Swedish Match Annual General Meeting 2014
Major items approved by today’s Annual General Meeting include:
- Dividend of 7.30 SEK per share
- Mandate to repurchase up to 10 percent of all shares in the Company
- Withdrawal of 1,500,000 repurchased company shares with a simultaneous bonus issue without issuing any new shares
- Re-election of KPMG AB as auditor
At the Annual General Meeting of Swedish Match AB (publ) on May 7, it was resolved, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, to pay a dividend of 7.30 SEK per share. The record day for the right to receive a cash dividend is May 12, 2014. Payment through Euroclear Sweden AB is expected to be made on May 15, 2014.
Andrew Cripps, Karen Guerra, Conny Karlsson, Wenche Rolfsen, Robert F. Sharpe, Meg Tivéus and Joakim Westh were re-elected as members of Swedish Match Board of Directors. Conny Karlsson was re-elected as Chairman of the Board and Andrew Cripps was re-elected Deputy Chairman of the Board. The Annual General Meeting further approved the proposed remuneration to the members of the Board of Directors as set out in the notice and the principles for remuneration to members of the executive management.
Furthermore, the Annual General Meeting approved the Board of Directors’ proposal that it be authorized to resolve on acquisition of the Company’s own shares, on one or several occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting, provided the Company’s holding does not at any time exceed 10 percent of all shares in the Company. The shares shall be acquired on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm at a price within the price interval registered at any given time, i.e. the interval between the highest bid price and the lowest selling price. The purpose of the repurchasing right is primarily to enable the Company to adapt its capital structure to its capital needs over time, and thereby contribute to increased shareholder value, and to enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under the Company’s former option program. Swedish Match owns 2,911,271 treasury shares as per May 7, 2014.
In addition, the Annual General Meeting resolved to reduce the Company’s share capital by 2,892,441 SEK by means of withdrawal of 1,500,000 previously repurchased shares held in treasury, with a simultaneous bonus issue, without issuing any new shares, of a corresponding amount to restore the share capital. The shareholders further approved the proposal that the reduction will be allocated to a fund for use pursuant to a resolution adopted by the Annual General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting re-elected KPMG AB as auditor until the end of the Annual General Meeting 2015.
The Annual General Meeting approved all other proposals made by the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee as outlined in the published notice of the Annual General Meeting.
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For further information, please contact:
Lars Dahlgren, President and Chief Executive Officer
Office +46 8 658 0441
Thomas Hayes, Acting Chief Financial Officer
Office +46 8 658 0309
Emmett Harrison, Senior Vice President Investor Relations and Corporate Sustainability
Office +46 8 658 0173
Richard Flaherty, President US Division, US Investor Relations contact
Office +1 804 787 5130
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Swedish Match develops, manufactures, and sells quality products with market-leading brands in the product areas Snus and snuff, Other tobacco products (cigars and chewing tobacco), and Lights (matches and lighters).Well known brands include General snus, Longhorn moist snuff, White Owl cigars, Red Man chewing tobacco, Fiat Lux matches, and Cricket lighters. The Group sells products across the globe, with production units in six countries. The Group’s global operations generated sales of 12,610 MSEK for the twelve month period ending December 31, 2013. The Swedish Match share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Stockholm (SWMA).
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Swedish Match AB (publ), Box 7179, SE-103 88 Stockholm, Sweden
Visiting address: Västra Trädgårdsgatan 15. Telephone: +46 8 658 0200
Corporate Identity Number: 556015-0756
www.swedishmatch.com
