- Net profit of Dyckerhoff AG exceeds previous year again
- Dividend proposal of 2.00 euro per ordinary share and per preference share

We report hereunder the ad-hoc-release issued today by the subsidiary Dyckerhoff AG, according to Article 15 Securities Trading Act (WpHG).

Following the approval of the annual financial statements of Dyckerhoff AG as at December 31, 2008, and after the endorsement of the consolidated financial statements as at December 31, 2008, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board have just decided to propose the Annual General Meeting on May 8, 2009 to distribute a dividend of EUR 2.00 (2007: EUR 1.32) per ordinary share and per preference share for the financial year 2008. This amounts to EUR 82.5 million or 30 % of the Group net profit attributable to Dyckerhoff.

Group sales increased in the fiscal year 2008 by EUR 193.4 million or 11 % to just under EUR 2.0 billion. A fall in sales in the USA division was more than compensated by increased sales in Eastern Europe and Germany / Western Europe. The division Germany / Western Europe profited from grown cement and concrete volumes and prices. In all Eastern European markets Dyckerhoff was able to increase cement and ready-mixed concrete prices. In total, sales of the Eastern Europe division grew by 25 %. Sales of the division USA was considerably below those of previous year. Like-for-like Group sales, allowing for the changes in the group of consolidated companies, increased by 10 %. Exchange rate variances reduced Group sales by EUR 14.6 million. About 29 % of total Group sales can be ascribed to Germany, 47 % to Eastern Europe, 13 % to the USA and 11 % to Western Europe.

EBITDA grew by 3 % to EUR 578.6 million. Included are negative one-time effects totaling EUR 5 million, while in previous year one-time effects amounted to positive EUR 25 million. Adjusted by these one-time effects growth adds up to almost 9 %. The improvements resulted from Eastern Europe, while the results of Germany / Western Europe and of the USA declined. Exchange rate variances reduced EBITDA by EUR 5.6 million, changes in the group of consolidated companies added up to plus EUR 4.4 million.

The result before income taxes declined to EUR 414.7 million (2007: EUR 434.1 million). Net profit improved by 7 % up to EUR 306.7 million (2007: EUR 286.0 million), resulting from considerably lower expenses for income taxes. Equity ratio grew to 49.0 % (2007: 45.2 %). Net debt went up to EUR 62.2 million (2007: EUR 3.3 million), Gearing increased to 3.8 % (2007: 0.2 %). For the year 2009 Dyckerhoff expects a significant decline in its business development resulting from the global recession.

Summarized Income Statement

The complete consolidated financial statements of Dyckerhoff AG will be published in the context of the press conference on March 23, 2009.

Company contacts:
Investor Relations Assistant
Mariangiola Fiore
Phone +39 0142 416 404
Email  mfiore@buzziunicem.it