DGAP-News
Statement by AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA on the short attack by Gotham City and outlook on the development of the business
DGAP-News: AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA / Key word(s): Statement Statement by AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA on the short attack by Gotham City and outlook on the development of the business |
- Allegations of short-seller Gotham unfounded and distorting reality
- Share buy-back stepped-up: EUR 50m immediately, additionally EUR 160m as of June 21, 2017
A. Executive summary
1. The report published today by Gotham City primarily consists of the manipulation of facts known and already published by AURELIUS, which have been presented intentionally in a misleading fashion and with false claims, presumptions and assertions to deliberately distort the situation in order to cause damage for the shareholders of AURELIUS in its own economic interest (short position).
2. The conclusions drawn by Gotham City Research are substantially incorrect. At no time has Gotham City Research attempted to make contact with AURELIUS, let alone held a telephone conversation or personal conversation with AURELIUS.
3. Gotham City Research claims to hold a significant short position in AURELIUS. Gotham City Research therefore has a fundamental interest in damaging the reputation of AURELIUS by making false assertions and drawing incorrect conclusions in order to manipulate AURELIUS's share price and make significant speculative gains to the detriment of our shareholders when prices fall substantially.
B. Corrective statement
Below, we correct the main incorrect claims made by Gotham City Research:
Re Arques
It is true that Dirk Markus worked for Arques until of the end of 2004. He has been responsible for the operational turnaround of portfolio companies. The disappointing development of Arques that
started in 2008 is due to bad deals done in 2006 and 2007 rather than the business model in general.