BayWa sales RWA stake

• Operational transformation proceeding according to plan
• Sale of shares reduces the BayWa Group's bank liabilities by over 500 million Euro

BayWa AG completes the sale of its stake in RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft (RWA AG) announced on 27 December 2024 as planned.

One of the prerequisites for this was the approval now granted by the antitrust and investment control authorities in seven countries. With the sale, the 47.53 per cent stake in RWA AG will be transferred to an affiliated company of RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermögensverwaltung eGen (RWA eGen). The latter already holds 49.99% of RWA AG as well as a majority stake in Raiffeisen Agrar Invest AG (RAIG), one of BayWa AG's two major shareholders. The purchase price amounts to €176 million.

BayWa AG is thus successfully continuing its transformation. This includes organisational streamlining, numerous operational cost-cutting measures and the sale of major international shareholdings, while continuing to operate the core business areas of Agriculture, Building Materials, Agricultural Equipment, Heating Energy and Mobility. The funds released by the company sales can be used to strengthen the liquidity of business operations. The transformation of BayWa AG is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2028.

Dr Frank Hiller, CEO of BayWa, says: "The sale is the right step in the restructuring process, which is proceeding according to plan and is focussing on the business areas that make us strong. RAIG has once again proven to be a reliable partner that will remain a shareholder of BayWa. We greatly appreciate the dialogue with RWA, which has always been based on trust."

Michael Baur, CRO of BayWa, commented: "The sale of the RWA shares is another important milestone in our transformation until 2028. The sale of the shares will reduce the BayWa Group's bank liabilities by more than €500 million.”

RWA operates as a producer, service provider and retailer in the business areas of agriculture, technology, energy, building materials and home & garden. As the umbrella organisation of the Austrian Lagerhaus cooperatives, RWA provides them with a comprehensive range of services in the aforementioned areas. In addition, it operates a large number of holdings and subsidiaries in Austria and selected Eastern European countries. It has had a strategic alliance with BayWa AG since 1999 in the form of a cross-shareholding.

About BayWa AG

BayWa AG develops innovative and sustainable solutions for the basic needs of food, energy, mobility and housing. The company is headquartered in Munich and employs around 20,000 people. The parent company, founded in 1923, is headquartered in Munich. BayWa AG has its origins in co-operative agricultural trade with the task of supplying rural areas with everything that agriculture needs. Further information can be found at www.baywa.com/presse.