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 Sections 33 et seq. WpHG (German Securities Trading Act) by Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schmidt dated 15 March 2022, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schmidt notified the following on his own behalf and also on behalf of the subsidiaries named in the voluntary group notification of voting rights (together the ‘Notifying Parties’) pursuant to section 43 (1) WpHG on 06 April 2022:
 
a) The indirect acquisition of voting rights in DIC Asset AG (the ‘Issuer’) by the Notifying Parties serves the implementation of strategic objectives.
b) Depending on market conditions and the Issuer’s business situation, 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 exert any influence – with the exception of the exercise of voting rights at the Issuer’s general meeting – on the composition of the Issuer’s administrative, management or supervisory bodies.
d) The Notifying Parties do not seek any material change in the capital structure of the Issuer – in particular with regard to the ratio of equity and debt financing as well as the dividend policy.
 
With regard to the origin of the funds used for the acquisition of the voting rights, the Notifying Parties notified us pursuant to section 43 (1) sentence 4 WpHG that the acquisition of the voting rights in the Issuer by the Notifying Parties took place as a result of an internal group restructuring, so that neither equity nor debt was used to finance the acquisition of the voting rights.