Japan: Asahi Brewery’s notice on the year-end dividend for the year ended December 2005

Asahi Breweries, Ltd. published on January 31, 2006 the notice on the Year-End Dividend (Increase in Dividend) for the Year Ended December 2005 (82nd fiscal term).

Notice is hereby given that at the boad of Directors meeting of Asahi Breweries, Ltd. ("the Company"), held on January 31, 2006, it was resolved that the Company would revise and increase its year-end dividend.

1. Reason for revision
The Company's one of the most important policy is return to shareholders to maintain stable, continuous dividend payments. To carry out this policy, we consider various factor together, such as performance and strengthen financial condition.

The Company planned to pay a year-end dividend of 7.50 yen per share for the current fiscal year. Considering financial conditions and annual earnings forecast based on the mid-term management plan and the importance of returning profits to shareholders, however, the Company has revised dividend forecast upward, so that the year-end dividend per share will be increased from 7.5 yen to 9.5 yen, and the annual dividend per share from 15 yen to 17 yen.
The proposal for appropriation of retained earnings involved in the dividend amounts above will be submitted to the 82nd Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for late March 2006.

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .