Erste Group Bank AG: Announcement pursuant to sec. 93 BörseG (Austrian Stock Exchange Act)

Vienna (pta021/09.07.2013/15:30 UTC+2) In accordance with sec. 93 (2) BörseG, Erste Group hereby informs that J.P. Morgan Securities plc (JPM) held on 5 July 2013 directly or indirectly Erste Group Bank AG shares and financial instruments relating to shares (pursuant to section 91a Austrian Stock Exchange Act), conferring 16,552,850 or 3.85% of the post-capital increase number of 429,800,000 voting rights.

The full notification of JPM reads as follows:

J.P. Morgan Securities plc., 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5JP, United Kingdom ("JPM"), herewith notifies in accordance with section 92a para 1 in connection with sections 91 et seq Austrian Stock Exchange Act in relation to Erste Group Bank AG, Graben 21, 1010 Vienna, Austria (the "Issuer"), and the Issuer's voting shares admitted to trading on the Official Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange, AT 0000652011 (the "Shares"), as follows:

Preface
As of 4 July 2013, the Issuer has increased its share capital by issuing 35,231,353 new Shares. In connection with this capital increase, the share capital of the Issuer amounts to EUR 859,600,000 divided into 429,800,000 Shares with the same number of voting rights.
In accordance with section 91 para 1a Austrian Stock Exchange Act the share in voting rights pursuant to section 91 para 1 Austrian Stock Exchange Act has to be calculated on the basis of the total number of voting shares, published by the Issuer according to section 93 para 1 Austrian Stock Exchange Act at the end of the calendar month in which the number of Shares has decreased or increased. However, as a changed total number of voting shares has not been published so far (section 93 para 1 Austrian Stock Exchange Act), a materially accurate notification - on the basis of the total number of voting rights after capital increase - has to be submitted (cf FMA, Rundschreiben betreffend Melde- und Veröffentlichungspflichten von Emittenten vom 19.6.2013, p 35).
Therefore, the calculation of the voting rights in this notification is based on the total number of voting rights after the capital increase referred to above, these are 429,800,000 Shares with the same number of voting rights.

Notification
Upon registration of the capital increase on 4 July 2013, JPM acquired 20,786,498 Shares of the Issuer (which corresponds to approximately 4.84%) and therefore triggered a reporting obligation in accordance with section 91 Austrian Stock Exchange Act as JPM reached and exceeded the thresholds of 4% and 5% as a consequence of the exercise of rights to buy shares with voting rights pursuant to section 91a para 6 Austrian Stock Exchange Act. By the acquisition of these Shares, the financial instruments relating to 20,786,498 new Shares held on 2 July 2013 were settled. Consequently, on 4 July 2013, JPM fell below the thresholds of 5% and 4% in relation to financial instruments pursuant to section 91a Austrian Stock Exchange Act.
On an aggregated basis pursuant to section 91a para 7 Austrian Stock Exchange Act (Shares and financial instruments relating to Shares), JPM did not fall below the thresholds of 4% and 5%: Due to the capital increase and the increase of voting rights of the Issuer, the aggregate holding according to section 91a para 7 Austrian Stock Exchange Act of JPM on 4 July 2013 corresponded to approximately 6.08%, consisting of (i) 23,295,669 Shares (which corresponds to approximately 5.42%) and (ii) financial instruments relating to 2,846,653 Shares (which corresponds to approximately 0.66%).
Subsequently, on 5 July 2013, JPM sold 10,143,029 Shares (which corresponds to 2.36%).
Due to the disposal of 10,143,029 Shares of the Issuer, the aggregate holding according to section 91a para 7 Austrian Stock Exchange Act of JPM corresponds to approximately 3.85%, consisting of (i) 13,256,292 Shares (corresponding to approximately 3.08%) and (ii) financial instruments relating to 3,296,558 Shares (corresponding to approximately 0.77%). Therefore, JPM fell below the thresholds of 4% and 5% on 5 July 2013.

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Emitter:	Erste Group Bank AG Milchgasse 1 1010 Wien Austria
Contact Person:	Thomas Sommerauer/ Simone Pilz
Phone:	+ 43 (0)5 0100 - 17741
E-Mail:	investor.relations@erstegroup.com
Website:	www.erstegroup.com
ISIN(s):	AT0000652011 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s):	Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Trade)