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Axel Springer AG / Key word(s): Acquisition 04.04.2012 11:22 Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ad-hoc announcement pursuant to § 15 WpHG (German Securities Trading Act) European Online Jobs Marketplace StepStone Acquires Totaljobs Group in the United Kingdom StepStone GmbH, parent company of the European StepStone Group and subsidiary of Axel Springer AG, is continuing with its international growth strategy by acquiring the Totaljobs Group, which operates among others the market leading jobs website Totaljobs.com in the United Kingdom. A sale and purchase agreement for the acquisition of all shares in Totaljobs Group Ltd. from Reed Business Information Ltd., of the Reed Elsevier Group, was concluded on 31 March 2012. The purchase price comes to approximately EUR 132 million (£110 million). The acquisition had been initially subject to the consent of the Supervisory Board of Axel Springer AG, which has been given today. The Totaljobs Group, with headquarters in London, was founded in 1999 and employs a staff of over 340 people, operating a total of seven job boards. Thus, Totaljobs Group is the largest online recruitment business in the United Kingdom. Every month, more than seven million unique visitors use the Totaljobs Group's platforms, making over four million applications. In 2011 Totaljobs Group served more than 24,000 UK companies of all sizes and industries, as well as recruitment and advertising agencies. In early March, Axel Springer AG and global growth investor, General Atlantic LLC, agreed to set up a joint venture and, by this strategic partnership, they created the conditions necessary for a growth offensive in the area of digital classifieds. Axel Springer's online classifieds business will be bundled into Axel Springer Digital Classifieds GmbH, with Axel Springer holding a 70% share, as majority shareholder, and General Atlantic holding a 30% share in this company. Along with StepStone, French and German real estate portals SeLoger and Immonet will also form part of Axel Springer Digital Classifieds. Berlin, 4 April 2012 Axel Springer AG Axel-Springer-Straße 65 D-10888 Berlin Investor Relations contact: Claudia Thomé +49 (0)30 2591-77421 claudia.thome@axelspringer.de 04.04.2012 DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Axel Springer AG Axel-Springer-Straße 65 10888 Berlin Germany Phone: +49 (0)30 2591-77421 Fax: +49 (0)30 2591-77422 E-mail: ir@axelspringer.de Internet: www.axelspringer.de ISIN: DE0005501357, DE0005754238 WKN: 550135, 575423 Indices: MDAX Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------