Leifheit Aktiengesellschaft: Major Leifheit shareholder sells shares to institutional investors

PRESS RELEASE

Major Leifheit shareholder sells shares to institutional investors

Nassau, 23 April 2015 - HOME Beteiligungen GmbH, Munich, which until recently owned 50.49% of the share capital of Leifheit AG, has sold its block of Leifheit shares to institutional investors. According to the parties involved in the sale, the order book was oversubscribed by renowned European investors. The background for this decision to sell is the reorientation of the investment strategy of the Schuler-Voith family, which owns HOME Beteiligungen GmbH.

The Schuler-Voith family invested in Leifheit AG in 1985, firstly via the J.M. Voith GmbH. It gradually increased its holding in Leifheit AG over the last 15 years and actively shaped the strategic direction of the company, which was mainly based on a competitive product portfolio and an expansion strategy in the European markets.

"The long-term, trusting partnership between HOME Beteiligungen and Leifheit has been very successful. On the other hand, a broader spread increases the attractiveness of each listed share.
I think it is quite possible that interest in our shares has now received an additional impetus," says Thomas Radke, CEO of Leifheit AG.

The successful deal is a positive signal for the assessment of the future of the Leifheit Group by international capital market players. At the beginning of the fiscal year, Leifheit's management announced the launch of its new corporate strategy "Leifheit 2020". The strategy targets sustainable growth while increasing profitability and continues to give priority to efficient innovation processes, a refocused marketing strategy and the development of new target groups and product segments.

Leifheit AG holds 4.97 per cent of the Treasury shares. Other major blocks of shares are held by MKV Verwaltungs GmbH, Munich (around 10 percent) and Joachim Loh, Haiger (around 8 per cent).

About Leifheit

Leifheit AG, founded in 1959, is one of the leading European brand suppliers of household items. The company stands for high-quality, innovative products with great utility and pioneering design in the sectors of cleaning, laundry care, kitchen goods and wellbeing. Leifheit and Soehnle are among the best known brands in Germany. Other than in the Brand Business, Leifheit AG operates in the service-oriented volume business via its French subsidiaries Birambeau and Herby. The Leifheit Group including its international branches employs a staff of about 1,000. More information on Leifheit is available online at www.leifheit-group.com, www.leifheit.de, www.soehnle.de.