STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 8, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- In the Stockholm Stock Exchange's "Best Financial Reporting in 2004" contest, Vattenfall AB has been named the winner of the Large Company category. Boss Media AB has been named the winner in the Small Company category. The Best Financial Reporting contest is an annual event designed to encourage companies to improve and develop their external communications.
The role of the jury is to make an overall assessment of the company's reporting to the market in order to assess which companies best satisfy the requirements of shareholders and other readers. The market information assessed by the jury consisted mainly of annual reports.
Vattenfall is awarded the prize for its exemplary report in many areas. The jury particularly emphasized the comprehensive review of the market and the competitive situation, in terms of both structure and depth of detail. Vattenfall's annual report maintained a high standard in its presentation of financial objectives, description of the Group's risks and environmental activities, and corporate governance issues, all presented in a format that is inviting to the reader.
The winner of the Small Company category, Boss Media, produced an annual report that was solid throughout, although the jury attached particular importance to the company's excellent description of the market and its business operations. In an educational manner and using an understandable language, the company succeeded in describing a business that many people regard as complex.
In the large company category, four distinctions were awarded for 2004. These went to Atlas Copco AB, AB Electrolux, Getinge AB and NCC AB. In the small company category, distinctions were awarded to Brostrom AB, Capona AB, Nordnet AB and SkiStar AB.
"The Stockholm Stock Exchange regards it as essential that the communication activities of our companies are of a uniformly high quality. We focus continuously on supporting such efforts, as exemplified by the training programs we arrange and this particular contest. For this reason, it is gratifying that we received many high-quality contributions to this year's contest. I sincerely thank all of the companies that have worked hard to produce good annual reports, and I would also like to thank the jury for their efforts in naming the winners," says Jenny Rosberg, President of Cash Market Sweden, OMX.
For more information, please contact:
Ulrika Olofson, Communications Manager, Stockholm Stock Exchange +46-8-405 63 76
During this year's competition, the 40th in succession, 288 companies were assessed. The contestants consisted of all of the companies listed on Stockholm Stock Exchange and 11 companies that competed at their own initiative. The jury consisted of Ulf Stromsten, chairman, Hans Edenhammar, Anders Haskel, Henrik Soderberg and Nils Liliedahl. The dividing line between the "large" and "small" company classes consisted of a market capitalization (or reported equity in the case of non-listed companies) of SEK 3 billion on December 31, 2004 (last year it was SEK 2 billion).
The "Best Financial Reporting 2004" brochure can be ordered free of charge via Stockholm Stock Exchange's website, www.omxgroup.com/stockholmsborsen under Trading at Stockholm Stock Exchange / Publications. Among other information, the brochure includes general comments about the annual reports for 2004 and specific comments about the winners and a list of the companies awarded distinctions.
About OMX Exchanges
OMX is a leading partner for more efficient securities transactions. OMX consists of two divisions: OMX Technology and OMX Exchanges. Through the OMX Exchanges division, OMX owns and operates the equity, fixed-income and derivatives exchanges in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius as well as the central securities depositories in Estonia and Latvia. Through OMX Exchanges, OMX offers access to approximately 80 percent of the Nordic and Baltic Securities market. For more information please visit www.omxgroup.com.
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