Shareholders of Koenig & Bauer AG vote at the physical Annual General Meeting in favour of all resolutions proposed by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board, thus confirming the path adopted

• Shareholders support the path adopted for enhancing profitability
• Professor Dr.-Ing. Raimund Klinkner, Dagmar Rehm and Dr Johannes Liechtenstein re-elected to the Supervisory Board by the shareholders
• At around 70%, substantially more voting-entitled share capital represented at the Annual General Meeting than in the previous year
• Excellent customer feedback on innovative production solutions and strong order placement during and after drupa
• drupa feeling also at the Würzburg Vogel Convention Center: Koenig & Bauer the “end-to-end provider of packaging production solutions”
• “Spotlight” focus programme also aimed at underpinning achievement of the Group’s targets

Würzburg, 26 June 2024 – At today’s Annual General Meeting, the shareholders of Koenig & Bauer AG, Würzburg (“Koenig & Bauer”, WKN: 719350 / ISIN: DE0007193500) approved of the votes of all the resolutions proposed by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. All in all, around 70% of the company’s share capital was represented at the physical Annual General Meeting in Würzburg, significantly more than in the previous year.

2023: Third consecutive EBIT increase – but still not a jubilant year

In his speech, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Professor Dr.-Ing Raimund Klinkner, outlined the main elements of the Supervisory Board’s activities in 2023, highlighting Koenig & Bauer’s favourable performance, which was characterised by the third consecutive increase in EBIT. This steady improvement is a clear sign of the company’s solid foundations and the determination with which it is pursuing its chosen path. However, he expressly emphasised that “2023 was not a year of unadulterated joy – we know that it is not solely a question of achieving goals, but also of securing sustained financial success,” adding that “we view 2024 as a year of transition. That said, we are seeing preliminary positive signs – things are headed upwards again slowly but surely.” The focus is now clearly on boosting profitability and effectively marketing the impressive innovative technological solutions that have been developed in recent years.

Innovativeness generating strong customer demand

Koenig & Bauer’s innovativeness also impressed customers, who were able to gain a comprehensive overview of an end-to-end packaging workflow in highly regarded presentations and demonstrations of pioneering digital innovations and technical innovations at drupa, the world’s largest and most important trade fair for printing technology in Düsseldorf, Germany. Since the end of May, Koenig & Bauer has been able to market new orders totalling €250m, including legally binding ones worth around €200m, both during and outside drupa.

At the Annual General Meeting, the shareholders present also had an opportunity of learning about the company’s forward-looking product portfolio and its innovativeness. The CEO Dr Andreas Pleßke was joined by Sandra Wagner, Head of the Digital Unit, in a demonstration showing the deployment in service operations of Kyana-Assist, the first AI chatbot in the printing industry.

drupa feeling also at the Würzburg Vogel Convention Center

A showroom featuring innovative packaging solutions – from digitally printed cosmetics packaging to a unique “package-in-a-package” solution imitating the Matryoshka doll – also underscored Koenig & Bauer’s central message: no matter what printing process or what substrate our customers use, there are no limits to what Koenig & Bauer can print on.

Koenig & Bauer positioning itself as the “end-to-end provider of packaging production solutions”

Koenig & Bauer is confirming the effectiveness of its strategy, especially compared to its very good peers who are either entering or re-entering markets and product categories that the company already addresses today. Now is the time to reap the fruits of this strategy. The launch of new products in the printing press and digital sector at drupa marks the end of this phase of the strategy. As Pleßke emphasises, “Koenig & Bauer has thus reinvented itself once again to become an end-to-end provider of packaging production solutions in many areas, offering analogue and digital printing presses, post-print production systems as well as a digital workflow and digital products, including the introduction of AI.” From now on, it is all about consistently implementing the strategy in sales and strengthening earnings potential through the “Spotlight” focus programme. In addition, commercial printing and banknote printing are generating diversification effects, ensuring a stable market position.

“Spotlight” focus programme also aimed at underpinning achievement of the Group’s targets

Dr Stephen Kimmich, Chief Financial Officer and the member of the Management Board responsible for the Special segment added: “Spotlight is focusing even more on initiatives and business models within our company in order to strengthen our profitability and financial strength. We are therefore working on revenue enhancement measures in profitable areas as well as on restructuring non-profit areas, which we will scale and adjust depending on the market situation and the positive impetus arising from and after drupa. The company confirms its guidance according to which the operating EBIT margin and revenue in the current year will remain stable at the previous year’s level. The path already taken to achieve an EBIT margin of 6 – 7 percent in 2026 at the latest, accompanied by Group revenue of €1.5bn, is also being supported by the Spotlight focus programme.

Professor Dr.-Ing. Raimund Klinkner, Dagmar Rehm and Dr Johannes Liechtenstein re-elected to the Supervisory Board

The shareholders re-elected Professor Dr.-Ing. Raimund Klinkner, Dagmar Rehm, and Dr Johannes Liechtenstein to the Supervisory Board with a large majority. In addition to the successful elections to the Supervisory Board, eleven other items on the agenda required resolutions by the shareholders, including the approval of the remuneration report and the revised remuneration system for the members of the Management Board, as well as resolutions authorising the Management Board to acquire treasury stock. In addition, various amendments to the articles of association necessitated approval by the shareholders. These items of the agenda were approved by a large majority, as was the election of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the external auditor and auditor of the consolidated financial statements, plus the ratification of the activities of the Management Board and Supervisory Board.

A detailed overview of the voting results for each item of the agenda as well as the key points of the speeches can be found on our website.