The Mondadori Group is among the companies who have won the Randstad Employer Brand 2017, the award given by Randstad – the world’s second largest player in the human resources services sector player – of the basis of the most complete and representative global survey on employer branding.

The result of the survey show that the Mondadori Group is Italy’s third most sought after company, and the only company included form the media, news and culture sector.

“We are extremely proud to have received this award in a period when the Mondadori Group is growing, following an extraordinary year that marked a trunaround for the company,” commented Daniele Sacco, the Mondadori Group’s head of human resources and services. “The two big acquisitions of 2016, of Rcs Libri and Banzai Media, have enabled the Group to consolidate its leadership in the core businesses, books and magazines. And this has led to the integration of additional know-how and new professional profiles, which have joined the excellent resources that already exist inside Mondadori,” Sacco underlined. “But, in a market in continuous transformation like that of publishing, it is essential to be constantly open to change. Our aim is to pursue excellence not only in business terms, but also in the HR area and there is still much to do. Mondadori will need to be increasingly able to attract and develop talent in order to go on creating an environment that is stimulating, enhancing and inclusive.”

The Randstad Employer Brand study, commissioned by the TNS research institute, was conducted independently – i.e. no company can put their own name forward for inclusion –  on a sample of over 160,000 people in 26 countries with an extensive analysis of almost 5,500 companies. The study measured the perceived attractiveness of Italian companies for potential employees. In Italy over 5,000 people, aged between 18 and 65,  were interviewed, between November and December 2016 a sample that included people in employment, students and unemployed who were asked, “Where would you like to work?” and given a list of 150 companies with over 1000 employees, based in Italy and operating in 17 different sectors.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. hereby informs that the following documents are available from today at the Company’s registered office, at the authorized storage mechanism 1Info (www.1info.it) and on the website www.gruppomondadori.it (Governance section):

• the 2016 Annual Report, which includes the draft financial statements, the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2016, the Directors’ Report on Operations, and the certifications pursuant to art. 154 bis, par. 5 of Legislative Decree no. 58/1998;
• the annual financial statements of Banzai Media S.r.l.;
• the Independent Auditors’ reports;
• the Statutory Auditors’ report;
• the report on corporate governance and ownership structure for the year 2016;
• the remuneration report pursuant to art. 123-ter of Legislative Decree no. 58/1998.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. hereby informs that the notice of call of the Annual General Meeting on 27 April 2017, and the Directors’ reports, pursuant to art. 125-ter of Legislative Decree 58/1998 of the Italian Civil Code, on the following items on the agenda, to be discussed at both ordinary and extraordinary sessions, are available at the Company’s registered office, at the authorized storage mechanism 1info (www.1info.it), and on the website www.gruppomondadori.it (Governance section):

– proposed confirmation of Director Paolo Ainio, co-opted pursuant to art. 2386 of the Italian Civil Code, and consequent resolutions;

– authorization for the purchase and sale of treasury shares, pursuant to the combined provisions of articles 2357 and 2357-ter of the Italian Civil Code;

– resolutions, pursuant to art. 114-bis of the TUF, on the granting of financial instruments;

– amendments to articles 7 and 17 of the Company by-laws.

Also made available, in the above manners, the Information Document on the 2017-2019 Performance Share Plan, prepared in accordance with Annex 3A, under the provisions of art. 84-bis of the Issuer Regulation.

The notice of call of the AGM was published today also in the newspaper indicated in the notice.

The additional documents regarding the AGM will be made available, in the manners above, within the time limits established by current laws.

With regard to Consob’s request, pursuant to art. 114, par. 5 of Legislative Decree no. 58/98, concerning press rumours, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. informs that on 9 February 2017, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a Group business-financial plan for the 2017-2019 period.

The plan envisages operational targets which, on a like-for-like basis, would allow to expect in 2019 consolidated revenue above 1.3 billion euro, an adjusted EBITDA[1] of approximately 115 million euro, a net profit of 35 million euro, ordinary cash flow close to 60 million euro, and a net financial position of around 155 million euro, net of the impact of any dividend distribution.

As previously disclosed to the market, the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Parent Company will be held next 21 March to approve the annual financial statements and the consolidated financial statements of the Mondadori Group for the year ended 31 December 2016, during which, as usual, the Board will announce the guidance for the current financial year.

[1] Adjusted EBITDA: net of income and expenses of a non-ordinary nature.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. today announced – as per Art. 2.6.2 of the regulations governing markets organised and managed by Borsa Italiana S.p.A. – the corporate events scheduled for 2017:

• Tuesday 21 March 2017: meeting of the Board of Directors for the approval of the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2016;
• Thursday 11 May 2017: meeting of the Board of Directors for the approval of the 1st Quarter Report to 31 March 2017;
• Thursday 27 July 2017: meeting of the Board of Directors for the approval of the Interim Report to 30 June 2017;
• Thursday 9 November 2017: meeting of the Board of Directors for the approval of the 3rd Quarter Report to 30 September 2017.

The Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders for the approval of the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2016 will be held on Thursday 27 April 2017.

Analysts’ presentations of the results for the full year to 31 December 2016, the interim report to 30 June 2017 and the reports on the first and third quarters of 2017 will be held on the dates, as indicated above, of the respective meetings of the Board of Directors.

Any eventual changes will be promptly communicated to the market.

Mention should be made that Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A., as a company listed on the STAR segment of Borsa Italiana, will publish the interim reports on operations at 31 March 2017 and at 30 September 2017 – pursuant to art. 2.2.3, par. 3, of the Borsa Italiana Regulations – within 45 days after the end of the first, third and fourth quarters of the year (with exemption from the publication of the interim report on the fourth quarter if the annual financial report, together with the other documents referred to in art. 154 – ter, par. 1, of the Finance Consolidation Act, is made available within 90 days after year end). The interim reports on operations will be made available, in accordance with current regulations, at the Company’s registered office, on the Company’s website www.gruppomondadori.it (Investors section), and through the authorized storage mechanism (www.1info.it), together with the relating press releases.

Effective today, Daniele Sacco is the new Director of Human Resources and Organization of Mondadori Group, reporting directly to CEO Ernesto Mauri.

Born in Milan in 1961, Sacco earned a degree in political science at the Università Cattolica in 1986.He started his professional career at HP Italiana S.p.A. as HR coordinator (1986-1990). Following a stint at Cedborsa S.p.A. (1990-1993) as HR and Organization Director, in 1993 he returned to HP, holding increasing responsibilities until becoming HR Director of Hardcopy Division and HP Italy (1994-1997).From 1997 to 2004, Sacco worked with the Kraft Food Group, initially as HR Director of Kraft Jacobs Suchard Italia S.p.A. (1997-1999), then as Management and Organizational Development Director E.U. Region at Kraft Food International.From 2004 to 2011, he held positions of increasing responsibility at Ferrero International, becoming Director HR and Organization Global Commercial, reporting directly to the CEO, and board member of various group companies (2010-2011).From 2011 to 2016 he was at Rio Tinto, until 2013 as Vice President HR Diamonds and Minerals, then as Chief Operating Officer HR.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. announces the purchase on the MTA (Electronic Stock Market), in the period from 30 November to 2 December 2016, of a total of no. 80,000 treasury shares (0.031% of the share capital) at an average unit price of €0.9133, for a total amount of €73,061.5, under the authorization to purchase treasury shares resolved by the Shareholders’ Meeting on 21 April 2016 (previously subject to disclosure also pursuant to art. 144-bis of Consob Regulation 11971/1999).

Mention should be made that, in accordance with the announcement made on 29 November 2016, the purchase of treasury shares is instrumental in the Specialist’s support to the liquidity of the share on the STAR segment.

Details of the buyback day by day:

Following these transactions, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. to date directly owns no. 80,000 treasury shares, equal to 0.031% of the share capital.

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Mention should be made that the Shareholders’ Meeting held on 21 April 2016 had authorized the purchase of a maximum amount of 26,145,834 treasury shares, enabling the Company to reach the cap of 10% of its share capital.

The authorization to purchase treasury shares shall last until the approval of the financial statements at 31 December 2016 and, in any case, for a period not exceeding 18 months from the effective date of the resolution made by the Shareholders’ Meeting.

Under the authorization, purchases are made – pursuant to art. 132 of Legislative Decree n. 58/98 and art. 144-bis, par. 1, letter b) of Consob Regulation no. 11971/1999 – on the regulated markets according to the operating criteria established in the organization and management regulations of the same markets, which do not allow the direct matching of buy orders against predetermined sell orders, and also in compliance with any additional applicable regulations.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. announces that it has completed the transfer today, through its subsidiary Rizzoli Libri S.p.A., of the Bompiani business unit to Giunti Editore S.p.A.

The total price of the transaction, cashed in today, amounts to 16.5 million euro, 5.3 million euro of which related to assets transferred to the buyer.

The transfer of Bompiani was completed in accordance with the remedies set out in the provision issued by the Antitrust Authority, as part of the acquisition of Rizzoli Libri completed on 14 April 2016.

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Notice is given that the minutes relating to the Board of Directors’ approval of the plan on the merger of the wholly-owned company Banzai Media S.r.l., as announced on 8 November 2016, are available at the Company’s registered office, through the authorized storage mechanism 1info (www.1info.it) and on the Company website www.gruppomondadori.it (Governance section).

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. announces that, under provision no. 8291, Borsa Italiana S.p.A. has granted today the STAR (Segment for High Requirement Shares) qualification to the ordinary shares of the Company, and their trading on this segment of the Electronic Stock Market (MTA).

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. has successfully completed the admission process, having met all the requirements, the governance characteristics and the procedures under the Regulations of the markets organized and managed by Borsa Italiana.

“Our admission to the STAR segment of Borsa Italiana marks a further step on the path of development that Mondadori Group has taken over the past three years, positioning itself among the top companies listed on the Italian stock market”, said Ernesto Mauri, CEO of Mondadori Group.

“2016 has been a turning point that has changed the history of our Company: over the past few months, we have continued to focus on our core business – Books and Magazines – also through two important acquisitions, Rizzoli Libri and Banzai Media, achieved thanks to our financial strength”, stressed Ernesto Mauri. “Next week we will embark on a new path towards the further development of our relations with the market and with Italian and international investors, which will shine greater light on Mondadori Group’s business activities, in order to enhance the value of our Company, also through corporate governance practices that are in line with best international standards and through high levels of liquidity of our share”, ended Mauri.

The first trading day on the STAR segment is scheduled on 7 December 2016; EQUITA SIM S.p.A. will act as Specialist of the share.

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Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. also announces its intention to start, from today, a share buyback programme for a maximum of no. 80,000 shares (0.031% of the share capital), in compliance with applicable legislation and within the limits set out by the resolution adopted by the Shareholders’ Meeting held on 21 April 2016, instrumental in the Specialist’s support to the liquidity of the share.

Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. shares will be bought back on the MTA in accordance with art. 144-bis, par. 1, lett. b) of Consob Regulation 11971/1999, with the legislation under European Regulation no. 596/2014, and with other applicable provisions, in order to ensure, inter alia, equal treatment of shareholders, pursuant to art. 132 of the T.U.F..

To date, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore S.p.A. holds no treasury shares in its portfolio.

The new completely redesigned and more functional corporate web site of the Mondadori Group www.gruppomondadori.it is now online.

The site enriches the digital identity of the Mondadori Group with a communication ecosystem which, though the site itself and social media networks, provides daily updates on the company’s products and people.

“For a company that for over 100 years has been a leading player in publishing, culture and entertainment, and today, more than ever, is in continuous evolution and projected towards a future of innovation and development, it is fundamental to have a means for communication and dialogue that is in step with the interactive habits of the public,” declared Ernesto Mauri, chief executive of the Mondadori Group. “A strong, multichannel digital presence enables us to talk about who we are and what we’re doing in books and magazines while enormously enhancing our relationship with all out stakeholders and contacts.”

The new site has been designed to improve the user experience, making it easier to navigate, facilitating sharing on social networks and providing information in a clear and immediate way for readers, customers, investors and media professionals.

The content, organised by areas – About us, Our brands, Governance, Investors, Sustainability, Media, Work with us – are enhanced with images, figures and infographics, in a design developed to ensure access also on tablets and smartphones.

Updates about the Group, as well as brand activities and products will appear immediately on the home page, giving visitors an overview of Mondadori’s activities and situation in Italy, France and around the world.

Particular attention has been given to the pursuit of sustainability and the Group’s commitment to create social and cultural value, with an approach that cuts across all the different sections of the site.

The development of the site will continue through a process of ongoing updates, conceived especially for users, to enable the company to dialogue also on social networks.

The Mondadori Group has a corporate account on LinkedIn, to interact with professionals from other Italian media companies; on Twitter to keep track of business and financial news with the hashtag #MNMI and the most important news about the brands; on Facebook, to report on the company’s activities and listen to customers, users and readers, and, finally, on Instagram, where the Group made its debut with the #NoiDellaMondadori project, dedicated to the people who work for Mondadori, at Mondadori and with Mondadori.