PTA-PVR

Erste Group Bank: Release according to art. 135 section 2 BörseG

Holding announcement according to article 135 section 2 BörseG (ESMA 2015/1597)

Baltimore, Maryland (pta023/02.11.2018/14:44) - Release of Announcement according to art. 135 section 2 BörseG

Notification of Major Holdings

1. Issuer:
Erste Group Bank, Am Belvedere 1, 1100 Wien, Austria

2. Reason for notification:
Acquisition / disposal of shares with voting rights

3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation
Name: T. Rowe Price Group, Inc
City and country of registered office: Baltimore, Maryland, USA - United States

4. Names of shareholder(s) holding directly 3% or more voting rights, if different from 3
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.
T. Rowe Price International Ltd.

5. Date on which threshold was crossed or reached
31.10.2018

6. Total positions

	% of voting rights attached to shares (total of 7.a.)	% of voting rights through instruments (total of 7.b.1 + 7.b.2)	total of both in % (7.a. + 7.b.)	total number of voting rights of issuer
Resulting situation on the date on which threshold was crossed / reached	3.99	0.00	3.99	429,800,000
Position of previous notification	4,01	0	4,01

7. Notified details of the resulting situation

7.a. Voting rights attached to shares

ISIN code	absolute direct (Sec 130 BörseG 2018)	absolute indirect (Sec 133 BörseG 2018)	in % direct (Sec 130 BörseG 2018)	in % indirect (Sec 133 BörseG 2018)
AT0000652011	0	17,146,573	0.00	3.99
US2960363040	0	279	0.00	0.00
Total:		17,146,852		3.99

7.b.1. Financial / Other Instruments pursuant to Sec. 131 para. 1 No. 1 BörseG 2018

Type of instrument	Expiration Date	Exercise Period	Voting Rights Absolute	Voting Rights in %
		Total:

7.b.2 Financial / Other Instruments pursuant to Sec. 131 para. 1 No. 2 BörseG 2018

Type of instrument	Expiration Date	Exercise Period	Physical /Cash Settlement	Voting Rights Absolute	Voting Rights in %
			Total:

8. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation

Full chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and/or the financial/other instruments are effectively held starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity.

No.	Name	Directly controlled by No.	Shares held directly (%)	Financial/other instruments held directly (%)	Total of both (%)
1	T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.
2	T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.	1
3	T. Rowe Price International Ltd.	2

9. In case of proxy voting

Date of general meeting: N/A

10. Additional Information
T. Rowe Price International Ltd is wholly owned by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., which is in turn 100% owned by T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.

(end)

emitter: Erste Group Bank
address: Am Belvedere 1, 1100 Wien
country: Austria
contact person: Thomas Sommerauer/ Simone Pilz
phone: [phone] - 17326
e-mail: [e-mail]
website: www.erstegroup.com

ISIN(s): AT0000652011 (share)
stock exchanges: official trade in Vienna
other stock exchanges: Bucharest Stock Exchange, Prague Stock Exchange

[ source: http://www.pressetext.com/news/20181102023 ]