euro adhoc: OnVista AG
Strategic management decisions
OnVista AG sells 36%
stake in IS.Teledata AG
OnVista shares listed close to cash value
Annual
projections raised due to excellent media business
Disclosure announcement transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for the content of this announcement.
09.11.2005
OnVista AG (DE0005461602) is selling its 36% stake in the IT company IS.Teledata AG to Interactive Data Corporation (NYSE: IDC), Bedford, Mass., USA. The relevant contract was signed earlier today. According to the contract, OnVista AG will receive Euro 17.1 mill. for its shareholding.
The transaction was decided by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of OnVista AG. The transaction does not require approval by OnVista's general shareholders meeting. A review under antitrust law still needs to be carried out on the part of the buyer. OnVista AG expects the transaction to be completed before the end of this year.
Furthermore, the Executive Board of OnVista AG has announced a rise in its annual projections for 2005. This is due to the excellent business performance in the Media segment, which consists of the internet activities remaining within the OnVista Group. The OnVista Group now expects group sales of well over Euro 9 mill. for the year as a whole and a pre-tax result of more than Euro 1.5 mill. (previous forecast: sales Euro 8 mill., pre-tax result Euro 1.38 mill.). Details in this respect will be announced shortly within the framework of the publication of the 9 months report.
The purchase price will be settled solely with cash funds, whereby a portion will be deposited for two respectively four years in an interest-bearing escrow account to cover guarantees provided. The immediate cash inflow amounts to Euro 15.3 mill. As a result, the cash funds of OnVista AG will increase to Euro 38.8 mill. in the first instance. This amount alone works out at a cash value per share of Euro 5.79. In addition there will be Euro 1.8 mill. (Euro 0.27/share) held in trust. As a result, OnVista shares are currently listed close to their cash value (Euro 6.21; Xetra closing price on Nov. 9, 2005). Consequently, the current market capitalisation does not reflect adequately the strongly growing and profitable operating business of the OnVista Group (OnVista finance portal, Onmeda healthcare portal and Ligatus performance marketing network).
The investment in IS.Teledata AG is held via the 100% subsidiary OnVista Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH and reported at-equity in the OnVista consolidated financial statements. The book value of the investment amounts to Euro 17.56 mill. (Sep. 30, 2005), which corresponds to around 36% of the balance sheet total. In the first nine months of 2005, the OnVista Group recorded an investment profit contributed by IS.Teledata of Euro 0.47 mill. For the financial year 2005, the OnVista Group originally forecast a positive performance distribution by IS.Teledata in the mid 6-digit Euro region. As a result of the small extraordinary loss related to the sale - the investment is being sold just below its book value - the investment result will now be almost even. In the individual accounts of OnVista AG under HGB (German Commercial Code), which are relevant for the ability to pay a dividend, there will be an extraordinary income of Euro 0.68 mill.
Other shareholders of the Frankfurt-based IT company with material interests are also selling their holdings. All in all, Interactive Data is acquiring at least 95% of the shares in IS.Teledata AG.
Further information can be found in the detailed press release (German language version only): www.onvista-group.de, section 'Press'.
Contact: Anja Seipp, Tel. +49 2203/9146-306, Email ir@onvista.de
end of announcement euro adhoc 09.11.2005 14:35:07
Further inquiry note:
Anja Seipp
Head of Public and Investor Relations
Tel. +49(0)2203 9146 306
Mobil: +49 (0) 160 802 9981
E-Mail: ir@onvista.de
Branche: Computing & Information Technology
ISIN: DE0005461602
WKN: 546160
Index: CDAX, Prime All Share, Technologie All Share
Börsen: Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse / regulated dealing/prime
standard
Berliner Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Hamburger Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Baden-Württembergische Wertpapierbörse / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Bayerische Börse / free trade
Bremer Wertpapierbörse (BWB) / free trade