Südzucker increases dividend

An increase of the cash dividend to Euro 0.47 per share (previous year: Euro 0.34 per ordinary share; Euro 0.38 per preference share) will be proposed by the Südzucker AG Mannheim/Ochsenfurt to the annual general meeting.

With this rise of the dividend on the increased capital the normal distribution rises by 38 % in relation to the dividend for the ordinary shares in the previous year and by 24 % in relation to the dividend for the preference shares in the previous year. Südzucker thereby passes on the improved results and the advantages of the corporate tax reform to the shareholders. The figures for the financial year 2001/02 show, that Südzucker already succeeded in the first year after the refocus of the company in increasing its earning power clearly. With a rise in turnover to Euro 4.8 (4.7) billion, the operating income rose by 18.8 % and the net earnings for the year by 34.3 %.