LINKOPING, Sweden, June 27, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- "Sectra has enjoyed a successful 2001/2002 fiscal year, the best year in the company's history. We achieved record levels in orders, sales and earnings," said Jan-Olof Bruer, President and CEO of Sectra AB, in his address to the Meeting today, which was attended by approximately 100 shareholders.
At the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors' proposal to distribute a dividend of SEK 0.40 per share, or a total of SEK 13,104,378 to the shareholders was approved.
Thomas Ericson, Gundor Rentsch, Carl-Erik Ridderstrale, Torbjorn Kronander and Jan-Olof Bruer were re-elected members of the Board of Directors.
The Meeting also resolved to appoint the Lindebergs Grant Thornton AB auditing firm as the company's auditor for the remainder of the mandate period extending through 2003. In conjunction with this decision, Hans Franzen and Ivar Verner resigned their positions as auditor and deputy auditor, respectively, of the company.
The Meeting authorized the Board of Directors to approve -- on one or more occasions prior to the next Annual General Meeting -- the issue of a maximum of 3,300,000 Series B shares, representing an increase of not more than SEK 3,300,000 in the share capital of the company. The authorization may be exercised on one or more occasions, but only in connection with market investments or acquisitions. If the authorization is fully exercised, the share capital will be diluted by approximately 10% and the voting rights by approximately 6%.
The Meeting also approved the Board of Directors' proposal to issue convertible debentures in a total maximum amount of SEK 30 million, to be directed to Group employees and SEK 3 million to the external elected Board of Directors. The conversion price will be 135% of the volume- weighted average of prices paid for the company's shares on the "O" List of the Stockholm Exchange during the period beginning June 21, 2002 and ending July 4, 2002. The debentures may be converted as of May 15, 2005 through June 14, 2005. Assuming full subscription and full conversion of the debentures, the share capital will be diluted by approximately 1.0% and the voting rights by approximately 0.6%.
The Meeting also approved the Board of Directors' proposal to issue a maximum of 80,000 additional stock options for Group personnel in the US. Assuming full exercise of the stock options, employees will acquire shares in the company corresponding to approximately 0.3% of the share capital and 0.1% of the voting rights.
For further information, please contact: Dr. Jan-Olof Bruer, President and CEO Sectra AB, +46 13 23 52 09, job@sectra.se
Visit our website http://www.sectra.com
Sectra's operations
Sectra has its roots in Linkoping Technical University and is one of Sweden's fastest growing high-tech companies in the IT area. Since the mid-1980s, Sectra has successfully conducted development and sales of high-technology medical IT and telecommunications products. Today, the business includes products in medical systems, secure communication systems and wireless information systems.
Business is conducted in six countries with a total of 250 employees. Sales for the fiscal year May 2000-April 2002 reached SEK 426 million. Since March 1999, Sectra's shares have been quoted on the O list of the Stockholm Exchange.
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