ZURICH, Switzerland, April 28, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Nobel Biocare Holding AG's Annual General Meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, today endorsed all proposals put forward by the Board of Directors.
The Annual General Meeting approved a dividend of CHF 2.65 gross per bearer share of CHF 2.00 nom. on the share capital entitled to dividends = total CHF 68,276,166.
The dividend will be paid on 3 May, 2005, which is also the ex-dividend day.
The Annual General Meeting also approved the conversion of CHF 350,000,000 of general reserves into the free reserves. This conversion was a prerequisite for the implementation of a new share option program for employees and officers of the Group and the funding of the program with the purchase of shares on the open market, as announced on 1 April 2005.
In line with good corporate governance practice, the reduction of the threshold to put items on the Agenda of the Annual General Meeting was lowered from about 2% to 0.1% of the Company's share capital.
The following Board members were re-elected: Michel Orsinger, Jane Royston, Rolf Soiron and Ernst Zaengerle. Jan Ekberg and Jan Kvarnstrom left the Board after more than ten years of serving on Nobel Biocare's Board.
Antoine A. Firmenich and Robert Lilja were elected as new board members. According to the by-laws, all Board members have been elected for a one-year term.
At the first board meeting following the Annual General Meeting, Rolf Soiron was re-elected as Chairman of the Board.
KPMG Fides Peat, Zurich, has been re-elected for a one-year term of office as auditor and group auditor.
The interim report for the first quarter 2005 was published today, 28 April 2005.
The interim report for the first six months will be published on 11 August 2005 and the interim report for the first nine months will be published on 21 October 2005.
Nobel Biocare Holding AG
Nobel Biocare is a medical devices group and the world leader in innovative esthetic dental solutions with its brands Branemark System(r), Replace(r) Select, NOBELPERFECT(tm), NOBELDIRECT(tm) (dental implants) and Procera(r) (individualized dental prosthetics). Nobel Biocare is a one-stop shop for restorative esthetic dentistry, offering a wide range of innovative Crown & Bridge & Implant products, as well as training and education and clinically documented treatment concepts. Nobel Biocare has 1 553 employees and recorded revenue of EUR 388 million in 2004. The company is domiciled in Zurich, Switzerland with headquarters in Zurich and in Gothenburg, Sweden. Production takes place at four production sites located in Sweden and the USA. Nobel Biocare has direct sales organizations in 29 countries. The shares of the parent company Nobel Biocare Holding AG are listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange and on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, Sweden.
Celebrating 40 years of scientific heritage. In 1965, the first patient was treated with the original scientific dental implant system, the Branemark System(r). This event marked a breakthrough in modern dental implant therapy. Since then, millions of people have been helped with dental implants, enjoying improved function, appearance and quality of life. The original fixtures that were placed in the first patient 40 years ago are still in place, providing the individual with firm bridge support. The Branemark System(r) has been scientifically documented in 1,500 articles.
Nobel Biocare Holding AG, Postfach 8058 Zurich-Flughafen, Switzerland