DGAP-News

Aareal Bank Group publishes Annual Report 2016

DGAP-News: Aareal Bank AG / Key word(s): Final Results Aareal Bank Group publishes Annual Report 2016 30.03.2017 / 08:32 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Aareal Bank Group publishes Annual Report 2016 Wiesbaden, 30 March 2017 - Aareal Bank Group published its Annual Report 2016 today. In addition to information on the Bank's business model and its activities in the two business segments, the Annual Report includes Aareal Bank's audited consolidated financial statements in accordance with IFRSs and the Bank's Group Management Report for 2016.

As announced on the occasion of the Bank's annual press conference on 23 February 2017 during the presentation of the preliminary, unaudited results, consolidated operating profit for the 2016 financial year amounted to EUR 366 million, after EUR 470 million in the previous year. Consolidated operating profit for the 2015 financial year included negative goodwill in the amount of EUR 150 million from the acquisition of Westdeutsche ImmobilienBank AG (WestImmo), which was completed on 31 May 2015.

The Bank wants its shareholders to participate appropriately in these results, which were once again very good. Therefore - as also communicated in February - the Management Board and the Supervisory Board will propose to the Annual General Meeting of Aareal Bank AG, to be held on 31 May 2017, to distribute a dividend of EUR 2.00 per share (2016: EUR 1.65). This equals a distribution ratio of 60 per cent.

"From an operational perspective, the financial year 2016 was again a strong year for Aareal Bank Group. We have delivered on our promises again. During the year 2016, we once again remained true to our business policy of making prudent decisions and exploiting opportunities", Hermann J. Merkens, Chairman of the Management Board, explained.

The full annual report for 2016 is available from Aareal Bank's website http://aareal-bank.com/financial-reports. An online version including additional information is available on http://ar2016.aareal-bank.com.

Aareal Bank Group

Aareal Bank Group, headquartered in Wiesbaden, is a leading international property specialist. The Group offers smart financings, software products and digital solutions for the property sector and related industries, and is represented on three continents: Europe, North America and Asia. Aareal Bank AG, whose shares are included in Deutsche Börse's MDAX index, is the Group's parent entity. It manages the various entities organised in the Group's two business segments: Structured Property Financing and Consulting/Services. The Structured Property Financing segment encompasses all of Aareal Bank Group's property financing and funding activities. In this segment, the Bank facilitates property investment projects for its domestic and international clients, within the framework of a three-continent strategy covering Europe, North America and Asia. In the Consulting/Services business segment, clients from the European property and energy sectors optimise their business processes and enhance efficiency through Aareal Bank Group's unique combination of specialised banking services and innovative digital products and services.