STOCKHOLM, March 29, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Dividend: The Annual General Meeting held on 29 March 2004 resolved in favour of paying a dividend of SEK 4.50 per share (2003: SEK 4.00).
It was agreed that the date of record for entitlement to dividend should be 1 April 2004. It is expected that the dividend will be disbursed via VPC on 6 April 2004.
The AGM also resolved in favour of a share split, whereby shareholders will receive two new shares for each existing share.
Election of Board: Messrs Roger Holtback, Nils-Olov Jonsson, Mikael Jonsson, Sten Langenius, Martin Svalstedt and Bjarne Holmqvist were re-elected to the Board. Ms Lena Olving was elected to the Board. Rolf Ekedahl was not standing for re-election.
At the statutory meeting of the Board, Roger Holtback was elected chairman.
Election of Nominating Committee: The AGM decided that the Nominating Committee should consist of the chairman, together with a representative of each of the three largest shareholders at the end of the third quarter, and that the committee's members should be presented in the interim report for the third quarter of 2004. The role of the Nominating Committee includes submitting nominations to the Board and a proposal for the Board fee to the 2005 Annual General Meeting.
Election of auditors: PriceWaterhouseCoopers AB were elected as auditors for the coming four years, i.e. until the end of the 2008 Annual General Meeting.
Decision on mandate for Board: The AGM resolved in favour of mandating the Board to make decisions during the period up until the next AGM on the issue of a maximum of 600,000 shares for use in connection with company acquisitions.
Extracts from the President's adress to shareholders:
Bjarne Holmqvist, Gunnebo's President and CEO, opened his address to shareholders by describing Gunnebo's 240-year history. He explained to the AGM that Gunnebo was founded in 1764 in the small village of Gunnebo outside Vastervik, and that it was floated on the stock market 100 years ago.
"The development of the `new Gunnebo' began almost ten years ago when, following the acquisition of Gunnebo, we decided to transform the Group from an industrial conglomerate into a fast expanding international security group. Over the past two years, we have consolidated our position, focused on profitability rather than volume growth, implemented restructuring projects and integrated our acquisitions. The equity ratio is now at a healthy level, and we have the financial strength needed for the new expansion phase we will be moving into as of this year, with the Group concentrating on growth during the coming years."
Bjarne Holmqvist also repeated the previously published forecast:
The commercial outlook for the financial year 2004 as a whole is good. According to the normal seasonal pattern the first quarter result is expected to be weak.
Goteborg
29 March, 2004
GUNNEBO AB (publ) Information
For further information contact: Bjarne Holmqvist, President and CEO, Gunnebo AB: +46 31 83 68 00, or (mobile) +46 708 40 03 70, Lennart Gustavsson, Financial Director, Gunnebo AB: +46 31 83 68 00, or (mobile) +46 705 93 40 80, or Janerik Dimming, Information Director, Gunnebo AB: +46 31 83 68 03 or (mobile) +46 705 83 68 03. e-mail: janerik.dimming@gunnebo.se
Gunnebo is an international fast growing security group with 110 companies located in 32 countries. The Group has sales to a further hundred markets via agents and distributors. Annual turnover amounts to some MEUR 770. Gunnebo's security products mainly include fire and burglar resistant safes, security products for banks and cash handling, electronic security systems, fire protection, entrance control and access control, alarm centres and indoor and outdoor perimeter protection. Gunnebo has at its disposal some of the world's leading brand names in security: Chubbsafes, Fichet-Bauche, Rosengrens, Ritzenthaler, Garny and Leicher.
This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net
The following files are available for download:
http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/03/29/20040329BIT21060/wkr0006.pdf
GUNNEBO AB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING