DIC Asset AG: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution

With reference to the voluntary group notification of voting rights pursuant to Article 33 et seq. WpHG (German Securities Trading Act) by Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schmidt on 23 December 2021, DIC Opportunity Fund GmbH notified DIC Asset AG in its own name and at the same time on behalf of DIC Opportunistic GmbH (the ‘Notifying Parties’) in accordance with Article 43 Section 1 WpHG (German Securities Trading Act) on 23 December 2021 as follows:
 
a) The investment serves the implementation of strategic objectives.
 
b) Depending on the market conditions and the business situation of DIC Asset AG, the Notifying Parties intend to acquire further voting rights within the next 12 months by acquisition or in any other way.
 
c) The Notifying Parties do not seek to influence the composition of the issuer’s administrative, management and/or supervisory bodies – except for the exercise of voting rights at the shareholders’ meeting of DIC Asset AG.
 
d) The Notifying Parties do not intend to significantly change the capital structure of DIC Asset AG, in particular with regard to the ratio of equity and debt financing and the dividend policy.
 
With regard to the origin of the funds used for the acquisition of the voting rights, the Notifying Parties notified us in accordance with Article 43 Section 1 Sentence 4 WpHG (German Securities Trading Act) that the voting rights in DIC Asset AG were acquired by the Notifying Parties by way of contribution of the shares/voting rights to the capital reserve.