Rödl & Partner advises STS Group AG in its IPO in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange

Nuremberg, 13 June 2018: Rödl & Partner assisted the STS Group AG in its IPO on the Regulated Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) and comprehensively advised the company on the related financial and tax aspects. Throughout the whole process, the STS Group was advised by an international and interdisciplinary Rödl & Partner team specialised in accounting matters and led by the Partners Christian Landgraf and Jan Henning Storbeck.

Key areas of the provided service included, among other things, the conversion of the STS Group's financial reporting worldwide to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the preparation of purchase price allocations (PPA) and assistance in preparing the IFRS consolidated financial statements for the financial years 2017 and 2016. In addition, Rödl & Partner advised the issuer on the preparation of pro forma financial statements for the 2017 financial year and on the preparation of the securities prospectus, and also assisted the issuer in the company's admission to trading procedure by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority [Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht]. 

The STS Group – one of the world's leading commercial vehicle system suppliers to the automotive industry – is a subsidiary of the holding company Mutares AG. With an issue price of 24 euros per share, STS Group AG was valued at 144 million euros on 1 June 2018. Thus, the issue price of 24 euros per share results in an issue volume of more than 55 million euros. The funds raised from the IPO will serve the STS Group to primarily finance its further expansion in China and North America, and to further expand production to include Eastern Europe. Furthermore, plans to use the fresh capital also include expanding automation and focusing on technological trends. 

The STS Group develops, produces and sells plastic components, systems and acoustic parts, primarily for light and heavy commercial vehicles and passenger cars. It is considered a technological leader in the manufacturing of plastic injection moulds, special acoustic products and the material SMC, which is used particularly in lightweight construction, and has a comprehensive customer portfolio of international commercial vehicle and automobile manufacturers (OEMs). The STS Group currently employs approximately 2,500 employees.

Mutares AG acquires medium-sized companies and parts of groups that are sold as part of repositioning and have clear potential for operational improvement. Mutares actively supports and develops its portfolio companies with its own investment and expert teams as well as through strategic add-on acquisitions.  Mutares AG shares are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the Scale 30 index. Mutares AG currently employs approx. 3,200 employees and will remain the majority shareholder in the STS Group until further notice also after the IPO.

Advisers to the STS Group AG worldwide

Rödl & Partner Germany – Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Christian Landgraf, German Public Auditor, CPA (U.S.), Partner

(Central coordination, overall project leader)

Jan Henning Storbeck, German Public Auditor, Partner

(Project leader: IFRS conversion, project leader: IFRS consolidated financial statements)

Andreas Brunnhübner, Certified Tax Consultant, Associate Partner

(Project leader: tax accounting)

Christoph Lebschi, Certified Valuation Analyst, Senior Associate
(Project leader: pro-forma financial statements)

Georg Beyer, Certified Tax Consultant, Associate Partner

Annette Heuser, Certified Public Auditor, Associate Partner

Hendrik Bachmann, Associate

Thomas Fink, Associate

Miriam Kreß, Associate

Jan-Niklas Meese, Associate

Rödl & Partner Germany – Transaction & Valuation Services

Stefan Herrmann, Certified Valuation Analyst, Partner

(Project leader: purchase price allocation)

Nina Schneider, German Public Auditor, CFA, Associate Partner

Christoph Hirt, CFA, Associate Partner

Gökhan Aslan, Senior Associate

Andreas van Bebber, Senior Associate

Kai Schmidt, Senior Associate

Christoph Pauli, Associate

Rödl & Partner France - Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Dr. Christian Maier, German Public Auditor, CPA (U.S.), Associate Partner

Timotheus Tangermann, Attorney at Law, Avocat à la Cour, Associate Partner

Maximilian Egger, CFA, Senior Associate

Jean Seguineau, Avocat à la Cour, Associate

Rödl & Partner Italy - Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Claudio Finanze, Certified Public Auditor (Italy), Certified Tax Consultant (Italy), Associate Partner

Licollari Skevi, Certified Public Auditor (Italy), Certified Tax Consultant (Italy), Senior Associate

Sonia Perone, Certified Tax Consultant (Italy), Associate

Paolo Zani, Certified Tax Consultant (Italy), Associate

Emanuele Spagnoletti Zeuli, Certified Public Auditor (Italy), Certified Tax Consultant (Italy), Associate

Rödl & Partner Mexico - Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Jan Adams, German Public Auditor, Certified Tax Consultant, Associate Partner

Rödl & Partner Brazil - Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Thomas Grieme, German Public Auditor, CPA (U.S.), Certified Public Auditor (Brazil), Associate Partner

Karen Steuer, Attorney at Law (Brazil), Certified Public Auditor (Brazil), Senior Associate

Marcos Massignan, Certified Public Auditor (Brazil), Associate

Joachim Rohr, Associate

Rödl & Partner Shanghai - Capital Markets & Accounting Advisory Services

Gary Zang, Certified Public Auditor (China), Partner

Peggy Ji, Certified Public Auditor (China), Associate Partner

Ethan Xie, Associate