Discontinued operations generated a net loss of €713 million, down 183.1% on the prior-year figure of a net profit of €858 million. Adjusted for tax income of €150 million, net finance costs of €73 million and income from the reversal of negative goodwill arising from the increase in our share in Postbank in the amount of €81 million, EBIT from discontinued operations came to € –871 million. The decline is largely the result of one-time factors arising from the intensifying international financial market crisis, as described in the Notes.
Combining profit or loss from continuing and discontinued operations results
in a consolidated net loss of €1,979 million, or €3,852 million less than in 2007. Of this
figure, € –1,688 million is attributable to Deutsche Post shareholders – a decrease of
€3,071 million – whilst minority interests fell from €490 million to
€ –291 million. This
significant decline was primarily the result of Deutsche Post’s share in Postbank losses.
Basic and diluted earnings per share fell from €1.15 to € –1.40. Earnings per share from
continuing operations fell from €0.79 in the prior year to € –1.10, and earnings per share
from discontinued operations dropped from €0.36 to € –0.30.
A proposal will be made for the payment of a dividend per share of €0.60 (previous year: €0.90) at the Annual General Meeting on 21 April 2009. The total dividend will amount to €725 million. Based on the year-end closing price of Deutsche Post shares, the net dividend yield is 5.0%. The dividend will be distributed on 22 April 2009 and is tax-free for shareholders resident in Germany.