DGAP-Stimmrechtsanteile: Axel Springer SE vinkuliert

DGAP-PVR: Axel Springer SE: Release according to Article 26, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution

Axel Springer SE

30.12.2015 16:15

Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notification of Major Holdings

1. Details of issuer

Axel Springer SE Axel-Springer-Straße 65 10888 Berlin Germany

2. Reason for notification

X Acquisition/disposal of shares with voting rights X Acquisition/disposal of instruments Change of breakdown of voting rights Other reason:

3. Details of person subject to the notification obligation

Name: City and country of registered office: Morgan Stanley Wilmington, Delaware United States of America (USA)

4. Names of shareholder(s) holding directly 3% or more voting rights, if different from 3.

Morgan Stanley & Co. International plc

5. Date on which threshold was crossed or reached

21.12.2015

6. Total positions

% of voting % of voting rights total of total number rights attached through instruments both in % of voting to shares (total (total of 7.b.1 + (7.a. + rights of of 7.a.) 7.b.2) 7.b.) issuer Result- 3.54 % 6.19 % 9.73 % 107,895,311 ing situat- ion Previo- % % % / us notifi- cation

7. Notified details of the resulting situation a. Voting rights attached to shares (Sec.s 21, 22 WpHG)

ISIN absolute in % direct (Sec. indirect (Sec. direct (Sec. indirect 21 WpHG) 22 WpHG) 21 WpHG) (Sec. 22 WpHG) DE0005501357 0 624,351 0 % 0.58 % DE000A2AABZ9 0 3,151,512 0 % 2.92 % Total 3,775,863 3.50 %

b.1. Instruments according to Sec. 25 Abs. 1 Nr. 1 WpHG

Type of instrument Expiration Exercise or Voting Voting or maturity conversion rights rights date period absolute in % Right of recall over at any time at any time 6,682,219 6.19 % securities lending agreements Total 6,682,219 6.19 %

b.2. Instruments according to Sec. 25 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 WpHG

Type of Expiration Exercise or Cash or Voting Voting instrume- or maturity conversion physical rights rights nt date period settlement absolute in % % Total %

8. Information in relation to the person subject to the notification obligation

Person subject to the notification obligation is not controlled and does itself not control any other undertaking(s) holding directly or indirectly an interest in the (underlying) issuer (1.). X Full chain of controlled undertakings starting with the ultimate controlling natural person or legal entity:

Name % of voting % of voting rights Total of both rights (if at through instruments (if (if at least least held 3% or at least held 5% or held 5% or more) more) more) Morgan Stanley % % % Morgan Stanley % % % International Holdings Inc. Morgan Stanley % % % International Limited Morgan Stanley % % % UK Group Morgan Stanley % % % Investments (UK) Morgan Stanley 3.50 % 5.55 % 9.05 % & Co. International plc % % % Morgan Stanley % % % Morgan Stanley % % % Capital Management, LLC Morgan Stanley % % % Domestic Holdings, Inc. Morgan Stanley % % % & Co. LLC Morgan Stanley % % % Morgan Stanley % % % Investment Management Inc.

9. In case of proxy voting according to § 22 Abs. 3 WpHG

Date of general meeting: Holding position after general meeting: % (equals voting rights)

30.12.2015 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Axel Springer SE Axel-Springer-Straße 65 10888 Berlin Germany Internet: www.axelspringer.de End of Announcement DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------