Subscription period began on Jan. 15 and is expected to end on Jan. 29. With new shares entitled to full dividend for fiscal year 2009, the rights offering is directed exclusively to existing shareholders of the company. Any new shares not subscribed can be acquired exclusively by existing shareholders by means of a supplemental subscription at the subscription price. Binding offers must be delivered during the subscription period.

The company intends to use the net proceeds primarily to finance its acquisition of the A10 Center in Wildau near Berlin, bought recently out of a liquidation. This total investment volume, including modernization and expansion planned by 2011, amounts to €265 million, of which €150 million will be financed by long-term debt. The holding company for DE's senior shareholder, the Otto family - KG CURA - has given a binding commitment to acquire up to a total of 3.15 million new shares at the subscription price by exercising its rights and delivering a binding supplemental offer. Commerzbank and DZ Bank are joint lead managers.

The group as recently as last July had its last capital increase, generating gross proceeds of €67 million by a boost of share capital to €37.8 million through partial use of authorized capital and excluding shareholders' subscription rights.