DGAP-News: Altira's subsidiary VCH with the best Natural Resources Investment fund in one-year and three-year comparisons

Altira AG / Miscellaneous

09.01.2008 

Release of a Corporate-announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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++ Annual assessment of VCH investment funds
++ VCH Expert Natural Resources takes first place in one-year and 
   three-year comparisons

VCH Expert Natural Resources (WKN: A0B L7N), which is managed by Altira
subsidiary VCH Investment Group AG, took first place as at 31 December 2007
in both a one-year and three-year performance ranking* comparing all
commodity funds approved in Germany. The fund’s three-year performance of
244.9 per cent and outperformance by over 150 per cent relative to the
benchmark index, Morgan Stanley Commodity Related Equity Index, provided an
impressive confirmation of the title of 'Europe’s best commodity fund'
bestowed on it by the International Herald Tribune. The fund rose by 46.7
per cent in 2007 alone, to outperform its benchmark by 18.2 per cent.

This performance was also reflected in the assets under management by VCH
Expert Natural Resources, which exceeded a record level of EUR 300 million
at the end of the year, at the same time that the fund took first place.

Wolfgang Mayr Vermögensverwaltung GmbH assists in the management of the
fund, using a quantitative analysis model to select individual securities
from the global investment universe.

Another important factor that contributes to the success of VCH Expert
Natural Resources and sets it apart from most of the other funds in its
comparison group is that the fund is broadly diversified and invests in all
types of primary commodity producers, that is, producers of gold and other
precious and non-precious metals, crude oil and gas companies, and
agricultural and forestry companies. This gives the fund the opportunity to
offset weaknesses in one sector by shifting investments into other areas.

Analysts and rating agencies have also recognized the fund’s consistent
achievement of excellent performance since its launch. Standard & Poor’s
awarded the fund a highly coveted 'A' rating, Telos an 'AA' rating, and
Sauren 2 gold medals. Morningstar awarded the fund its top 5-star rating,
and citywire recently named Wolfgang Mayr the best manager in Europe in
this segment. 

Many more VCH investment funds can also look back on excellent performance
achieved in 2007. For example, after its launch on 21 June 2007, VCH New
Energy (WKN: A0M JV9) also took first place in a 6-month comparative
ranking of the 'ecology/environmental technology' peer group, and VCH
Coreolan World took 26th place of 819 in the 'international equities'
category.

VCH Expert Natural Resources is by far the most important driver of
performance in Altira’s Public Markets division. It charges a management
fee of 1.95 per cent p. a. and a performance fee equal to 10 per cent of
all profits earned (incl. high-water mark). Based on the excellent,
consistent performance achieved by the fund, the Altira Management Board
expects a significant inflow of funds in coming months and, assuming
commodity markets continue to climb, a considerable increase in earnings
contributed by the Public Markets segment in 2008, primarily due to the
performance fee.

*Source of all performance and comparative data: Morningstar as at
31/12/2007

Contact:
Altira Aktiengesellschaft
Juan Rodriguez
Head of Investor Relations
Tel: +49 69 719 159 66 405
E-Mail: juan.rodriguez@altira-group.de


DGAP 09.01.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       Altira AG
              Grüneburgweg 18
              60322 Frankfurt / Main
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)69 719 159 66 - 0
Fax:          +49 (0)69 719 159 66 - 11
E-mail:       info@altira-group.de
Internet:     www.altira-group.de
ISIN:         DE0001218063
WKN:          121806
Listed:       Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart; Entry Standard
              in Frankfurt
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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