AcadeMedia clarifies its dividend policy and introduces new financial key performance indicators

The Board of Directors at AcadeMedia has decided to clarify the Group’s dividend policy and at the same time introduce new financial key performance indicators relating to capital structure. The background to the decision is to clarify AcadeMedia’s capital structure and how capital should be allocated over time.

AcadeMedia’s new dividend policy reads:

AcadeMedia’s purpose is to provide quality education for the funding received. AcadeMedia’s free cash flow will primarily be reinvested in the business in order to maintain high quality and to finance future business development and growth. The Board of Directors deem that AcadeMedia should maintain a strong balance sheet and thereby high financial stability. Surplus may be distributed to the shareholders provided that AcadeMedia in all material respects meets its targets relating to quality and financial position. This can be done through dividend and/or through redemption of shares or similar methods provided all AcadeMedia’s shareholders are treated equally. AcadeMedia aims to distribute 30 percent of annual profits after tax as dividends.

The board have made the following considerations in formulating the new policy:

• AcadeMedia needs to have a strong balance sheet as the Swedish authorities require financial stability for independent education providers.
  There must never be any financial uncertainty surrounding AcadeMedia, which is a socially important company.
• The Board of Directors want to prioritise continued growth and allocate capital to strategic and value creating acquisitions when attractive opportunities, in line with the established strategy, arise.
• If the Board of Directors at any time deem that AcadeMedia is overcapitalised, excess can be distributed to shareholders through redemption of shares or similar methods provided that all AcadeMedia’s shareholders are treated equally.

Given that AcadeMedia has large lease obligations related to property, the Board of Directors have decided to implement new financial key performance indicators that take this into account and that can be applied when evaluating the company’s financial position. The new key ratios are:

• Net debt / adjusted EBITDA R12, including the effect of IFRS 16
• Debt ratio defined as Net debt / Total assets excluding cash and cash equivalents, including and excluding the effects of IFRS 16

For more information, please contact:

Marcus Strömberg, CEO
Telephone: +46 8 794 4200
E-mail: marcus.stromberg@academedia.se

Katarina Wilson, CFO
Telephone: +46 8 794 42 91
E-mail: Katarina.Wilson@academedia.se

About AcadeMedia

AcadeMedia creates opportunities for people to develop. The 18,800 employees at our 700 preschools, compulsory schools, upper secondary schools and adult education centres share a common focus on quality and development. Our 192,500 children and students are provided with a high quality education, giving them the best conditions to attain both learning objectives and their full potential as individuals. AcadeMedia is Northern Europe ́s largest education company, with locations/facilities/presence in Sweden, Norway, Germany, and Netherlands. Our size gives us the capacity to be a robust, long term partner to the communities we serve. More information about AcadeMedia is available on www.academedia.se.

This information is information that AcadeMedia AB is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 08:00 CET November 7, 2022.