02.5
Subsequent Events
ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
No significant events took place between the closing date of December 31, 2008 and the annual report’s printing date of March 12, 2009. There were therefore no fundamental changes in the economic and business environment in our field of activity. Dialysis continues to be a medically indispensable and life-saving treatment for acute or chronic kidney failure for which there is no comparable alternative treatment with the exception of kidney transplantation. Therefore, Fresenius Medical Care is active in a relatively stable business area that is only exposed to economic cycles to a small extent.
We are currently not planning any major changes in Fresenius Medical Care’s organizational structure, administration, legal form or with regard to personnel which could lead to a significant impairment of the asset, financial and earnings situation of our company.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF OUR BUSINESS SITUATION
Fresenius Medical Care’s business development met our expectations in the first weeks of 2009.
As discussed in the Outlook section that follows, there is continued high demand for our dialysis products and services worldwide. Overall, the Management Board again assessed the Company’s business development as positive when this annual report was compiled. From today’s perspective, we expect to increase our revenue and earnings as forecast, and achieve the other performance ratios as planned. As this report goes to press, the current development of our business is basically in line with our expectations.
