The shareholders of VAT Group AG approved all motions proposed by the Board of Directors at today’s ordinary Annual General Meeting (AGM), including the payout of an unchanged dividend of CHF 6.25 per share.
351 shareholders representing 67.82% percent of the company’s share capital were present at the meeting held in St.Gallen.
The shareholders re-elected Dr. Martin Komischke as Chairman of the Board of Directors. In addition, Urs Leinhäuser, Karl Schlegel, Hermann Gerlinger, Libo Zhang, Daniel Lippuner and Petra Denk were confirmed as members of the Board of Directors. Thomas A. Piliszczuk was elected as a new member of the Board of Directors, replacing Maria Heriz who did not stand for re-election.
Urs Leinhäuser, Hermann Gerlinger and Libo Zhang were re-elected to the Nomination and Compensation Committee (NCC).
The shareholders approved a dividend from accumulated gains of CHF 6.25 per registered share of VAT. The last trading day with entitlement to receive a dividend is Wednesday, May 15, 2024, and VAT shares will be traded ex-dividend as of Thursday, May 16, 2024. The payment will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
The shareholders approved in a consultative vote the report on non-financial matters (Sustainability Report 2023). In addition, the compensation report 2023 was also endorsed by a vast majority of shareholders in a consultative vote. Shareholders also approved in separate binding votes the short-term incentive (STI) compensation of the Group Executive Committee (GEC) for the financial year 2023, the total maximum amount of fixed compensation of the GEC for the financial year 2025, the maximum amount of the long-term incentive (LTI) compensation of the GEC for the financial year 2025 and the total maximum amount of compensation for the eight members of the Board covering the next term until the AGM 2025.
For further information, please contact:
VAT Group AG
Michel R. Gerber
VP Investor Relations & Sustainability
T +41 81 553 70 13
Christopher Wickli
Investor Relations
T +41 81 553 75 39
ABOUT VAT
We change the world with vacuum solutions – that is our purpose as the world’s leading supplier of high-end vacuum valves. The Group reports in two segments: Valves and Global Service. The Valves segment is a global developer, manufacturer and supplier of vacuum valves for the semiconductor, displays, photovoltaics and vacuum coating industries as well as for the industrial and research sector. Global Service provides local expert support to customers and offers genuine spare parts, repairs and upgrades. VAT reported net sales of CHF 885 million in 2023 and employs some 2,700 people worldwide, with representatives in 29 countries and manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia, and Romania.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Forward-looking statements contained herein are qualified in their entirety as there are certain factors that could cause results to differ materially from those anticipated. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates” and similar expressions) should be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent known and unknown risks, uncertainties and contingencies because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future and may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Many of these risks and uncertainties relate to factors that are beyond the company’s ability to control or estimate precisely, such as future market conditions, currency fluctuations, the behavior of other market participants, the performance, security and reliability of the company’s information technology systems, political, economic and regulatory changes in the countries in which the company operates or in economic or technological trends or conditions. As a result, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
Except as otherwise required by law, VAT disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this report.