Wuppertal, 15 March 2007 – The Prime Standard listed holding company GESCO AG (DE0005875900) is investigating the option of issuing up to 274,000 new shares from a capital increase against cash deposits. The company also intends to increase the share capital by up to 10 % using the authorised capital.

The issue price for the shares numbering up to 274,000 will be calculated on the basis of an accelerated book-building. The issue of the new shares is aimed at German and international institutional investors. The proceeds of the capital increase are intended to finance the acquisition of further medium-sized industrials, as per the GESCO business model.

Should the issue go ahead, the number of shares placed, the issue price and the proceeds will be published in a separate ad hoc notification.

Important information:
The information contained in this notification is not for publication or transmission in Canada, Australia or Japan and does not constitute an offer of the purchase of securities in these countries.
The issuing of shares and the distribution of this notification and other information connected with the issuing in certain legal systems may be subject to statutory restrictions and anyone finding themselves in possession of documentation cited in this notification or other information should be informed of and observe all such restrictions. Non-observance of these restrictions may constitute a violation of the Securities Trading Act of the legal system concerned.
This notification does not constitute an offer of the purchase of securities in the United States of America. In the United Kingdom, this notification will only be distributed to (i) professional investors categorised as such under Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, and (ii) companies and persons of high net worth categorised as such under Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (such persons are categorised as “qualified persons