Alphen aan den Rijn (February 20, 2013) - Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company focused on professionals, today released its 2012 full-year results.

Highlights
Revenues up 2% in constant currencies and up 1% organically.
- Online, software and services revenues up 4% organically (74% of total revenues).
- Accelerated organic growth in North America and Asia more than offset declines in Europe.
- Health and Financial & Compliance Services both up 5% organically.

Ordinary EBITA margin improves to 21.8%.
Diluted ordinary EPS €1.58, up 1% in constant currencies and in line with guidance.

Ordinary free cash flow €507 million, up 8% in constant currencies and above guidance.

Net-debt-to-EBITDA improved to 2.4x (2011 year-end: 3.1x), better than target.

Proposed 2012 dividend €0.69 per share to be paid in cash; stock dividend program abolished.

Debt refinancing announced today.

Nancy McKinstry, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, commented:
"In 2012, we achieved positive organic growth, increased operating margins and free cash flow, while significantly improving our leverage ratio, despite macro economic conditions in Europe. Growth accelerated in North America and in our online and software products globally. We expect conditions in Europe to remain tough in 2013, but we are confident our digital businesses globally will continue to perform well. We will focus investments on our leading, high growth positions, while actively pursuing portfolio refinements and operating efficiencies in order to accelerate growth and raise returns."

Full-Year 2013 Outlook
The table below provides our outlook for the continuing operations in 2013.


Performance indicators 2013 Guidance

Ordinary EBITA margin 21.5-22.0%
Ordinary free cash flow >= €475 million
Return on invested capital >= 8%
Diluted ordinary EPS Low single-digit growth

Guidance for ordinary free cash flow and diluted ordinary EPS is in constant currencies (EUR/USD 1.29).

Guidance reflects IAS19R and removal of the pension financing credit or charge from benchmark figures, and includes the estimated impact of performance share issuance offset by share repurchases.

Guidance for ordinary free cash flow and diluted ordinary EPS is based on constant exchange rates. Wolters Kluwer generates more than half of its ordinary EBITA in North America. As a rule of thumb, based on our 2012 currency profile, a 1 U.S. cent move in the average EUR/USD exchange rate for the year causes an opposite 0.8 euro-cent change in diluted ordinary EPS.


Wolters Kluwer Appoints Kevin Entricken as Chief Financial Officer; Nominated as Member of the Executive Board
Alphen aan den Rijn (February 20, 2013) - Wolters Kluwer announces the appointment of Kevin Entricken as Chief Financial Officer, effective May 2013. Mr. Entricken will be nominated as a Member of the Executive Board, for approval by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on April 24, 2013. Mr. Entricken will succeed Boudewijn Beerkens, who has accepted a new role outside Wolters Kluwer, as CFO and a Member of the Executive Board of Directors of SHV, a Dutch family-owned company.

Kevin Entricken joined Wolters Kluwer in 2003. He has been CFO of Wolters Kluwer Health for the past 3 years, during which time he played a major role in transforming the Health portfolio. Prior to his role in Health, Mr. Entricken served as Vice President, Investor Relations and as CFO of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.

Mr. Beerkens, currently CFO of Wolters Kluwer and a Member of the Executive Board, has accepted the role of CFO and a Member of the Executive Board of Directors of SHV, effective May 2013. SHV is a Dutch family-owned company, with international operations in the energy and trade sectors, among others.

Nancy McKinstry, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Wolters Kluwer, commented:

"Kevin Entricken brings a strong financial and operational perspective and we will greatly benefit from his deep understanding of the business. His contribution to the strong improvement of our Health division's performance has been critical. I look forward to working with Kevin in his new role.

I want to thank Boudewijn for his significant contribution and dedication to the successful transformation of Wolters Kluwer, and the strong working relationship we have shared. I wish him all the best in his new position."
Prior to joining Wolters Kluwer, Mr. Entricken held senior finance positions in the operating units of information and media companies, including Reed Elsevier and EMI Music. Mr. Entricken began his career and worked for several years at KPMG. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1987 from Montclair State University, New Jersey and was qualified as a Certified Public Accountant.


Wolters Kluwer Intends to Issue a New Benchmark Eurobond and to Conditionally Call Its Perpetual Bonds in 2013
Alphen aan den Rijn (February 20, 2013) - Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company focused on professionals, today announced its intention to issue a benchmark Eurobond in the debt capital markets. Conditional on the successful completion of this Eurobond, the company intends to exercise a call option on its €225 million perpetual cumulative subordinated bonds in 2013.

Wolters Kluwer has mandated ABN Amro, Barclays, Rabobank International, and The Royal Bank of Scotland to arrange a series of European fixed income investor meetings from March 4 to March 6, 2013. A senior, unsecured capital markets transaction of benchmark size may follow, subject to market conditions.

The net proceeds of the bond will be used by Wolters Kluwer to refinance part of its 2014 Eurobond maturity and the call of the outstanding perpetual bonds in 2013. "The current environment with low underlying interest rates also provides an opportunity for attractive financing. On completion, the refinancing exercise will lower our effective interest rate starting 2014." says Boudewijn Beerkens, CFO and Member of Executive Board.