Neckarsulm, 14 March 2014 - In view of the record earnings in the fiscal year 2013 and the group's excellent liquidity, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board of Bechtle AG propose to the General Meeting to increase the dividend to €1.10 per share, an increase of 10 per cent or €0.10 per share.

The total amount paid out to the shareholders will thus amount to €23.1 million. This represents a dividend ratio of 36.4 per cent of the consolidated earnings after taxes. In relation to the annual closing price, the dividend yield is 2.2 per cent (prior year: 3.3 per cent).

Since the IPO in 2000, Bechtle has always let the shareholders have their share in the success of the company. If the Annual General Meeting adopts the proposal of the Executive Board and Supervisory Board, this will be the eighth increase of the normal dividend.

The Annual General Meeting of Bechtle AG will take place on 5 June 2014 in Heilbronn ("Harmonie" congress centre). The dividend will be paid from 6 June 2014.

Moreover, in the today's meeting of the Supervisory Board, it was unanimously resolved to nominate Dr Matthias Metz as a candidate for the up-coming election of a new member to the Supervisory Board on 5 June 2014 at the General Meeting. Should he be elected, the Supervisory Board plans to appoint Dr Matthias Metz Chairman of said Board. Currently, the company's co-founder Gerhard Schick is the interim Chairman, who was appointed to the position last year by order of the court when then Chairman Klaus Winkler stepped down. His mandate is set to expire at the conclusion of the General Meeting this 5 June.

Dr Matthias Metz, born 1952, obtained a degree in business after completing training as a certified banker. Having held various positions in renown banks, Dr Matthias Metz has been with the Bausparkasse Schwäbisch Hall AG since 1998, and a board member since 1999. In 2006 he was elected Head of the Executive Board. He plans to retire at the end of May 2014.

distributed by