In accordance with German Commercial Code accounting rules, Wacker Chemie AG posted a retained profit of €576.9 million in 2008. The Executive and Supervisory Boards will propose a dividend of €1.80 at the Annual Shareholder Meeting. We are thus letting shareholders participate in the good result that WACKER achieved in 2008. At the same time, we are taking account of the expected decline in business in 2009. Based on the dividend-entitled shares as per December 31, 2008, the cash dividend corresponds to a payout of €89.4 million.
Calculated in relation to WACKER’s average share price in 2008, the dividend yield is 1.5%.
At the Annual Shareholder Meeting, the Executive and Supervisory Boards will propose treating the remaining amount as profit carried forward.
Rating
WACKER has sufficient unused credit lines available at banks and does not use financial instruments such as bonds and commercial paper. This is why WACKER has not published a credit rating so far.