Klöckner & Co: Sales and earnings for fiscal year 2008 rise markedly above previous year´s levels - outlook unclear

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ots.CorporateNews transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer is responsible for
the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

balance/previous year's figures

Duisburg (euro adhoc) - Duisburg, January 30, 2009 - Klöckner & Co
increased its sales by about 6% to EUR6.7 billion during fiscal year
2008, preliminary results show. This growth in sales was fueled in
large part by acquisitions and price increases during the first nine
months of the year.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization) climbed by about 60%, rising from EUR371 million in
2007 to about EUR595 million. This figure includes non-recurring
items resulting from a book gain of about EUR260 million generated by
the sale of business units and assets as well as a charge totaling
EUR79 million arising from a reserve for the anti-trust fine imposed
on the French subsidiary of Klöckner & Co SE, KDI SAS.

Excluding non-recurring items, operating EBITDA amounted to about
EUR415 million in 2008, climbing around 25% over 2007.

The amount of tonnage sold during the year fell by 8% to about 6
million tons. The figure reflects the impact of the sale of the
Canadian company Namasco Ltd., a loss that could not be offset by the
newly acquired businesses.

Net cash indebtedness, which peaked at EUR1,072 million towards the
end of the second quarter of 2008, was cut significantly to EUR570
million, or nearly in half. This decrease was achieved through the
sale of business units and the capital release from a reduction in
net working capital, in particular from destocking.

While Klöckner & Co SE generated another strong overall result in
fiscal year 2008, this performance was only the result of positive
developments in the first nine months of the year. Business
developments in the fourth quarter reflected the impact of negative
economic developments around the world. During the fourth quarter of
2008, plunging prices and sales volumes produced a 7% decrease in
sales compared with the fourth quarter of 2007. The operational loss
of around EUR65 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2008
resulted primarily from price-related inventory write-downs of about
EUR60 million.

In response to growing problems in the real economy and financial
markets, Klöckner & Co initiated an extensive cost-cutting program in
September 2008. Nonetheless, negative economic effects on sales and
margins will be reflected in earnings. At the same time, prevailing
economic uncertainties make it impossible to issue any guidance about
the direction of fiscal year 2009 at this point in time.

Klöckner & Co will release detailed information and its final results
for fiscal year 2008 on March 31, 2009. The information will be
available on the Internet beginning at 8 a.m. (CEST) at
www.kloeckner.de.

About Klöckner & Co: Klöckner & Co is the largest
producer-independent distributor of steel and metal products in the
European and North American markets combined. The core business of
the Klöckner & Co Group is the storage and distribution of steel and
non-ferrous metals. About 210,000 active customers are supplied
through more than 260 distribution locations in 15 countries in
Europe and North America. During the financial year 2007, the Company
achieved sales of approximately EUR6.3 billion with more than 10,000
employees. The shares of Klöckner & Co SE are admitted to trading on
the official market segment (Amtlicher Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock
Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierbörse) with simultaneous admission to
the sub-segment (Prime Standard) to the official market with further
post-admission obligations. ISIN: DE000KC01000; WKN: KC0100; Common
Code: 025808576. Klöckner & Co shares are listed in the MDax® Index
of Deutsche Börse.

end of announcement euro adhoc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ots Originaltext: Klöckner & Co SE
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Peter Ringsleben - Corporate Communications

Phone: +49-203-307-2800

E-mail: peter.ringsleben@kloeckner.de

Claudia Uhlendorf - Corporate Communications

Phone: +49-203-307-2289

E-mail: claudia.uhlendorf@kloeckner.de

Dr. Thilo Theilen - Investor Relations

Phone: +49-203-307-2050

E-Mail: thilo.theilen@kloeckner.de

Branche: Metal Goods & Engineering
ISIN: DE000KC01000
WKN: KC0100
Index: MDAX, CDAX, Classic All Share, Prime All Share
Börsen: Börse Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Börse Berlin / free trade
Börse Hamburg / free trade
Börse Stuttgart / free trade
Börse Düsseldorf / free trade
Börse München / free trade