Decisions of the Annual General Meeting of Musti Group plc
Decisions of the Annual General Meeting of Musti Group plc
Musti Group plc Stock Exchange Release Decisions of General Meeting 30 January 2023 at 2.30 p.m.
Musti Group plc's (the "Company") Annual General Meeting was held today on 30 January 2023 in Helsinki. The Annual General Meeting adopted the annual accounts for the financial year 1 October 2021 – 30 September 2022, discharged the persons who have acted as the members of the Board of Directors and CEO during the financial year from liability, and resolved to approve the remuneration report for the governing bodies.
Use of profits shown on the balance sheet and the return of capital
The Annual General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, that the profit for the financial year 1 October 2021 – 30 September 2022 be added to retained earnings and that no dividend will be paid. In addition, the Annual General Meeting decided that shareholders will be paid a capital return of EUR 0.50 per share from the invested unrestricted equity reserve, and that the capital return will be paid in two instalments.
The first capital return instalment of EUR 0.25 per share will be paid to the shareholders who are registered in the shareholders' register of the Company maintained by Euroclear Finland Oy on the record date of the first capital return instalment on 1 February 2023. The first capital return instalment will be paid on 8 February 2023.
The second capital return instalment of EUR 0.25 per share will be paid in August 2023 to shareholders who are registered in the shareholders' register of the Company maintained by Euroclear Finland Oyon the record date of the second capital return instalment on 22 August 2023. The second capital return instalment will be paid on 29 August 2023.
The Annual General Meeting also authorized the Board of Directors to resolve, if necessary, on a new record date and date of payment for the second instalment of the capital return, should the rules of Euroclear Finland Oy or statutes applicable to the Finnish book-entry system change or otherwise so require.
Remuneration of the members of the Board of Directors
The Annual General Meeting decided, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors that the members of the Board of Directors be paid the following annual remuneration:
- Chair of the Board of Directors: EUR 65,000
- Other members of the Board of Directors: EUR 35,000
The Annual General Meeting also decided, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, that the annual remuneration for the members of the Board of Directors be paid in Company shares and cash so that 50 percent of the annual remuneration will be used to purchase Company shares in the name and on behalf of the members of the Board of Directors from the market at a price determined in public trading, and the rest of the annual remuneration will be paid in cash. The shares will be purchased within two weeks of the publication of the interim report for the period 1 October 2022 – 31 December 2022 or as soon as possible in accordance with applicable legislation. The Company will pay any costs and transfer tax related to the purchase of Company shares. In case the remuneration cannot be paid in Company shares due to legal or other regulatory restrictions or due to other reasons related to the Company or a member of the Board of Directors, the annual remuneration will be paid fully in cash.
In addition, members of the Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee of Board of Directors will be paid the following annual remuneration:
- Chair of the Committee: EUR 7,500
- Other Committee members: EUR 5,000
Composition of the Board of Directors
The Annual General Meeting decided that the number of members of the Board of Directors shall be five (5). Jeffrey David, Ingrid Jonasson Blank, Ilkka Laurila, Inka Mero and Johan Dettel were re-elected as members of the Board of Directors for a term of office expiring at the end of the next Annual General Meeting.
Election and remuneration of the auditor
Ernst & Young Oy, Authorized Public Accountants, was re-elected as the auditor of the Company for a term of office ending at the end of the next Annual General Meeting. Ernst & Young Oy has notified the Company that Johanna Winqvist-Ilkka, Authorized Public Accountant, will act as the auditor with principal responsibility. The Annual General Meeting decided that the remuneration to the auditor shall be paid against a reasonable invoice approved by the Audit Committee.
Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide to repurchase and/or to accept the Company’s own shares as pledge
The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to decide on the repurchase of the Company's own shares and/or on the acceptance as pledge of the Company's own shares as follows.
The number of own shares to be repurchased and/or accepted as pledge based on this authorization shall not exceed 3,185,000 shares in total, which corresponds to approximately 9.5 per cent of all of the shares in the Company. However, the Company together with its subsidiaries cannot at any moment own and/or hold as pledge more than 10 per cent of all the shares in the Company.
Own shares may be repurchased only using the unrestricted equity of the Company at a price formed in public trading on the date of the repurchase or otherwise at a price determined by the markets.
The Board of Directors was authorized to decide on all other matters related to the repurchase and/or acceptance as pledge of own shares. Own shares can be repurchased using, inter alia, derivatives. Own shares can be repurchased otherwise than in proportion to the shareholdings of the shareholders (directed repurchase).
This authorization cancels the authorization given by the Annual General Meeting held on 27 January 2022 to decide on the repurchase the Company’s own shares and/or to accept the Company’s own shares as pledge. This authorization is effective until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 31 March 2024.
Authorizing the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares
The Annual General Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to decide on the issuance of shares as well as the issuance of special rights entitling to shares referred to in chapter 10 section 1 of the Finnish Companies Act as follows.
The number of shares to be issued based on this authorization shall not exceed 3,185,000 shares, which corresponds to approximately 9.5 per cent of all of the shares in the Company. The authorization covers both the issuance of new shares as well as the transfer of treasury shares held by the Company.
The Board of Directors was authorized to decide on all the conditions of the issuance of shares and of special rights entitling to shares. The issuance of shares and of special rights entitling to shares may be carried out in deviation from the shareholders' pre-emptive rights (directed issue).
This authorization cancels the authorization given by the Annual General Meeting held on 27 January 2022 to decide on the issuance of shares as well as on the issuance of special rights entitling to shares. This authorization is effective until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting, however, no longer than until 31 March 2024.
Amendment of the Articles of Association
The Annual General Meeting decided, in accordance with the proposal of the Board of Directors, that an addition will be made to section 7 § of the Articles of Association to include the possibility by the the Board of Directors, at their discretion, to arrange a General Meeting as a hybrid meeting. In addition, the amendment will enable arranging a General Meeting as a virtual meeting without a meeting venue.
Pursuant to the resolution by the Annual General Meeting, section 7 § of the Articles of Association will read as follows after the amendment:
"7 § The shareholders exercise their power of decision in the company’s affairs at the General Meeting.
The Annual General Meeting of shareholders shall be held annually within six (6) months of the expiration of the financial year. An Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders shall be held when the Board of Directors considers it necessary or when the law so requires.
The Board of Directors convenes the General Meeting and decides on the place, manner of arrangement and time of the General Meeting. The notice of the General Meeting shall be delivered to the shareholders no earlier than three (3) months and no later three (3) weeks prior to the General Meeting, however, no later than nine (9) days before the record date of the General Meeting. The notice shall be delivered to shareholders by means of a notice published on the company’s website or at least in one national daily newspaper designated by the Board of Directors. To be entitled to attend the General Meeting, a shareholder must register with the company no later than on the date specified in the notice of the General Meeting, which date may not be earlier than ten (10) days prior to the General Meeting.
The Board of Directors may decide that shareholders may participate in the General Meeting in a manner whereby shareholders exercise their full decision-making powers during the General Meeting using telecommunications and technical means (hybrid meeting).
The Board of Directors may decide that the General Meeting is arranged without a meeting venue in a manner whereby shareholders exercise their full decision-making powers in real time during the General Meeting using telecommunications and technical means (virtual meeting).”
In Helsinki, 30 January 2023
MUSTI GROUP PLC
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Additional information:
Elisa Erkkilä, General Counsel, Musti Group plc, tel. +358407544411
Essi Nikitin, Head of Investor Relations and Communications, tel. +358505811455
Distribution:
Nasdaq Helsinki
Principal media
www.mustigroup.com
Musti Group in brief
Musti makes the life of pets and their owners easier, safer and more fun. We are the leading Nordic pet care company, and we operate an omnichannel business model to cater for the needs of pets and their owners across Finland, Sweden and Norway. We offer a wide, curated assortment of pet products. We also provide pet care services such as grooming, training and veterinary services in selected locations.
Musti Group’s net sales were EUR 391 million in the financial year 2022. At the end of the financial year 2022, the company had 1,587 employees, 1.5 million loyal customers and 335 stores.