Legal disclosures

Corporate governance statement

The corporate governance statement (pursuant to Sec. 289f HGB [“Handelsgesetzbuch”: German Commercial Code]) forms part of the combined management report and can be found at the Company’s website at http://cgs.hugoboss.com. It is also included in this annual report.

Non-financial statement

HUGO BOSS prepares a separate sustainability report containing the combined, separate non-financial report for the HUGO BOSS Group and HUGO BOSS AG in accordance with Sec. 289b (1), (3) HGB in connection with Sec. 315b (1), (3) HGB. The sustainability report for 2017 will be published on the Company’s website at http://sr2017.hugoboss.com on April 30, 2018 at the latest.

Disclosures under takeover law

The disclosures under takeover law pursuant to Sec. 289a (1) and Sec. 315a (1) HGB are presented and explained below. As far as the Managing Board is aware, there is no further need for any declarations under Sec. 176 (1) Sentence 1 AktG [“Aktiengesetz”: German Stock Corporation Act].

Composition of subscribed capital

The subscribed capital of HUGO BOSS AG is made up of 70,400,000 no-par value registered ordinary shares with an imputed share in share capital of EUR 1.00 each.

Restrictions on voting rights or the transfer of shares

There are no restrictions on voting rights or the transfer of shares.

Shares in the Company’s capital exceeding 10% of the voting rights

On the basis of the voting right notifications received by the Company on or before December 31, 2017 in accordance with Sec. 21, 22 WpHG [“Wertpapierhandelsgesetz”: German Securities Trading Act] (now Sec. 33, 34 WpHG), the following direct or indirect shares in the Company’s capital exceed 10% of the voting rights:

According to the voting right notification of June 9, 2016 received from PFC S.r.l., Vicenza, Italy, this company directly holds 4.13% of the voting rights pursuant to Sec. 21 WpHG (now Sec. 33 WpHG), and pursuant to Sec. 22 WpHG (now Sec. 34 WpHG), an additional 6.00% of the voting rights of Zignago Holding S.p.A., Fossalta di Portogruaro, Italy, has been attributed to PFC S.r.l. In addition, Zignago Holding S.p.A., Fossalta di Portogruaro, Italy, directly holds 6.00% of the voting rights pursuant to Sec. 21 WpHG (now Sec. 33 WpHG), and pursuant to Sec. 22 WpHG (now Sec. 34 WpHG) an additional 4.13% of the voting rights of PFC S.r.l., Vicenza, Italy, has been attributed to Zignago Holding S.p.A. In total, the investments thus exceed 10% of the voting rights. HUGO BOSS AG has not been notified of any other direct or indirect capital investments that exceed 10% of the voting rights.

All notifications on changes in the share of voting rights held can be found at financialreleases.hugoboss.com. In addition, the reportable shares notified in fiscal year 2017 are set out in the annual financial statements of HUGO BOSS AG for fiscal year 2017.

Shares with special rights granting control authority

There are no shares with special rights granting control authority.

Voting right controls for shares held by employees in the Company’s capital

There are no voting right controls applicable to employees who hold shares in the capital of HUGO BOSS AG and are unable to directly exercise their control rights.

Appointment and dismissal of the Managing Board

The appointment and dismissal of members of the Managing Board of HUGO BOSS AG is in accordance with Sec. 84 and Sec. 85 AktG and Sec. 31 MitbestG [“Mitbestimmungsgesetz”: Co-Determination Act] in conjunction with Art. 6 of the Articles of Association. In accordance with Art. 6 (1) of the Articles of Association, the Managing Board comprises at least two members. The number of members of the Managing Board is determined by the Supervisory Board pursuant to Art. 6 (2) of the Articles of Association. The Supervisory Board can appoint a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman of the Managing Board. The Supervisory Board can revoke a person’s appointment to the Managing Board and appointment to the position of Chairman of the Managing Board for due cause. In accordance with Art. 6 (3) of the Articles of Association, members of the Managing Board may not, as a rule, be older than 60 years of age when they are appointed. They are appointed by the Supervisory Board for no more than five years.

Amendments to the Articles of Association

Amendments to the Articles of Association are made by resolutions passed at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. Unless prescribed otherwise by the German Stock Corporation Act, resolutions are passed pursuant to Art. 17 (2) of the Articles of Association by simple majority of the votes cast and – if a majority of the capital represented when passing a resolution is required – by simple majority of the share capital represented when the resolution is passed. Pursuant to Art. 20 of the Articles of Association, the Supervisory Board is authorized to make amendments to the Articles of Association that only affect the wording.

Powers of the Managing Board with respect to the issue and repurchase of shares

The Managing Board of HUGO BOSS AG may, with the Supervisory Board’s consent, increase the share capital by up to EUR 35,200,000.00 on or before May 12, 2019, by issuing up to 35,200,000 new registered shares on a cash and/or non-cash basis once or repeatedly (Authorized Capital). In general, shareholders have a subscription right. However, the Managing Board is authorized, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, to exclude the subscription rights of shareholders up to a maximum of 20% of the share capital (a) to avoid fractional amounts, (b) in the case of a capital increase in exchange for contributions in kind, and (c) in the event that the issue price of the new shares in cash-based capital increases is not significantly below the quoted price of the existing quoted shares at the time the issue price is finally determined, which time should be as close as possible to the time at which the shares are placed; whereby in case (c) the shares issued, including any own shares sold under exclusion of subscription rights pursuant to Sec. 186 (3) Clause 4 AktG may not exceed 10% of the share capital either at the time this authorization becomes effective or at the time when it is exercised.

Pursuant to the resolution of the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of May 12, 2015, the Managing Board is authorized on or before May 11, 2020, to acquire own shares of the Company up to a total share of no more than 10% of the share capital outstanding as of May 12, 2015, or, if this value is lower, the share capital outstanding at the time of the authorization is exercised. The authorization can be exercised directly by HUGO BOSS AG, by a company dependent on HUGO BOSS AG or in which it holds a majority interest, or by commissioned third parties and permits the acquisition of own shares fully or in partial amounts, once or several times. The acquisition can be made through the stock exchange or a public offer addressed to all shareholders to submit sale offers or through the granting of put options to the shareholders. The authorization also allows for a restriction of the principle of equal treatment of all shareholders and any rights of the shareholders to sell shares to the Company in connection with the acquisition of the shares.

Own shares acquired under this authorization can be sold again through the stock exchange or through an offer addressed to all shareholders (also while excluding subscription rights of shareholders). They can alternatively be redeemed as compensation, precluding the subscription rights of the shareholders, for the acquisition of companies and investments in companies, for sale at a price that does not fall materially short of the current quoted price and for the admission of the share to foreign stock exchanges. The Managing Board is also authorized to exclude fractional amounts from the subscription rights of shareholders for own shares with the consent of the Supervisory Board and to therefore prevent the offering of own shares to persons with a present or past employment relationship with HUGO BOSS AG. By resolution of the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of May 12, 2015, the Managing Board is further authorized to acquire own shares using equity derivatives.

Change of control regulations

The syndicated loan taken out by HUGO BOSS AG and HUGO BOSS International B.V. and guaranteed by HUGO BOSS AG as well as the bilateral lines of credit contain customary conditions that grant the contracting parties additional termination rights in the event of a change of control – known as “change of control clauses”.

Compensation agreements

The service agreements of the members of the Managing Board contain a provision under which, in the event of a change of control (acquisition of more than 30% of the voting rights in HUGO BOSS AG), the contracting parties are granted an additional termination right under certain circumstances and, if the service agreement is in fact terminated, the member of the Managing Board must be compensated. Compensation Report