE is a global manufacturer of light and compact equipment.With over 30 affiliates and more than 180 locations across the globe, thecompany offers an exceptionally broad portfolio of products and services.Manufacturing activities are distributed across three German, one Austrian,two American and one Philippine production sites. Almost all productsmanufactured by the company are branded Wacker Neuson. The only exceptionsto this in Europe are Kramer Allrad products and Weidemann-brandedagricultural machinery. With over 300 product categories and complementaryrental, spare parts and repair services, Wacker Neuson is the partner ofchoice among professional users in construction, gardening, landscaping andagriculture, as well as among municipal bodies and companies in theindustrial and recycling sectors.End of Corporate News---------------------------------------------------------------------26.05.2011 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - acompany of EquityStory AG.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.DGAP's 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: Wacker Neuson SE Preußenstr. 41 80809 München Deutschland Phone: +49 - (0)89 - 354 02 - 0 Fax: +49 - (0)89 - 354 02 - 390 E-mail: info@wackerneuson.com Internet: www.wackerneuson.com ISIN: DE000WACK012 WKN: WACK01 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 126421 26.05.2011
