DGAP-PVR: METRO AG: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution

On 25 October 2018 Mr. Daniel Křetínský and Mr. Patrik Tkáč notified us of the following:
 
'We refer to the voting rights notifications pursuant to Sections 33, 34 German Securities Trading Act ('WpHG') of Daniel Křetínský and Patrik Tkáč dated 5 October 2018 (group notifications) concerning METRO AG. We, acting on our own behalf as well as on behalf of Bermon94 a.s., EP Global Commerce a.s., EP Global Commerce GmbH und EP Global Commerce II GmbH (together the 'Notifying Persons'), for reason of exceeding the threshold of 10% of the voting rights resulting from shares in METRO AG, herewith inform you pursuant Section 43 WpHG about the objectives pursued with the acquisition of the voting rights and the origin of the funds used to make that certain acquisition as follows:

1. The acquisition of the voting rights serves the purpose of implementing strategic objectives.
    
2. We are directly and indirectly holders of option rights entitling us to acquire further up to 20.59% of the voting rights in METRO AG. We are directly and indirectly subject to a put option for approximately 5.4% of the voting rights. This put option will probably be exercised in case we do not exercise our corresponding call rights earlier. Against this background, we intend to acquire additional voting rights during the course of the next twelve months.
    
3. On the basis of our current stake in METRO AG, we seek to influence the composition of the supervisory board of METRO AG. In case we are represented in the supervisory board of METRO AG, we do not exclude to exert our influence on the composition of the management board of METRO AG.
    
4. Currently, we do not seek to materially change the capital structure of METRO AG, in particular regarding the ratio of equity and debt and the dividend policy.
    
5. Pursuant to Section 43 para. 1 sentence 4 WpHG, we hereby notify you, that EP Global Commerce GmbH and EP Global Commerce II GmbH used partly equity and partly debt capital to acquire the voting rights. Regarding the other Notifying Persons, the acquisition of voting rights occurred due to the attribution of voting rights in accordance with Section 34 para. 1 sentence 1 no. 1 WpHG. Therefore, neither equity nor debt capital has been used.'