2 Capital structure
Share capital
On December 31, 2021 the share capital of Autoneum Holding Ltd totaled CHF 233 618.15. It was divided into 4 672 363 fully paid-up registered shares with a par value of CHF 0.05 each. The shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (securities code 12748036, ISIN CH0127480363, symbol AUTN).
Authorized share capital
There is no authorized share capital available at Autoneum Holding Ltd.
Contingent capital for issuing convertible and/or warranty bonds or granting shareholder options
The share capital may be increased by up to 700 000 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.05 each in an amount not to exceed CHF 35 000 or 14.98% through the voluntary or mandatory exercise of conversion rights and/or warrants granted in connection with the issuance of bonds or similar financial instruments by the Company or one of its Group companies on national or international capital markets, and/or through the exercise of option rights granted to the shareholders. The preemptive rights of the shareholders on the issuance of bonds or other financial instruments with which conversion rights and/or warrants are connected shall be excluded. The then current owners of conversion rights and/or warrants shall be entitled to subscribe to the new shares. The conditions of the conversion rights and/or warrants shall be determined by the Board of Directors.
The acquisition of shares through the voluntary or mandatory exercise of conversion rights and/or warrants as well as each subsequent transfer of shares are subject to the restrictions in §4 of the Articles of Association*.
In connection with the issuance of bonds or similar financial instruments with which conversion rights and/or warrants are connected, the Board of Directors is empowered to restrict or exclude the advance subscription rights of shareholders if (1) such instrument is issued for the financing or refinancing of the acquisition of corporations, parts thereof, equity holdings or investments or if (2) such instrument is issued (i) on national or international capital markets or (ii) to one or more financial investors. If the advance subscription rights are restricted or excluded by the Board of Directors, the following shall apply: The issuance of such instruments shall be made at prevailing market conditions, and the new shares shall be issued pursuant to the relevant conditions of that financial instrument. Conversion rights may be exercised during a maximum ten-year period, and warrants may be exercised during a maximum seven-year period, in each case from the date of the respective issuance. The issuance of the new shares upon voluntary or mandatory exercise of conversion rights and/or warrants shall be made at conditions taking into account the market price of the shares and/or comparable instruments with a market price at the time of issuance of the relevant financial instrument.
Contingent capital for employee participation shares
The share capital may be increased by a maximum of CHF 12 500 or 5.35% through the issuance of up to 250 000 fully paid-up registered shares with a par value of CHF 0.05 each to employees of the Company or its Group companies. The preemptive rights of the shareholders shall be excluded in connection with the issuance of convertible or warrant-bearing bonds or similar financial instruments. The issuance of these shares to employees will be in accordance with one or more regulations issued by the Board of Directors and will take appropriate account of employee performance, position and degree of responsibility and economic viability criteria subject to §24 of the Articles of Association*. Shares or options may be issued to employees at a price lower than that quoted on the stock exchange.
The acquisition of shares within the framework of the employee participation plan, as well as every subsequent transfer of these shares, is subject to the limitations set forth in §4 of the Articles of Association*.
Changes in share capital
There have been no changes to the share capital of Autoneum Holding Ltd since the Company’s founding on December 2, 2010. The General Meeting of March 22, 2011 adopted a contingent share capital of CHF 35 000 and a contingent share capital of CHF 12 500.
Participation and dividend-right certificates
Autoneum Holding Ltd has issued neither participation certificates nor dividend-right certificates.
Shares
Autoneum Holding Ltd has issued 4 672 363 fully paid-up registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 0.05 each. Each registered share is entitled to dividends and entitles the holder to one vote at General Meetings of Autoneum Holding Ltd shareholders. The Board of Directors maintains a share register in which the owners and usufructuaries are registered with name/company name and address with the following conditions. Only those persons listed in the share register will be recognized as company shareholders or usufructuaries. Any changes of name or address must be communicated to the Company. Those who acquire registered shares must make written application for entry in the share register. The Company can refuse such entry to parties who do not expressly declare that they have acquired and will hold these registered shares in their own names and for their own account. If persons fail to expressly declare in their registration applications that they hold the shares for their own account (“nominees”), the Board of Directors shall enter such persons in the share register with the right to vote, provided that the nominee has entered into an agreement with the Company concerning his or her status, and further provided that the nominee is subject to a recognized bank or financial market supervision. After hearing the registered shareholder or nominee, the Board of Directors may cancel any registration in the share register made based on incorrect information with retroactive effect as of the date of registration. The relevant shareholder or nominee must be informed immediately of the cancellation. The Board of Directors regulates the details and issues the instructions necessary for compliance with the provisions set forth above. In special cases, the Board of Directors may grant exemptions from the rule concerning nominees and may delegate its duties.
The Company only recognizes one proxy per share. Voting rights and associated rights may only be exercised in relation to the Company by a shareholder, usufructuary or nominee entered in the share register as having the right to vote.
The registered shares of Autoneum Holding Ltd are issued in the form of securities and registered as book-entry securities (in the sense of the Book-Entry Securities Act) at SIX SIS Ltd. Book-entry securities with underlying shares of the Company may not be transferred by way of assignment. Security interests for these book-entry securities cannot be granted by means of assignment. The Company is entitled to convert at any time and without the approval of shareholders’ shares issued in the form of uncertificated securities into individual share certificates or global share certificates. Shareholders are not entitled to have shares issued in one particular form transformed into another form. Any shareholder is, however, entitled to request at any time that the Company issue a certificate stating the number of shares registered in his or her name.
Restrictions on share transfers and nominee registrations
Those persons entered in the shareholders’ register are recognized as voting shareholders. Autoneum shares can be bought and sold without any restrictions. In accordance with §4 of the Articles of Association*, entry in the register of shareholders can be denied in the absence of an explicit declaration that the shares are held in the applicant’s own name and for the applicant’s own account. There are no other registration restrictions.
Shares held in a fiduciary capacity are not principally entered in the shareholders’ register. However, as an exception to this rule, a nominee is entered in the register if the nominee in question has concluded a nominee agreement with Autoneum and is subject to a recognized bank or financial supervisory authority. The nominee exercises voting rights at the Annual General Meeting of shareholders. At the request of Autoneum Holding Ltd, the nominee is obliged to disclose the name of the person on whose behalf it holds shares.
A resolution of the General Meeting approved by the absolute majority of the voting shares represented is required in order to cancel the restrictions on share transfers.
Convertible bonds and options
Autoneum Holding Ltd has no convertible bonds or options outstanding.
Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 1.50 per share
Based on the Group’s net result, the Board of Directors proposes at the Annual General Meeting to be held on March 23, 2022 a dividend of CHF 1.50 per share for the financial year 2021 (for the financial year 2020: no dividend was paid). This distribution would amount to around CHF 7.0 million or around 30% of the net result attributable to the Autoneum shareholders.