GRIFOLS SA Free translation from the original in
Spanish. In the event of discrepancy, the
Spanish-language version prevails.
Grifols holds Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on second call attended by representatives of 76.9% of the company's share capital Grifols allocates €188 million to dividends and maintains payout at 40% of consolidated net profit Shareholders endorse management team and ratify all the proposed resolutions on the agenda
Meeting approves allocation of €188.1 million to dividends: an interim dividend of €0.25 (gross) per share, paid in December 2014, and a second dividend of €0.30 (gross) per share to be paid out from June 8, 2015
Forecast interim dividend charged to the 2015 results before end of year
The company has modified its Board of Directors reducing the total number of members to 12
Barcelona, May 29 2015.-Grifols (MCE:GRF, MCE:GRF.P and NASDAQ:GRFS), a global company celebrating the 75th anniversary of its commitment to people's health, to scientific innovation and social progress, held its Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on second call. The meeting was attended by representatives of 563 shareholders, accounting for 163,863,451 Class A shares, representing 76.9% of the company's voting shares. The votes delegated to the Board of Directors represented 58.4% of the share capital, confirming the support of shareholders for the current management of the group and its business plan.
In 2014, Grifols focused primarily on consolidating the organic growth of all business areas; integrating the new diagnostic unit acquired in January 2014 to build a more global, more diversified company with greater potential for growth; refinancing the group's debt in order to reduce financial costs; and bringing to completion a number of key projects to expand manufacturing capacity.
In achieving its annual objectives, Grifols has positioned itself as one of the leading companies in the production of plasmatherapies, ithas become a leader in transfusion medicine and it has maintained its leadership in Spain as a provider of intravenous solutions.
Geographic expansion continues to be one of the strategic pillars of growth. In
2014, over 93% of income was generated in international markets.
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Free translation from the original in
Spanish. In the event of discrepancy, the
Spanish-language version prevails.
Key resolutions on the agenda endorsed by shareholders include:
Approval of the annual accounts, both individual and consolidated, consisting of the balance sheet, profit and loss account, statement of changes in equity, cash flow statement, notes and the corresponding directors' reports.
Reappointment of the auditors.
A number of changes to the Articles of Association to adapt their content and take account of legislative changes with respect to corporate governance introduced by the current Companies Act in Spain.
Changes to the Board of Directors of Grifols, including the resignation, reelection and appointment of directors. As a result, the number of members of the Board of Directors has fallen from 13 to 12.
Remuneration for directors does not change and remains at the same levels as in the previous year.
Shareholders also agreed to renew the delegation of powers to the Board of Directors for a possible stock split of class A and class B shares on the same conditions as those proposed first time in December 2012.
Grifols modifies its Board of Directors
Grifols has modified its Board of Directors, with the appointment of Carina Szpilka and Iñigo Sánchez-Asiaín as independent directors and of Raimon Grifols as proprietary director. Anna Veiga and TomásDagá were reelected as independent and external directors, respectively.
Including the new appointments and reelections, all for a period of four years and at the proposal of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, Grifols has reduced to 12 the number of members of its Board of Directors, following the resignations of Edgar Dalzell Janotta, William Brett, Juan Ignacio Twose and José Antonio Grifols (representing Thorthol Holdings, B.V.).
At the same time, the number of women on the board has risen to four, with the result that one third of Grifols' directors are women. In this respect, the company has moved forward to its objective of increasing the number of women on its Board of Directors. Anna Veiga since 2008, BelénVillalonga since 2013, Marla Elizabeth Salmon since 2014 and Carina Szpilka since 2015 are the female directors who
have joined the Board of Directors of Grifols in recent years.
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Free translation from the original in
Spanish. In the event of discrepancy, the
Spanish-language version prevails.
Grifols will distribute 40% of the group's consolidated net profit to its shareholders
Shareholders haveapproved to pay a dividend of €0.30 (gross) per share, charged to the results for 2014. This ordinary final dividend and the interim dividend of €0.25 per share paid in December 2014, mean that a total of €188.1 million was allocated to dividends in 2014. Payment of the €0.01 (gross) preferred dividend to each Class B share is also included in the total amount distributed. The company's payout will be 40% of the group's consolidated net profit, continuing with its commitment to maintain the highest possible levels of payment for its shareholders.
This new dividend will be distributed from June 8, 2015 through Iberclear and its participating entities and BBVA appointed as payment agent.
In addition, the Board of Directors announced that it expects to pay an interim dividend charged to the 2015 results before the end of the year.
The progress that Grifols has achieved since the foundation of Laboratorios Grifols in Barcelona in 1940, the challenges it has overcome, and the innovations that have helped to improve the health and quality of life of patients have been at the core of the company's history for 75 years.
The book "When a Dream Comes True: An illustrated history of 75 years of
Grifols"tells the story of the company's origins, its history and recent development.
The book contains over 200 images, and incorporates material from the company's archives and interviews with key figures at the company in order to tell the story of Grifols' past and of its achievements.
The digital version of "When a Dream Comes True: An illustrated history of 75 years of Grifols"can be downloaded free of charge in a variety of formats from the Grifols website:
http://www.grifols.com/es/web/international/about-grifols/the-story-of-75-years-of- grifols
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Free translation from the original in
Spanish. In the event of discrepancy, the
Spanish-language version prevails.
Grifols is a global healthcare company founded in 1940. In 2015 Grifols celebrates its 75th Anniversary of improving people's health and well being through the development of life-saving plasma medicines, diagnostics systems, and hospital pharmacy products.
The company is present in more than 100 countries worldwide and is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. Grifols is a leader in plasma collection with a network of 150 plasma donor centers in the U.S., and a leading producer of plasma- derived biological medicines. The company also provides a comprehensive range of transfusion medicine, hemostasis, and immunoassay solutions for clinical laboratories, blood banks and transfusion centers, and is a recognized leader in transfusion medicine.
In 2014, sales exceeded 3,350 million euros with a headcount close to 14,000 employees. Grifols demonstrates its commitment to advancing healthcare by allocating a significant portion of its annual income to R&D.
The company's class A shares are listed on the Spanish Stock Exchange, where they are part of the Ibex-35 (MCE:GRF). Its non-voting class B shares are listed on the Mercado Continuo (MCE:GRF.P) and on the U.S. NASDAQ via ADRs
(NASDAQ: GRFS). For more information visit www.grifols.com
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