Hawesko at the 2011 shareholders' meeting:

- Growth in sales and EBIT continues
- Record dividend approved

Hamburg, 20 June 2011 The wine trading group Hawesko Holding AG (HAW, HAWG.DE, DE0006042708) is able to report that after the first five months of the current fiscal year (1 January - 31 May 2011), growth in sales and operating profit are continuing at the level achieved in the first quarter (sales: +15%, result from operations (EBIT): +16%). CEO Alexander Margaritoff announced the news at the company's annual general meeting of shareholders today. In particular, the wholesale segment continues to benefit from the revival of the market for premium wines.

The resolutions proposed by the management board at the Hawesko shareholders' meeting were resoundingly approved by the attending shareholders, including the proposal to raise the dividend for fiscal year 2010 to € 1.50 per share (previous year: € 1.35). Moreover, the Hawesko shareholder will receive a bonus dividend of € 0.25 per share for the past fiscal year. The dividend is payable from 21 June 2011 and will be paid out of a tax-free equity reserve without deduction of tax on capital yields and solidarity surcharge. Moreover, Detlev Meyer (already appointed by court order with effect from 4 October 2010) and Kim-Eva Wempe were elected to the supervisory board.

Hawesko Holding AG is a leading supplier of premium wines and champagnes.  In fiscal year 2010, the Group achieved sales of € 378 million and employed 696 persons in the company's three sales channels: specialty retail (Jacques' Wein-Depot), wholesale operations(Wein Wolf and CWD Champagner- and Wein-Distributionsgesellschaft) and mail order (especially Hanseatisches Wein- and Sekt-Kontor). The shares of Hawesko Holding AG are listed on the Hanseatic Stock Exchange in Hamburg as well as in the prime standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
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Published by:
Hawesko Holding AG, 20247 Hamburg
Internet:
http://www.hawesko-holding.com (Company information)
http://www.hawesko.de (Online shop)
http://www.jacques.de (Jacques' Wein-Depot information and online shop)

Press/Media:     
Vera Maria Bau, VMB Consulting   
Phone: +49 (0)228 4496 406    
Fax: +49 (0)228 4496 9406    
E-mail: vmb@veramariabau-pr.de   

Investor Relations:
Thomas Hutchinson, Hawesko Holding AG
Phone:  +49 (0)40 30 39 21 00
Fax:       +49 (0)40 30 39 21 05
E-mail: ir@hawesko.com