• Continued international expansion
• Consolidated net income increased by 23.9%
• Dividend proposal €1.15 per share (+27.8%)
• Market entry into Turkey planned for 2009

Cologne, 26 March 2008 – For OVB Holding AG (Prime Standard, ISIN DE0006286560) financial year 2007 was very successful. All regional segments in the Group – Central and Eastern Europe, Germany, Southern and Western Europe – contributed to sales and earnings growth. Total sales commission reached €246.2 million (+15.4%), EBIT improved by 20.0% to 29.0 million, consolidated net income by 23.9% to 20.2 million.

“We thus exceeded the targets we set for ourselves in 2007,” underscored Michael Frahnert, Chief Executive Officer at OVB Holding AG. “Especially remarkable was surpassing the €100 million mark for total sales commission in Central and Eastern Europe and improving the Group EBIT margin from 11.3% to 11.8%. OVB is growing and at the same time augmenting its profitability,” was Frahnert’s summary for the 2007 financial year.

In view of these positive results, the Executive Board has already announced proposing a dividend increase to €1.15 for the financial year 2007. This is an increase of 27.8% against the previous year.

It is the international markets which are driving growth at OVB. In Central and Eastern Europe, total sales commission moved up almost 23% to €105.2 million, with EBIT rising by 8.8% to €21.1 million. The national companies in the Southern and Western Europe segments improved their commission income by as much as 31% to €49.4 million, pushing EBIT by a good 80% to €6.9 million. OVB now generates approximately 63% of its income internationally.

In Germany, OVB posted an increase of total sales commissions by almost 2% to €91.6 million, thus defending its strong market position in a competitive environment. OVB has prepared itself early for the far-reaching changes in regulatory conditions – key areas here are the implementation of the EU Mediation Directive and the changes of the Insurance Contract Act. The EBIT upturn by 20.5% to €9.4 million was very pleasing.

Thus the key operating ratios rose on a broad basis in 2007. The number of customers advised by OVB in 14 European countries increased by 7% to 2.61 million. Approximately two thirds of them live in Central and Eastern European countries. The number of financial advisors working for OVB moved up by a good 13% to 4,765 employees.

In the summer of 2007, OVB commenced operations in Ukraine – in the context of its long-term growth strategy. In the current year, it is preparing the market entry into Turkey, which is to take place in 12 to 18 months. OVB is also examining the market opportunities in Russia closely. For OVB, the start into 2008 was very satisfactory. While German sales was just under the level of the previous year, the international companies posted strong increases.

OVB Holding AG
OVB Holding AG, headquartered in Cologne, Germany, is one of the leading European financial sales organisations. Since its founding in 1970, customer-oriented consulting for private households with regard to insurance coverage, asset building and growth, pension plans and real estate acquisition are the focus of its business activities. Currently OVB advises more than 2.61 million customers across Europe and works together with more than 100 renowned product partners. OVB Holding AG is presently active in 14 countries whereas nearly 4,800 full-time financial consultants work for the company. In 2007 the Group, which has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) since July of 2006, generated over-all sales commissions in the amount of EUR 246.2 million and an EBIT of EUR 29.0 million.

The results of the first quarter in 2008 will be published on 15 May 2008. The Annual General Meeting takes place in Cologne on 3 June 2008.
 
 

Key operating figures
		Unit		2004		2005		2006		2007		Change 2006 vs 2007
Clients (31/12)		Number million		2.20		2.30		2.44		2.61		+7.0%
Financial advisors (31/12)		Number		3,794		3,876		4,210		4,765		+13.2%
New business		Number		545,000		635,000		625,000		563,300		-9.9%
Total sales commission		Euro million		176.7		181.2		213.3		246.2		+15.4%
Key financial figures
		Unit		2004		2005		2006		2007		Change 2006 vs 2007
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT)		Euro million		16.5		18.0		24.1		29.0		+20.3%
EBIT margin*		%		9.3		9.9		11.3		11.8		+0.5%-Pts.
Consolidated net income		Euro million		10.4		13.1		16.3		20.2		+23.9%

Key figures OVB Germany
		Unit		2004		2005		2006		2007		Change 2006 vs 2007
Clients (31/12)		Number		620,000		645,000		669,000		685,200		+2.4%
Financial advisors (31/12)		Number		1,396		1,362		1,299		1,293		-0.5%
Total sales commission		Euro million		113.0		85.8		89.9		91.6		+1.9%
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT)		Euro million		9.2		3.9		7.8		9.4		+20.5%
EBIT margin*		%		8.1		4.5		8.7		10.3		+1.6%-Pts.

Key figures Central and Eastern Europe
		Unit		2004		2005		2006		2007		Change 2006 vs 2007
Clients (31/12)		Number million		1.37		1.41		1.50		1.63		+8.7%
Financial advisors (31/12)		Number		1,879		1,969		2,329		2,691		+15.5%
Total sales commission		Euro million		37.6		64.7		85.7		105.2		+22.8%
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT)		Euro million		8.4		15.1		19.4		21.1		+8.8%
EBIT margin*		%		22.3		23.3		22.6		20.0		-2.6%-Pts.

Key figures Southern and Western Europe
		Unit		2004		2005		2006		2007		Change 2006 vs 2007
Clients (31/12)		Number		212,000		242,000		268,000		292,100		+9.0%
Financial advisors (31/12)		Number		520		546		582		781		+34.2%
Total sales commission		Euro million		26.1		30.7		37.7		49.4		+31.0%
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT)		Euro million		0.3		2.8		3.8		6.9		+81.6%
EBIT margin*		%		1.1		9.1		10.2		14.0		+3.8%-Pts.