MLP acquires majority stake in Feri Finance AG

• MLP acquires an equity stake of approx. 56.6 % and secures option to buy remaining stake
• Purchase price for acquired stake approx. 64.4 million EUR
• Feri partners remain engaged with the company and express long-term commitment to the Feri-Group
• Chief Executive Officer Uwe Schroeder-Wildberg: "The cooperation between MLP and Feri generates an entirely new dimension of integrated financial and provision consulting"

Wiesloch, 17th September 2006 - MLP AG has reached an agreement with the shareholders of Feri Finance AG to acquire an equity stake of approx. 56.6 % in Germany's leading independent wealth management company as part of a move to significantly expand its wealth management business. The purchase price for the acquired shares is approx. 64.4 million EUR and will be financed through liquid assets. At the same time, temporary options exist which could lead to a 100 % acquisition in 2011. These options enclose a preferential price, that in addition to a fixed price for the remaining shares amounting to around 47.7 million EUR also includes an additional purchase price that is significantly dependent on future new business within the financial investment division. The transaction is subject to approval being granted by the cartel authority.

All Feri partners will remain engaged with the company and express their long-term commitment to the Feri Group; however, the Harald Quandt Holding will transfer their entire shares to MLP AG. Feri Finance AG will continue to pursue its successful and proven business model under the Feri brand name, meeting the needs of its clients as a separate and independent company.

"Feri is Germany's leading independent wealth manager, hence a first-class partner for MLP. The cooperation between MLP and Feri generates an entirely new dimension of integrated financial and provision consulting," says Uwe Schroeder-Wildberg, MLP Chief Executive Officer. "In this constellation, one quite unparalleled in the financial services sector, MLP will be able to exploit sustained growth potentials within its own customer base, as well as gaining a strategic competitive edge in the market as a whole."

The equity stake gives MLP long-term access to Feri's knowledge base and complete market expertise, enabling it to significantly expand the full range of investment opportunities for its clients. "Access to Feri's extensive expertise gives us an opportunity to provide modern and innovative investment concepts - generally the reserve of ultra high net worth individuals - available to the discerning MLP private clients," says Ulrich Stephan, head of wealth management at MLP.

Wealth management as part of an integrated approach to financial consulting becomes especially significant for clients as they approach the age of 40. The share of persons in this age group among the existing MLP customer base will more than double over the coming five years.

In addition to being a dominant force in the field of old-age and healthcare provisions, MLP and Feri will obtain, as a combined entity, an entirely new competitive position as Germany's largest independent asset and wealth management company. "This will enable Feri Finance AG to sustain its successful business model, and the independent approach to consulting on which this is based, over the long term. Together with MLP, we shall also be able to tap new market potentials, there being no appreciable overlaps between the two companies' customer bases," says Michael Stammler, Chairman of the Board for Feri Finance AG.

The Feri Group comprises the business units Feri Wealth Management, Feri Institutional Advisors as well as Feri Rating & Research. Feri advises ultra high net worth private individuals and institutional investors on strategic investment concepts and their implementation. The company manages client assets of 8 billion EUR. Furthermore, in the field of Rating & Research, Feri conducts in-depth investment market and product analyses for more than 1,000 clients. In fiscal year 2005, the Feri Group had a headcount of 180 and reported revenues of 35 million EUR. Together, MLP and Feri will manage an asset volume of about 10 billion EUR.

In March this year, Germany's Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin - Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) granted the sales subsidiary of the MLP Group a licence to act as an agent and advisor in the purchase of investment products, as defined under § 32 of Germany's Banking and Financial Dealings Act (KWG). Therewith MLP, as the first major independent financial services provider, has approval to offer its clients not only mutual funds but also a wide array of financial investment and money market products. "We have since trained and licensed more than 200 MLP consultants to work specifically in this segment. Over the medium term, at least 500 advisors are to obtain the required licence," says Ulrich Stephan.