EANS-News: K+S Aktiengesellschaft / Focus on core business: K+S sells COMPO to investment company Triton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate news transmitted by euro adhoc. The issuer/originator is solely
responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Company Information

Subtitle: K+S Aktiengesellschaft / Focus on core business: K+S sells
COMPO to investment company Triton

Kassel (euro adhoc) - Kassel, Germany - June 20, 2011

Focus on core business
K+S sells COMPO to investment company Triton

With the consent of the Supervisory Board, the Board of Executive
Directors of K+S Aktiengesellschaft has decided to sell the business
activities of COMPO to the European private equity investor Triton.
A corresponding sales agreement was signed today. With this step,
the examination of a sale of COMPO started last year has reached
its conclusion.

"We are pleased to have found in Triton what we believe is a good new
owner for COMPO. With its commitment and its overall concept, Triton
sent a clear signal for a positive future for the company," says
Norbert Steiner, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of
K+S Aktiengesellschaft.

The effective economic date of the transfer is 1 March 2011. The
closing of the transaction, with an enterprise value of EUR 205
million for COMPO, is expected to take place as early as this
summer. After the deduction of assumed liabilities, K+S expects
a cash inflow of probably about EUR 150 million. The transaction
is not subject to a financing condition. The sale is subject to
approval by the EU antitrust authority. For K+S, the sale involves a
book loss of about EUR 90 million in the second quarter of 2011.
This and the net earnings of COMPO generated this year prior to the
closing will from then on be stated as "discontinued operations".
In financial year 2010, COMPO generated revenues of EUR 402.3
million and an EBITDA margin of approximately 4%.

The strategy of the K+S Group provides for growth in the Potash and
Magnesium Products and the Salt business segments in particular
and for focussing management resources and financial means on this
correspondingly. Against this backdrop, K+S started the examination
of a sale of COMPO last year. In the second half of 2010,
preparations were made for the company law and corporate carve-out
of COMPO from the K+S Group and were completed at the beginning
of 2011. Contact was then made with potential investors and, within
the framework of a bidding process, a good new owner has now been
found in Triton.

During the sale process, K+S was advised by the investment bank
Goldman Sachs and the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

About Triton Triton is an independent European private equity
investor and focuses on companies in German-speaking countries and
Northern Europe. Triton invests in market leaders in attractive
niches with a high potential for increased value and currently has
an as yet uninvested fund volume of over EUR 1.5 billion at its
disposal. Investors of the Triton funds are renowned institutional
investors, pension funds, families and foundations.

About COMPO COMPO, based in Münster/Westphalia, is one of the leading
suppliers of branded goods for home and garden. The range of
products includes fertilizers, plant protection products,
high-quality potting soils and speciality products for public
green areas, professional horticulture, special crops and
special applications in agriculture. The company has one of the
best-known brand and most innovative product portfolios in the
sector and employs 1,075 people globally.

About K+S The K+S Group is one of the world's leading
suppliers of standard and speciality fertilizers. In the salt
business, K+S is the world´s leading producer with sites in
Europe as well as North and South America. K+S offers a
comprehensive range of goods and services for agriculture,
industry, and private consumers which provides growth opportunities
in virtually every sphere of daily life. The K+S Group employs more
than 15,000 people. The K+S share - the commodities stock on the
German DAX index - is listed on all German stock exchanges (ISIN:
DE0007162000, symbol: SDF). More information about K+S can be found
at www.k-plus-s.com.

Your contact persons:
Press:
Michael Wudonig, CFA
phone: +49 561 9301-1262
fax: +49 561 9301-1666
michael.wudonig@k-plus-s.com

Investor Relations:
Christian Herrmann, CFA
phone: +49 561 9301-1460
fax: +49 561 9301-2425
christian.herrmann@k-plus-s.com

Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this release that are
forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and
uncertainties. Such statements represent management's best
judgment as of the date hereof based on information currently
available. Statements in this press release other than purely
historical information, including statements relating to the
companies' future plans and objectives or expected results,
constitute forward-looking statements. Forward looking
statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to
all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the companies'
business. The companies do not assume the obligation to update any
forward-looking statement.

Further inquiry note:
Press:
Michael Wudonig, CFA
phone: +49 561 9301-1262
fax: +49 561 9301-1666
michael.wudonig@k-plus-s.com

Investor Relations:
Christian Herrmann, CFA
phone: +49 561 9301-1460
fax: +49 561 9301-2425
christian.herrmann@k-plus-s.com

K+S Aktiengesellschaft
Communications
P.O. Box 10 20 29, 34111 Kassel, Germany
Bertha-von-Suttner-Str. 7, 34131 Kassel
www.k-plus-s.com

__________________________________________________________

Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Dr. Ralf Bethke
Board of Executive Directors: Norbert Steiner (Chairman), Joachim Felker, Gerd
Grimmig, Dr. Thomas Nöcker, Jan Peter Nonnenkamp
Registered Office: Kassel
Commercial Register: Kassel HRB 2669

end of announcement euro adhoc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

company: K+S Aktiengesellschaft
Bertha-von-Suttner-Straße 7
D-34131 Kassel
phone: +49 (0)561 9301-1460
FAX: +49 (0)561 9301-2425
mail: christian.herrmann@k-plus-s.com
WWW: http://www.k-plus-s.com
sector: Chemicals
ISIN: DE0007162000
indexes: DAX, Midcap Market Index, CDAX, Classic All Share, HDAX, Prime All
Share
stockmarkets: regulated dealing/prime standard: Frankfurt, regulated dealing:
Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Hannover, München
language: English