SAFT: Details of the Company's Share Buy-Back Programme for its Liquidity Contract, Authorised by the Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting Dated 9 June 2010

PARIS, July 29, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- This note describes the objectives and conditions of the Company's new share buy-back programme in accordance with Articles 241-1 et seq. of the General Regulations of the Autorite des Marches Financiers ("AMF"), the French financial markets regulator, and with European Regulation no. 2273/2003.

I - GENERAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING THAT AUTHORISED THE PROGRAMME - LEGAL FRAMEWORK

This share buy-back programme was authorised by the sixth ordinary resolution of the ordinary and extraordinary shareholders' meeting of 9 June 2010, and agreed on by the Management Board during its 15 July 2010 meeting.

II - NUMBER OF SHARES AND EQUITY INTEREST HELD BY THE COMPANY

As at 15 July 2010, the Company's share capital comprised 25,102,534 shares and the Company held 61,104 of its own shares representing 0.24% of share capital.

Saft Groupe SA shares are listed on EUROLIST of NYSE EURONEXT Paris (Compartment B) ISIN code: FR 0010208165.

III - OBJECTIVE OF THE NEW SHARE BUY-BACK PROGRAMME

The programme's sole objective, as authorised at the 9 June 2010 general meeting, is to improve the share's secondary market or ensure the liquidity of the share via the intervention of an investment services firm acting independently under a liquidity contract complying with the code of ethics recognised by the Autorite des Marches Financiers.

IV - MAXIMUM PROPORTION OF SHARE CAPITAL, MAXIMUM NUMBER OF SHARES THAT MAY BE ACQUIRED UNDER THE NEW SHARE BUY-BACK PROGRAMME

The maximum equity interest that the Company is entitled to acquire under the new share buy-back programme, as authorised by the 9 June 2010 general meeting, is 0.73% of the total number of shares, which will be adjusted for any transactions affecting share capital subsequent to said general meeting. For indication purposes, as at 15 July 2010 the maximum limit amounted to 183,248 shares.

The number of shares used to calculate 0.73% of share capital corresponds to the number of shares purchased less shares sold during the term of the authorisation granted by the general meeting.

V - MAXIMUM PURCHASE PRICE AND MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE PROGRAMME

The maximum share purchase price established by the 9 June 2010 general meeting is EUR60 per share.

Based on the maximum 0.73% limit of share capital that the Company may hold of its own shares, which for indication purposes amounted to 183,248 shares as at 15 July 2010, the maximum theoretical investment that may be allocated to the buy-back amounts to EUR10,994,880, based on a maximum authorised purchase price of EUR60 per share.

VI - TERM OF THE SHARE BUY-BACK PROGRAMME

The authorisation is granted for a maximum of 18 months, from the general meeting dated 9 June 2010 until 8 December 2011.

This programme takes effect as from 16 July 2010 and will supersede the former programme implemented by virtue of the authorisation granted by the general meeting dated 3 June 2009.

Throughout the entire execution of the new buy-back programme, any material modification in any information stated above will be published based on the procedures stipulated under Articles 221-3, 241-1 and seq. of the AMF's General Regulations.

VII- RESULTS OF THE FORMER SHARE BUY-BACK PROGRAMME

The general meeting dated 3 June 2009 authorised a share buy-back programme.

The objective of the former share buy-back programme was to improve the share's secondary market or ensure the Company's share liquidity via the intervention of an investment services firm acting independently under a liquidity contract complying with a code of ethics recognised by the Autorite des Marches Financiers. The investment services firm engaged to ensure liquidity of Saft shares was Exane BNP Paribas (16 avenue Matignon - 75008 Paris) which held funds of EUR2,000,000 for this purpose.

From 28 July 2009 to 30 June 2010, term over which the program was implemented by the Management Board, the Company executed the following purchases and sales of its own shares:

    - Purchases: 274,002 shares at an average purchase price of
      EUR30.35 per share,

    - Sales: 263,871 shares at an average sales price of EUR30.85
      per share.

A total of 537,873 shares were traded under the liquidity contract over the period. The Company did not incur any trading costs in respect of these transactions.

As at 30 June 2010, the Company held 57,342 of its own shares representing 0.23% of share capital. Their total value, at cost and at the same date, amounted to EUR1,740,330. Their market value at 30 June 2010 was EUR1,428,389.

About Saft

Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high performance applications, such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world's leading manufacturer of nickel-cadmium batteries for industrial applications and of primary lithium batteries for a wide range of end markets. The group is also the European leader for specialised advanced technologies for the defence and space industries. With approximately 4,000 employees worldwide, Saft is present in 18 countries. Its 15 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable the group to serve its customers worldwide. Saft is listed in the SBF 120 index on the Paris Stock Market.

For more information, visit Saft at http://www.saftbatteries.com

Press and Investors Relations Contacts:

Saft

Jill Ledger, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Director, Tel.: +33-1-49-93-17-77, [email protected]

    Financial Dynamics
    Stephanie Bia, Tel.: +33-1-47-03-68-16, [email protected]
    Yannick Duverge, Tel.: +33-1-47-03-68-10, [email protected]
    Clement Benetreau, Tel.: +33-1-47-03-68-12, [email protected]

SOURCE Saft