GEA postpones its Annual General Meeting, dividend remains unchanged
- Physical event delayed to the end of the year in response to the corona pandemic
- Health of participants and upholding of shareholders' rights take top priority
- Dividend proposal of EUR 0.85 per share remains unchanged
- Maximum possible advance payment of EUR 0.42 per share in early May 2020 resolved
Düsseldorf, April 8, 2020 - Owing to the COVID-19 virus, the technology company GEA is postponing its Annual General Meeting originally planned for April 30, 2020, in Düsseldorf and will reschedule it for the end of the year. The health of the company's shareholders, employees and the service providers involved takes the highest priority. By postponing the event, GEA is making an active contribution to slowing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
This year as well, GEA wants to offer its shareholders an opportunity to exercise their rights to the full extent. In conjunction with the COVID-19 crisis in particular, an especially high number of questions is to be expected. For this reason, the company has decided after an intensive review of all its options to postpone the Annual General Meeting and not to hold a virtual event. For this purpose GEA will make use of the deadline extension recently resolved by the legislator, and thus also follow the recommendation of several shareholder representatives. Since it is currently not possible to foresee when a reliable legal foundation for holding physical events will again exist, GEA has chosen a point in time at the end of 2020. The precise date of the Annual General Meeting will be published later.
The company is upholding the proposal on the appropriation of profits formulated in its 2019 Annual Report, and thus still plans to pay a dividend for fiscal year 2019 of a total of EUR 0.85 per share. In advance, GEA will make the maximum possible advance payment of EUR 0.42 per share permitted by law based on the last two annual financial statements. This advance payment is set for May 6, 2020, when payment of the dividend was originally planned. This was decided by the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board.
Corporate Media & Press:
Marc Pönitz
Peter-Müller-Str. 12, 40468 Düsseldorf, Germany
Phone 00
About GEA
GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food processing industry and of related industries that generated consolidated revenues of over EUR 4.9 billion in 2019. The international technology group specializes in machinery, and plants as well as process technology and components. GEA provides sustainable energy solutions for sophisticated production processes in various end-user markets and offers a comprehensive service portfolio. The group generates around 70 percent of its revenue in the food and beverages sector that enjoys long-term sustainable growth. As of December 31, 2019, the company employed about 18,500 people worldwide. The company is listed on the German MDAX (G1A, WKN 660 200), the STOXX(R) Europe 600 Index as well as the DAX 50 ESG Index and selected MSCI Global Sustainability Indexes. Further information is available on the Internet at .
Contact:
GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft
Phone +49 (0)211 9136 1081
Fax +49 (0)211 9136 31087
gea.com
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