INDUS remains reliable dividend stock

• ASM resolves to distribute dividend of EUR 0.80 per share
• Good business performance in Q1 2021
• Shareholders approve creation of new Authorized Capital

Bergisch Gladbach, 26 May 2021 - At today's virtual Annual Shareholders' Meeting (ASM) of INDUS Holding AG, the shareholders followed the proposal of the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board and resolved to pay an unchanged dividend of EUR 0.80 per share. The company thus underlines its reliability as a dividend-paying stock. In the financial year 2020, the INDUS Group generated Group sales of EUR 1.56 billion and consolidated earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of EUR 25.1 million. INDUS Holding AG's distributable profit for the financial year amounted to EUR 35.8 million. It was resolved to distribute a total amount of EUR 21.5 million. Following the issue of new shares in the context of the capital increase of 26 March 2021, this corresponds to a payout ratio of approx. 60 %. Against the backdrop of strong cash flow and the improved outlook for the financial year 2021, this year's payout ratio thus exceeds the usual ratio of 40 % to 50 %. INDUS sticks to its long-term dividend policy of distributing up to 50 % of INDUS Holding AG's distributable profit to the company's shareholders.

In his speech, Chairman of the Board of Management Dr. Johannes Schmidt highlighted the agility of the INDUS portfolio companies in mastering the crisis and cited specific examples from the Group. "Each crisis marks a turning point. But each crisis also opens up opportunities. We are well positioned to take off again from a position of strength," Schmidt said. Over the past months, the portfolio companies focused on driving forward their digitalization projects. "IEF-Werner meanwhile offers an online assembly service, which uses web cams, video conferencing and 3D models to remotely and digitally guide the employees of international customers in the assembly and commissioning of the plants."

Q1 2021 confirms positive outlook

In the first quarter of 2021, the INDUS Group's sales of EUR 400.4 million were pleasingly on a par with the previous year, when the restrictions imposed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic did not make themselves felt before mid-March. EBIT increased by 56 % to EUR 25.0 million during the same period. This was not least achieved thanks to the INTERIM SPRINT program implemented in 2020. For the financial year 2021, INDUS projects sales of between EUR 1.55 billion and EUR 1.70 billion and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of between EUR 95 million and EUR 110 million.

Continued growth thanks to first and second-tier acquisitions

INDUS intends to continue growing through acquisitions in the current financial year. The recent acquisitions of JST and WIRUS show that the M&A market is recovering from the COVID-19 crisis. "The general conditions for attractive acquisitions have improved and very promising talks are underway," said Dr. Johannes Schmidt. "The capital increase of 26 March should be seen in this context, as it has given us the room for maneuver that we need to acquire new hidden champions."

Sustainability a central component of the INDUS DNA

The INDUS PARKOUR strategy focuses on the effective promotion of sustainable action within the Group. "Our 'buy, hold & develop' investment approach is sustainable per se," Schmidt said. "Going forward, we will actively promote sustainability projects of our portfolio companies. For this purpose, the successful model of our innovation development bank will be transferred to a sustainability development bank." Sustainability projects implemented by the portfolio companies will be published in the company's first separate Sustainability Magazine to be published in summer 2021.

All agenda items adopted by a large majority of the shareholders

In voting on the agenda, a large majority of the Shareholders' Meeting approved the proposals made by the management. About 57 % of the share capital was represented at the 2021 virtual Annual Shareholders' Meeting of INDUS. The actions of the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board were approved. The Annual Shareholders' Meeting approved the new compensation system for the Board of Management, which takes into account the requirements of the Second Shareholders' Directive (ARUG II) and is aimed at promoting long-term and sustainable corporate development, as well as the compensation and the compensation system for the Supervisory Board. To continue giving INDUS maximum flexibility after the capital increase of 26 March 2021, the shareholders approved the creation of new Authorized Capital and the corresponding amendment to the Articles of Incorporation.

Further information on the Annual Shareholders' Meeting, the speech (in German) by the Chairman of the Board of Management Dr. Johannes Schmidt and the voting results can be found here.

Contact:
Nina Wolf & Dafne Sanac
Public Relations & Investor Relations

INDUS Holding AG
Kölner Straße 32
51429 Bergisch Gladbach
Germany

Tel +49 (0) 022 04 / 40 00-73
Tel +49 (0) 022 04 / 40 00-32
E-mail [email protected]
E-mail [email protected]
www.indus.de