MLP concludes a successful 2003 business year

Heidelberg, 8th March 2004 - Today’s meeting of the MLP AG Supervisory Board has dealt with the preliminary results of the last fiscal year. According to this MLP AG has concluded the 2003 business year successfully. Group sales revenues climbed by 18 per cent to EUR 352 million. Adjusted total revenues increased by 14 per cent to EUR 1.1 billion. Pre-tax profit (PBT) has risen from minus EUR 36.6 million in 2002 to EUR 62.9 million. Net profit amount to EUR 41.1 million (2002: minus EUR 47.6 Mio.). Results were burdened by one-off re-structuring expenditure totalling EUR 7.9 million. These include, among other items, the costs for optimising the branch office network as well as IT reorganisation at MLP Bank. Adjusted by these one-off effects the pre-tax profit totals some EUR 70.8 million, representing a 129 per cent increase over last year’s figure of EUR 30.9 million. As announced MLP continues its long tradition of involving shareholders appropriately in the company’s success. A dividend of 15 Euro Cent is being proposed for the shareholders to vote upon at the AGM. This corresponds to a dividend sum of some EUR 16.3 million. Further details concerning the preliminary results will be published tomorrow, Tuesday 9th march 2004.