Autoliv Raises Dividend - Again
(Stockholm, Feb. 13, 2007) – – – Autoliv Inc. (NYSE: ALV and SSE: ALIVsdb), the world¬wide leader in automotive safety systems, today announced that its quarterly dividend will be increased by 5% to 39 cents per share from 37 cents.
The dividend will be payable on Thursday, June 7, 2007 to Autoliv shareholders of record on the close of business on Thursday, May 10, 2007. The Ex-date, when the shares will trade without the right to the dividend, will be May 8.
The dividend was also raised by 6% in May 2006 for the third quarter 2006 and by 9% in August for the fourth quarter. The quarterly dividend has been increased nine times and more than tripled during the past four years, i.e., a compounded annual growth rate of 30%.
In order to create value for its shareholders, Autoliv also has an active share repurchase program in addition to the quarterly dividends. Through this program, the Company has returned more than one billion dollars to shareholders since the program was adopted in 2000 and $221million during last year. During 2006, Autoliv also paid quarterly dividends of $112 million. The total amount of $333 million that has been returned to shareholders exceeded the Company’s cash flow before financing by 23%. In relation to the Company’s average market capitalization during 2006 the amount returned to shareholders represents a total yield of 7.4%.