DGAP-News: KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA: KWS' Annual Shareholders' Meeting adopts dividend increase
DGAP-News: KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA
/ Key word(s): AGM/EGM
Einbeck, December 17, 2019 KWS' Annual Shareholders' Meeting adopts dividend increase Dividend rises to €0.67 per share - Guidance for the 2019/2020 fiscal year confirmed The shareholders of KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE0007074007) voted by clear majorities in favor of the proposals made by the Executive and Supervisory Boards on all items on the agenda at today's Annual Shareholders' Meeting in Einbeck. A dividend of €0.67 (previous year: €0.64) per share will be paid out for fiscal 2018/2019. The guidance for the current fiscal year 2019/2020 has been confirmed without any changes. The Executive Board described the company's performance in the past fiscal year 2018/2019 to the shareholders in attendance. The KWS Group achieved a 4.2% increase in net sales to €1.11 billion. Operating income (EBIT) rose by around 13% to €150.0 million, while earnings per share improved by approximately 4% to €3.15. In view of the positive earnings performance, the Annual Shareholders' Meeting endorsed the proposal by the Executive and Supervisory Boards and adopted a resolution to pay out a higher dividend of €0.67 (0.64). €22.1 (21.1) million will thus be distributed to the shareholders of KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA. That corresponds to a dividend payout ratio of 21.3% (21.2%), once again in line with the KWS Group's earnings-oriented policy of paying a dividend of 20% to 25% of its net income. Overall guidance confirmed for the fiscal year 2019/2020 The Executive Board also dealt with the company's current business performance (in the first quarter of 2019/2020) in its comments and confirmed the guidance for the year as a whole. The Executive Board still expects the KWS Group to grow its net sales sharply by 8% to 12%. Acquisition of the vegetable seed business of Pop Vriend Seeds and growing corn seed business should make major contributions to that. An EBIT margin of between 11% and 13% is still anticipated. About KWS* * All indications excluding the results from the companies accounted for using the equity method AGRELIANT GENETICS LLC., AGRELIANT GENETICS INC. and KENFENG - KWS SEEDS CO., LTD. For more information: www.kws.com. Follow us on Twitter(R) at https://twitter.com/KWS_Group.
17.12.2019 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. |
Language: | English |
Company: | KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA |
Grimsehlstraße 31 | |
37555 Einbeck | |
Germany | |
Phone: | +49 (0)5561 311-0 |
Fax: | +49 (0)5561 311-322 |
E-mail: | [email protected] |
Internet: | www.kws.de |
ISIN: | DE0007074007 |
WKN: | 707400 |
Indices: | S-DAX |
Listed: | Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Hanover; Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange |
EQS News ID: | 938433 |
End of News | DGAP News Service |
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938433 17.12.2019