Business Wire Expands Regulatory Compliance Solutions for German Listed Companies
Business Wire today announced a total disclosure solution for
German listed companies, introducing a full suite of compliance
services designed to meet the strictly defined disclosure requirements
of the BaFin, Germany's financial markets regulator.
As the only international disclosure service with a Frankfurt
office, Business Wire is uniquely positioned to serve as a "one-stop
shop," enabling German companies to consolidate their regulatory
compliance and worldwide media distribution activities through one
globally-branded service provider. With its expanded portfolio of
Germany-specific IR solutions, companies listed on the Deutsche Boerse
or any of Germany's other half-dozen equities exchanges are now able
to rely on Business Wire to satisfy all statutory notification
obligations. Business Wire is an official listing partner of the
Deutsche Boerse.
Business Wire's menu of disclosure products include distribution
to all major market-moving news services and desktop terminal
networks, financial portals and websites, the centralized German
company register (Unternehmensregister), and Business Wire's
industry-leading "Best Practices" TOD pan-European media network.
Business Wire's German disclosure options include:
Ad Hoc Disclosure: Primary and secondary-listed companies are able
to fulfill BaFin disclosure standards in German or English.
Total Voting Rights: Meets ss. 21 WpHG requirements, which
stipulate that issuers must disseminate total voting rights based on
movement within strictly defined parameters. In accordance with ss.
26a WpHG, an updated total voting rights declaration must be
disseminated at the end of any month when changes have occurred.
Financial News: Satisfies ss.ss. 37v ff. WpHG, which requires
issuers to disseminate half-year, intermediate and annual reports as
well as other financial statements (e.g. intermediate reports of the
management) on a pan-European basis.
Directors' Dealings: Enables members of corporate, executive, and
supervisory boards, as well as personally liable partners of German
exchange-listed companies, to satisfy all requirements pursuant to ss.
15a WpHG. Reports detailing share transactions by key management and
other knowledgeable corporate "insiders" are forwarded to the German
Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). A 30-day
client-specific archive is included.
WpUG: Provides a compliance platform for alerting the marketplace
to merger and acquisition-related activities, in accordance with
relevant provisions of the Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act.
Deutsche Borse Exchange Reporting Service (ERS): Submission of
electronic filings of regulatory and corporate documents to Frankfurt
Stock Exchange. Prime and General Standard Segment companies
(voluntary for General Standard issuers) are able to file Quarterly
Reports, Annual Reports, Corporate Calendars, Dividends and Corporate
Actions via Business Wire to the ERS system.
"Business Wire's portfolio of compliance products means that
German companies no longer have to deal with multiple service
providers in coordinating different aspects of their communications
plan," said Michael Becker, Business Wire's vice president, global
disclosure and financial reporting services. "Our
single-point-of-contact solution for local regulatory disclosure,
regional, and worldwide media coverage enables busy IR practitioners
and corporate communicators to focus on the message, rather than the
complex logistics, of a project. No one else equals Business Wire's
ease-of-use, cost-effectiveness, or global reach."
In addition to its compliance services, Business Wire offers the
most extensive coverage of the German media and financial community
via a combination of leading news agency and financial information
platforms, including network access agreements with vwd, ddp,
Associated Press and Agence-France Presse.
About Business Wire
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is utilized by
thousands of member companies and organizations to transmit their
full-text news releases, regulatory filings, photos and other
multimedia content to journalists, news media, trade publications,
institutional and individual investors, financial information
services, regulatory authorities, Internet portals, information web
sites, business-to-business decision-makers and consumers worldwide.
With a news distribution network spanning 150 countries and 45
languages, Business Wire's multi-channel delivery network, has access
to some 60 international and national news agency networks throughout
the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
The Business Wire news network is powered by its patented NX
high-speed data platform and supports XML, XHTML and XBRL code to
deliver the most sophisticated news file to enhance news release
interactivity, customization and search engine optimization. Business
Wire has 30 bureaus in cities including New York, San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Paris, Frankfurt, London, Brussels,
Tokyo and Sydney with reciprocal offices throughout the world.
Business Wire was founded in 1961 by Chairman Lorry I. Lokey, veteran
journalist and public relations executive. Cathy Baron Tamraz is
president and CEO.