We work to broaden the investment community’s understanding of our Company by providing accurate and timely information on Ahold’s performance and prospects.
Ahold’s authorized share capital as of January 2, 2011, was comprised of the following:
- 1,700,000,000 common shares at €0.30 par value each;
- 477,580,949 cumulative preferred financing shares at €0.30 par value each;
- 1,250,000 cumulative preferred shares at €500 par value each.
For additional information about Ahold’s share capital, see Notes 20 and 22 to the consolidated financial statements. Ahold is a public limited liability company registered in the Netherlands with a listing of shares (symbol: AH) on Euronext’s Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX). Ahold’s common shares trade in the United States on the over-the-counter (OTC) market through www.otcmarkets.com (symbol: AHONY) in the form of American Depositary Shares (ADSs) and are evidenced by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).
Ahold’s Depositary for its ADSs is Citibank. Each ADS entitles the holder to receive one common share deposited under an amended and restated deposit agreement between Ahold and the Depositary dated July 2, 2010. Ahold has been informed by the Depositary that as of January 2, 2011, there were 49,830,660 ADSs outstanding in the United States, compared with 53,257,581 as of January 3, 2010.
Geographic spread of shareholdings
| Percent | February 2011 | February 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| North America | 26.3 | 32.1 |
| The Netherlands | 14.9 | 11.8 |
| UK / Ireland | 13.9 | 11.9 |
| France | 7.5 | 4.4 |
| Rest of Europe | 7.3 | 5.8 |
| Switzerland | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Rest of the world | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| Germany | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Undisclosed1 | 22.5 | 27.7 |
1The undisclosed percentage of shareholdings includes all retail holdings.
Vesting of shares under the GRO plan
On March 4, 2011, a maximum of 1.9 million conditional shares granted in 2008 to Ahold employees under the mid-term component of the Global Reward Opportunity (GRO) equity-based long-term incentive plan, 3.0 million performance shares granted in 2006 to Ahold employees under the long-term component of the GRO plan, and 0.2 million matching shares granted in 2006 to Ahold employees under the mid-term component of the GRO plan are expected to vest. Vesting is subject to the participant being employed by the Company on the applicable vesting date. On the vesting date, participants are eligible, subject to the GRO plan rules, to sell all or part of the shares vested.
On April 21, 2011, a maximum of 0.2 million conditional shares granted in 2008 to members of the Corporate Executive Board under the mid-term component of the GRO plan and 0.1 million performance shares granted in 2006 to members of the Corporate Executive Board under the long-term component of the GRO plan are expected to vest. Except to finance tax due on the vesting date, members of the Corporate Executive Board cannot sell the conditional shares for a period of at least five years following the grant date, or until the end of their employment, if this period is shorter.
The Company will use treasury shares for delivery of the vested shares.