Novozymes A/S purchases B shares from Novo A/S
Novozymes A/S purchases B shares worth DKK 244 million from Novo A/S as part of the ongoing share buy-back programme.
Novo A/S has hereby reduced its ownership of Novozymes A/S to its target level, which is the level of Novo A/S' ownership of Novozymes A/S following the demerger from Novo Nordisk A/S in the year 2000.
Novo A/S' shareholding in Novozymes A/S prior to the sale of B shares was 10.748.720 A shares (nominal DKK 10) and 7.764.280 B shares (nominal DKK 10), corresponding to 26.6% of capital and 69.3% of votes. The current transaction reduces Novo A/S' ownership of Novozymes A/S to 25.5% of capital and 68.8% of votes.
Henrik Gürtler, CEO of Novo A/S, said: "Novo A/S has now adjusted its shareholding in Novozymes A/S so that it is again 25.5% of the capital, as was the case prior to the reduction in share capital implemented recently. Novo A/S remains a long-term and committed major shareholder in Novozymes A/S."
As of August 29, 2005, Novozymes A/S has bought back B shares amounting to around DKK 737 million, as part of the DKK 850 million share buy-back programme for 2005 and as part of the ongoing share buy-back programme of DKK 2.5 billion. Novozymes A/S now owns 4,784,764 of its own B shares of DKK 10, corresponding to a total nominal value of DKK 47,847,640 or 6.88% of the total share capital.
At the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on March 16, 2005, it was decided to reduce the nominal share capital with 3 million shares. Pursuant to the Stock Exchange announcement on July 4, 2005 the capital reduction has now been finally registered. It is the policy of Novozymes A/S to reduce its share capital by the number of shares bought back.