The shareholders of Sonova Holding AG, Stäfa, Switzerland, approved all motions of the Board of Directors at the Annual General Shareholders’ Meeting (AGM) on June 16, 2015, and thus decided on a dividend of CHF 2.05 per share. The company reports that 516 shareholders attended the AGM of Sonova Holding AG in Zurich, representing approximately 62.8% of the total share capital.

According to an announcement from Sonova, the shareholders approved the Annual Report, the Annual Consolidated Financial Statements of the Group, and the Annual Financial Statements of Sonova Holding AG for 2014/15 and authorized the proposed appropriation of retained earnings and a gross dividend of CHF 2.05 per share. This amounts to a payout of approximately CHF 136.6 million corresponding to a payout ratio of approximately 38% of the net profit of last year’s reporting period. The distribution will be made with the anticipated value date of June 22, 2015.

Sonova reports that the shareholders formally approved the actions of the members of the Board of Directors for their activities during the 2014/15 financial year. All members of the Board of Directors standing for re-election for a further term of office were re-elected individually. During the course of these elections, the current Chairman of the Board of Directors, Robert F. Spoerry, was also confirmed in office. Re-elected to the Nomination & Compensation Committee were Robert F. Spoerry (Chairman), Beat Hess, and John J. Zei.

The compensation report for the financial year 2014/15 was accepted by shareholders in a non-binding advisory vote, according to Sonova. Shareholders also approved in two separate binding votes the maximum aggregate amount of compensation of the Board of Directors covering the period from the 2015 Annual General Meeting to the 2016 Annual General Meeting and the maximum aggregate amount of compensation of the Management Board for the financial year 2016/17. Furthermore the capital reduction trough cancellation of shares was accepted by the shareholders.

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG, Zurich, was re-elected as Auditors for a further period of one year. Andreas G. Keller was re-elected as the Independent Proxy. The next AGM will be convened on June 14, 2016. The presentation and the minutes (in German) of the 2015 Annual General Meeting will soon be available on the Sonova website.

Source: Sonova Holding AG