Notice to attend the annual general meeting in IFS
Notice to attend the annual general meeting in Industrial and Financial Systems, IFS AB (publ)
Shareholders in Industrial and Financial Systems IFS AB (publ.) are hereby called to the annual general meeting (AGM) of shareholders on Friday, March 25, 2011, at 3:00 p.m., at Courtyard by Marriott, Rålambshovsleden 50, in Stockholm, Sweden.
ATTENDANCE
Shareholders intending to take part in the AGM must be registered in the stock register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB (formerly VPC AB) no later than Monday March 21, 2011. They must also submit their application to IFS no later than Tuesday March 22, 2011 at 12:00 noon.
Notice of attendance shall be made by telephone at: +46 8 587 845 00 or via the company’s website www.ifsworld.com/sweden. When notifying the company, please provide name, personal registration or corporate registration number, if applicable, address, telephone number, stockholding, and information regarding any assistants (not more than two). If participation is by proxy, the proxy must be submitted to the company together with the notice of attendance. Proxy forms for shareholders wishing to participate in the AGM by proxy will be available from the corporate website at www.ifsworld.com or can be acquired by calling +46 8 587 845 00.
Shareholders who have deposited their stock with trustees must provisionally register their stock in their own name in order to take part in the AGM and exercise their voting rights. Shareholders who wish to re-register must notify their stockbrokers of this well in advance of March 21, 2011.
PROPOSED AGENDA
- The meeting is called to order.
- Election of chairman for the meeting.
- Drawing up and approval of the register of voters.
- Approval of the agenda.
- Election of one or two members to verify the minutes.
- Determine whether the meeting has been duly convened.
- Statements:
a) Chairman of the board’s statement.
b) Chief executive officer’s (CEO) statement. - Presentation of the annual report and the auditor’s report as well as the consolidated statement of income and the consolidated balance sheet.
- Resolution to approve the statement of income and the balance sheet as well as the consolidated statement of income and the consolidated balance sheet.
- Resolution on allocations concerning Group income in accordance with the approved balance sheet.
- Resolution to discharge the members of the board and the chief executive officer from liability.
- Determine the number of members of the board and deputies.
- Determine remuneration for the board and the auditors.
- Election of board members and the chairman of the board.
- Resolution concerning guidelines for the remuneration of corporate management and incentive program:
a. Resolution concerning guidelines for the remuneration of corporate management.
b. Resolution concerning incentive program. - Proposal concerning the establishment of a nomination committee.
- Resolution concerning the reduction of capital stock.
- Resolution to authorize the board to resolve to repurchase shares.
- Resolution to amend the articles of association of the company:
a. Resolution concerning a simplified AGM notification procedure, etc.
b. Resolution to change the company’s capital stock and the minimum and maximum number of shares. - The meeting is closed.
PROPOSALS
DISPOSITION OF EARNINGS (ITEM 10)
The board proposes that a dividend of SKr 3.00 per share be paid. Wednesday March 30, 2011, is proposed as the record day. Should the AGM resolve in accordance with the board’s proposal, the dividend is expected to be distributed by Euroclear AB on Monday, April 4, 2011.
RESOLUTION CONCERNING GUIDELINES FOR THE REMUNERATION OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM (ITEM 15)
The board proposes a system of remuneration for senior executives of IFS, including the CEO ("corporate management") that is aligned with market terms and conditions and that is sufficiently competitive to be of interest to the qualified circle of employees that IFS wishes to attract and retain. The board seeks continuity. With the exception of the relationship between fixed and variable remuneration, which is proposed to be adjusted compared with the previous year, the proposal by the board is essentially in line with the guidelines and remuneration principles from previous years and are based on existing contracts between IFS and respective senior executives.
Resolution concerning guidelines for the remuneration of corporate management (Item 15.a)
Remuneration of corporate management in IFS shall be aligned with market terms and conditions, shall be individual and differentiated, and shall support the interests of the stockholders.
Remuneration principles shall be predictable, both in terms of costs for the company and benefits for the individual, and shall be based on factors such as competence, experience, responsibility and performance.
Total remuneration paid to corporate management shall consist of a basic salary, variable remuneration, an incentive program, pension contributions, and other benefits. The total annual monetary remuneration paid to each member of corporate management, i.e., basic salary and variable remuneration, shall correspond to a competitive level of remuneration in the respective executive's country of residence.
Variable remuneration shall be linked to predetermined measurable criteria designed to promote long-term value generation in the company.
The relationship between basic salary variable remuneration shall be proportionate to the executive’s responsibility and powers. Variable remuneration varies according to position. For 2011, it is proposed that variable remuneration be reduced compared with that for the previous year to correspond to not more than 50 percent of the basic salary. In return, the basic salary has been adjusted upward such that the total of basic salary and variable remuneration corresponds to a normal market-based upward adjustment.
Long-term incentive programs are treated under Item 15.b below.
Pension benefits shall correspond to a competitive level in the respective executive’s country of residence and shall, as in previous years, consist of a premium-based pension plan or its equivalent. The CEO is entitled to a premium-based pension plan with a premium that is 20% of the basic salary. The retirement age for the CEO and other senior executives is 65, but the CEO and the company are entitled to invoke the right to retirement for the CEO at the age of 62. In such a case, the CEO shall receive the equivalent of 60 percent of the basic salary until he is 65.
Other benefits are chiefly related to company cars and telephones and shall, where they exist, constitute a limited portion of the remuneration and be competitive in the local market.
If the company terminates the employment, the period of notice is normally 6–12 months; if the executive terminates the employment, the period of notice is normally 3–6 months. The basic salary during the period of notice, together with severance pay, shall not exceed an amount corresponding to two years’ basic salary.
The board of directors shall have the right to deviate from the above guidelines in individual cases if there is good reason to do so. In such an event, the board shall inform the immediately following AGM and explain the reason for the deviation.
The principles apply to employment contracts entered into after the resolution is adopted by the AGM and to changes made to existing terms and conditions after this point in time.
Resolution concerning incentive program (Item 15.b)
The board proposes that the AGM resolve to adopt an incentive program which entails that the company offers senior executives and key personnel in the IFS group the opportunity to subscribe for warrants in the company at market price. Each warrant shall be exercisable to subscribe for one issued Series B share during an exercise period from the day after the release of the first quarterly report 2014 until and including June 29, 2016. To stimulate participation in the program, it is proposed that for each warrant acquired at market price, the participants may be allotted a maximum of additional three warrants free of charge. The number of warrants that participants can be allotted free of charge is dependent on the outcome of performance conditions linked to the company’s earnings-per-share target during 2011 in accordance with predetermined criteria established by the board. Warrants allotted free of charge may be exercised only on the condition that the warrants acquired at market price have been retained by the participant until the first day of the exercise period.
The proposal entails the issue of not more than 265,000 warrants. Each warrant carries the right to acquire one Series B share at a subscription price corresponding to 110 percent of the volume-weighted average price paid for the company’s share on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange between April 20, 2011 and April 29, 2011.
The right to subscribe for warrants shall accrue to wholly owned subsidiaries, which will transfer the warrants to current and future members of corporate management and key personnel within the Group. The company CEO shall be assigned no more than 79,500 warrants, employees in corporate management no more than 53,000 warrants each, and other senior executives and key personnel no more than 26,500 warrants each.
If all 265,000 warrants are exercised to subscribe for shares, the company’s capital stock will increase by SKr 5,300,000, corresponding to approximately 1.0 percent of the capital stock and 0.7 percent of the voting rights after dilution. Together with the warrants issued at the respective AGMs in 2008, 2009, and 2010, the four programs, on full subscription, can entail a dilution of approximately 2.9 percent of the existing capital stock and of approximately 1.9 percent of the voting rights. However, to minimize dilution and share price exposure resulting from the incentive program, the board, on the basis of mandates granted by the AGM, intends to purchase Series B shares in the company in an amount corresponding to the number of warrants issued within the framework of the incentive program.
The purpose of the incentive program is to create conditions for retaining and recruiting competent personnel and to increase employee motivation. The board considers that the introduction of a participation program will benefit the group and the company’s shareholders.
The board shall be responsible for the exact wording and management of the incentive program within the framework of the given terms and conditions, and guidelines. In connection with this, the board shall have the right to make adjustments to fulfill particular legislation or market conditions internationally.
A valid resolution to adopt the incentive program requires that it be supported by shareholders representing at least nine tenths of the shares and votes represented at the AGM.
RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE REDUCTION OF CAPITAL STOCK (ITEM 17)
In accordance with the authorization granted by the preceding AGM, the board repurchased 500,000 of its own Series B shares during 2010. The board of directors has previously announced that the repurchased shares are intended to be cancelled. The board therefore proposes that the AGM resolve to reduce the capital stock of the company by SKr 10 million, the total quota value (of SKr 20 per share) of the repurchased shares, by withdrawing the total number of repurchased shares without repayment. The reduction amount shall be allocated to the company’s reserve fund to be used as the AGM determines.
A valid resolution to adopt the board’s proposal under Item 17 requires that it be supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of the shares and votes represented at the AGM.
RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD TO RESOLVE TO REPURCHASE SHARES (ITEM 18)
The board proposes that the AGM authorize the board to resolve, on one or more occasions until the next AGM, to acquire a total number of Series B shares in such an amount that the company’s stockholding on each occasion does not exceed 10 percent of the total number of shares in the company. The shares shall be acquired through the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange in compliance with stock exchange regulations and only at a price within the registered interval on each occasion, by which is meant the interval between the highest buying price and the lowest selling price.
The purpose of the authorization is to accord the board a greater opportunity to continuously adjust the company’s capital structure and thereby contribute to increased shareholder value, for example, by minimizing the effects of dilution and the effect on the share price resulting from the incentive program outlined in Item 15.b or any subsequent incentive programs that may be adopted.
A valid resolution to adopt the board’s proposal under Item 18 requires that it be supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of the shares and votes represented at the AGM.
RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE COMPANY (ITEM 19)
Simplified AGM notification procedure, etc (item 19.a)
Pursuant to the regulations introduced into the Swedish Companies Act as of January 1, 2011, pertaining to a simplified AGM notification procedure and changed notification period regarding extraordinary general meetings, the boards proposes that §10 in the company’s articles of association be amended such that the first paragraph be replaced with the following wording:
The general meeting of shareholders shall be held in Linköping or Stockholm. Notification of the general meeting shall be advertised in The Swedish Official Gazette and on the company’s website. At the same time as the notification is published, information to that effect shall be advertised in Svenska Dagbladet.
Change in the company’s capital stock and the minimum and maximum number of shares (19.b)
The board also proposes that §4 and §5 of the articles of association be replaced by the following:
§4: The company’s share capital shall amount to a minimum of four hundred million Swedish krona (SKr 400,000,000) and a maximum of one billion, six hundred thousand Swedish krona (SKr 1,600,000,000).
§5: The number of shares in the company shall be a minimum of twenty million (20,000,000) and a maximum of eighty million (80,000,000).
A valid resolution to adopt the board’s proposal under Item 18 requires that it be supported by shareholders representing at least two thirds of the shares and votes represented at the AGM.
NOMINATION COMMITTEE PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION AT THE AGM
The chairman of the agm, the number of board memebers, remuneration of board members, auditors fees, election of chairman of the board and oterh board memebers, and resolution concerning the nomination committee at the agm (items 2, 12, 13, 14 and 16)
The nomination committee, consisting of Gustaf Douglas (Förvaltnings AB Wasatornet, committee chairman), Ulf Strömsten (Catella Capital), Lars Bergkvist (Lannebo Fonder), Bengt Nilsson (Founders) and Anders Böös (chairman of the board of IFS), who represent 55 percent of the total number of votes in the company, propose that:
- Anders Böös chair the AGM
- Six ordinary board members be elected, without deputies
- Directors’ fees (including remuneration for work on the audit committee) shall amount to a total of SKr 2,250,000, of which SKr 1,000,000 shall be paid to the chairman of the board and SKr 275,000 shall be paid to each of the remaining board members, with the exception of the CEO. The fees are unchanged from the previous year. A fee of SKr 100,000 shall be paid to the chairman and SKr 50,000 to other members of the audit committee, both unchanged from the previous year.
- Auditors’ fees be paid according to approved invoices
The AGM of 2010 elected PricewaterhouseCoopers AB as the company’s auditors until the period up to the AGM of 2014.
- Board members Anders Böös, Bengt Nilsson, Ulrika Hagdahl, Birgitta Klasén, Neil Masom and Alastair Sorbie be re-elected.
- Anders Böös be re-elected as chairman of the board
- Bengt Nilsson be re-elected deputy chairman of the board
- Nomination Committee
1. The company shall have a nomination committee that, based on the ownership structure as August 31, 2011, consists of five members: the chairman of the board, a representative of the company’s principal owner in terms of voting rights, a representative of each of the largest institutional shareholders in the company in terms of voting rights, and a representative of the founders of the company. The names of the members of the nomination committee and the shareholders they represent shall be published no later than six months before the AGM of 2012.
2. The composition of the nomination committee may be changed during its term of office in the event of a change in ownership such that a shareholder that appointed a member of the nomination committee no longer represents the largest share ownership as indicated in the previous paragraph (1) and that the change inownership is so substantial that the holding of the shareholder in question, in respect of voting rights, thereby falls below the holding of another shareholder by one percentage point.
3. The nomination committee shall prepare and submit proposals for resolution in the following issues:
a. Chairman of the AGM
b. Chairman of the board of directors and other members of the board of directors of IFS
c. Directors’ fees and other remuneration for boar assignments for each of the board members and remuneration for committee work where required.
d. Auditors’ fees
e. Rules and principles for establishing a nomination committee and its duties for the AGM of 2013
MISCELLANEOUS
Finally, it is proposed that the AGM authorize the board of directors, the chief executive officer or other person appointed by the board to make such amendments to resolutions that may be required in connection with registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket).
The complete list of proposals for resolution above, including the statement by the board in respect of profit allocation, information about all persons proposed as members of the board of OFS, the reasoned opinion of the nomination committee in respect of proposals to the board, the nominations committee’s complete proposals for resolution in respect of the nomination committee, the company’s annual report and auditor’s report for fiscal 2010 will be available for inspection as of March 4, 2011, at the company’s head office in Linköping, at the company’s office in Stockholm, and via the company’s website, www.ifsworld.com. The information will be sent upon request to any shareholders who submit their postal addresses.
Pursuant to Chapter 7 Section 32 of the Swedish Companies Act (2005:551), at the general meeting shareholders have a right to request information from the board of circumstances that may affect the agenda and conditions that may affect the company's financial situation.
The proposal detailed under Item 15.b, Long-term Incentive Program, will also be sent by post to shareholders who give notice of their intention to attend the AGM.
At the time the present notification was issued, the number of outstanding shares in the company amounted to 26,442,922, representing a total of 3,888,796.0 votes, of which 1,382,782 Series A shares represent 1,382,782 votes and 25,060,140 Series B shares represent 2,506,014 votes. Of these, the company owns, per February 23, 2011, 520,224 Series B shares, representing 52,022.4 votes.
Linköping, February 2011
The Board of Directors
About IFS
IFS is a public company (XSTO: IFS) founded in 1983 that develops, supplies, and implements IFS Applications™, a component-based extended ERP suite built on SOA technology. IFS focuses on agile businesses where any of four core processes are strategic: service & asset management, manufacturing, supply chain and projects. The company has 2,000 customers and is present in more than 50 countries with 2,700 employees in total. Net revenue in 2010 was SKr 2.6 billion.
More information is available at www.IFSWORLD.com
IFS discloses the information provided herein pursuant to the Financial Instruments Trading Act (1991:980) and/or the Securities Markets Act (2007:528). The information was submitted for publication on February 25, 2011 at 8:45 a.m. (CET).
IFS, Box 1545, SE-581 15 Linköping, Sweden – Phone: +46 13 460 40 00 – Fax: +46 13 460 40 01
Industrial and Financial Systems, IFS AB (publ) is a limited liability company registered in Sweden. Corporate identity number: 556122-0996. Registered office: Teknikringen 5, Box 1545, SE-581 15 Linköping.