Munich, May 12, 2016 – The AURELIUS Group (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8) is off to an extremely successful start in fiscal year 2016. Total consolidated revenues for the first quarter of 2016 increased by 58 percent year-over-year to EUR 686.4 million (Q1 2015: EUR 433.9 million). At EUR 2,640.6 million, consolidated revenues on an annual basis  exceeded the prior-year figure by 52 percent (Q1 2015: 1,735.6 EUR million).

EBITDA for the combined group increased considerably in the first quarter of 2016 to EUR 101.2 million (Q1 2015: EUR 15.8 million). It includes income from the sale of Group entities in excess of the carrying amount in the amount of EUR 57.6 million (Q1 2015: EUR 0 million) from the sale of the HR service provider fidelis HR. In addition, it includes income from the reversal of negative goodwill from the capital consolidation ("bargain purchase") from the acquisitions of Swiss Valora Trade (today: Conaxess) and the business activities of the Reuss-Seifert & Hammerl Group, which were completed on January 1, 2016, in the amount of EUR 27.3 million (Q1 2015: EUR 0 million). Since there were no business acquisitions or sales in Q1 2015, there was no income at the time from the reversal of negative goodwill from the capital consolidation ("bargain purchase"), nor any income from the sale of equity investments. Restructuring costs and non-recurring charges for the reorientation of Group entities decreased to EUR 8.2 million in the reporting period (Q1 2015: EUR 10.9 million). Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for the combined group was EUR 24.5 million in the first quarter of 2016 (Q1 2015: EUR 26.7 million).

As a result of the successful exits from fidelis HR and the Berentzen Group, the Executive Board and Supervisory Board of AURELIUS decided at the end of April 2016 to propose a total dividend distribution of EUR 2.45 per share to the Annual General Meeting taking place on June 9, 2016. In addition to the base dividend of EUR 0.90 (prior year: EUR 0.80), a special dividend of EUR 1.55 (prior year: EUR 1.20) is to be proposed. This would correspond to a record distribution of EUR 76.6 million (prior year: EUR 62.8 million).

Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 521.2 million as of March 31, 2016 (December 31, 2015: EUR 548.9 million); the equity ratio was 31.1 percent (December 31, 2015: 28.0%).

The Net Asset Value of Group entities increased to EUR 1,282.5 million (December 31, 2015: EUR 1,252.7 million).

Positive outlook

"The start in the 2016 fiscal year exceeded our expectations and we can look back on a very good first quarter. We also want our shareholders to participate in this success with a clearly increased dividend", says Dr. Dirk Markus, Chief Executive Officer of AURELIUS. "The second quarter is also off to a promising start with an additional partial exit from our listed subsidiary Berentzen Group AG and the successful completion of the acquisition of Colt's cloud business. With a view to the current project pipeline, we expect intensive acquisition activities in the current fiscal year 2016 as well as the sale of additional Group subsidiaries."

Key figures (in EUR millions)

¹) From continuing operations.

²) Incl. non-controlling interests

Net Asset Value of AURELIUS Group entities (in EUR millions)

*) The outstanding convertible bond is also recognized as a liability item as of March 31, 2016.